LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

Theological  Seminary, 

I  NCETON,  N.  J. 

BX  5037    .H67   1874  v .  2^ 
Hopkins,  Ezekiel 
Works 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 

https://archive.org/details/worksofezekielho02hopk_0 


THE 


WORKS 


OF 


EZEKIEL  HOPKINS,  D.D, 

SUCCESSIVELY  BISHOP  OF  RAPHOE  AND  DERRY. 

FROM  PRATT'S  LONDON  EDITION. 

EDITED  BY  REV.  CHARLES  W.  QUICK 


IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  II. 

DISCOURSES  CONCERNING  SIN,  THE  TWO  COVENANTS, 
THE  TWO  SACRAMENTS,  AND  PRACTICAL  RELIGION. 


8BACE     BE     WITH    ALL    THBM    THAT    LOVE    OUt    LORD     JESUS  CHRIST 
I  H    SINCERITY.  —  Ephea.  vi.  24. 


OFFICE   FOR  THE  SALE  OF 

THE   LEIGHTON  PUBLICATIONS, 

AT     THE     DEPOSITORY  OP 

THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BOOK  SOCIETY 
OF 

PHILADELPHIA, 
1224    CHESTNUT  STREET. 
MDCCCLXVII. 


GENERAL  CONTENTS  OF  THE  THREE  VOLUMES. 


VOLUME  r. 

Account  of  the  present  Edition.— Biographical  Sketch  of  Bishop  Hopkins. — 
The  Vanity  of  the  World. — A  practical  Exposition  of  the  Lord's  Prayer. — 
A  Catechism  on  the  Lord's  Prayer. — A  practical  Exposition  of  the  Ten 
Commandments. — Discourses  on  the  Law. — Discourses  concerning  Sin. 

VOLUME  II.  * 

Discourses  concerning  Sin,  continued. — The  Doctrine  of  the  Two  Covenants. — 
A  Treatise  on  Regeneration,  or  the  New  Birth. — The  Doctrine  of  the  Two 
Sacraments. — The  All-sufficiency  of  Christ  to  . save  and  intercede  for  Sin- 
ners.— The  Excellence  of  Heavenly  Treasures. — Practical  Christianity  in 
working  out  our  own  Salvation. — The  Assurance  of  Salvation  a  strong 
motive  to  serve  God. — On  Glorifying  God  in  his  Attributes. 

VOLUME  III. 

A  Treatise  on  Hypocrisy. — A  Treatise  on  Conscience. — A  Discourse  on  the 
Duty  of  Mortification. — Death  Disarmed  of  its  Sting. — Miscellaneous  Ser- 
mons.— Index  of  Texts  of  Scripture. — Index  of  Subjects. 
(2) 


DISCOUKSES  CONCERNING  SIN. 

THE  NATURE,  DANGER,  AGGRAVATIONS,  AND 
CURE  OF  PRESUMPTUOUS  SINNING,  WITH  THE  DIF- 
FERENCE BETWEEN  RESTRAINING  AND  SANC- 
TIFYING GRACE  IN  EFFECTING  THEREOF. 

Keep  back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins:  let  them  not 
have  dominion  over  me.    Psal.  xix.  13. 

Having,  in  my  former  subject,  treated  of  abstinence  from  those 
things  that  have  in  them  the  appearance  of  evil,  I  shall  now,  from 
the  words  read  to  you,  speak  something  also  of  those  things  that 
are  apparently  evil :  that,  as  you  have  already,  in  part,  seen  what 
Christian  prudence  and  circumspection  is  required,  that  your  con- 
versations be  not  offensive  ;  so,  here,  you  may  also  see  what  fervency 
of  prayer,  what  measure  of  grace  is  requisite,  that  they  be  not 
grossly  wicked. 

In  the  verse  immediately  before  the  Text,  the  Psalmist  prays, 
that  God  would  cleanse  him  from  his  secret  faults  ;  that  is,  from  sins 
of  ignorance,  whereof  he  knew  himself  to  be  guilty  in  the  general, 
though  in  particular  he  knew  not  what  they  were.  In  this  verse, 
he  prays,  that  God  would  keep  him  from  Sins  of  Presumption. 
The  connection  of  these  two  requests  is  somewhat  remarkable,  and 
may  afford  us  this  pertinent  arid  profitable  Observation. 

That  SIN  IS  OF  A  GROWING  AND  ADVANCING  NATURE. 

From  weakness  to  wilfulness,  from  ignorance  to  presumption,  is 
its  ordinary  course  and  progress.  The  cloud,  that  Elijah's  man 
saw,  was  at  first  no  bigger  than  a  hand's  breadth  ;  and  it  threatened 
no  such  thing  as  a  general  tempest:  but  yet,  at  last,  it  overspread 
the  face  of  the  whole  heavens :  so,  truly,  a  sin,  that,  at  first,  arisetli 
in  the  soul  but  as  a  small  mist,  and  is  scarce  discernible  ;  yet,  if  it 
be  not  scattered  by  the  breath  of  prayer,  it  will  at  length  over- 
spread the  whole  life,  and  become  most  tempestuous  and  raging. 
And  therefore  David,  as  one  experienced  in  the  deceitfulne'ss  of 
sin,  doth  thus  digest  and  methodize  his  prayer  :  first,  against  secret 
and  lesser  sins ;  and,  then,  against  the  more  gross  and  notorious ; 
as  knowing  the  one  proceeds  and  issues  from  the  other ;  Lord, 
cleanse  me  from  my  secret  faults ;  and  this  will  be  a  most  effectual 
means,  to  preserve  and  keep  thy  servant  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

And  this  Observation  may  be  gathered  from  the  connection  of 
the  two  requests.    But  I  shall  not  insist  on  that. 

(5) 


6 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


The  words  are  a  most  sincere  and  affectionate  prayer :  and,  in 
them,  are  observable, 

First.  The  Person,  that  makes  it.  And  that  is  not  a  vile  notori- 
ous sinner  ;  one,  that  used  to  be  overcome  by  presumptuous  sins  : 
but  David,  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  eminent  for  holiness  and 
piety  :  Keep  back  thy  servant  says  he,  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

Secondly.  The  Request  and  Petition  itself.  And  that  is,  that 
God  would  keep  him,  not  from  sins  of  common  frailty  and  daily 
infirmity,  such  as  no  man's  holiness  can  exempt  him  from :  but 
from  sins  of  presumption ;  from  daring  and  ranting  sins,  such  as 
one  would"  think,  that  no  man,  that  hath  the  least  holiness  in  him. 
could  ever  commit :  Keep  back  thy  servant  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

In  this  Petition  Two  things  are  evidently  implied. 

First.  That  strong  propension,  that  there  is  in  the  best,  to  the 
worst  sins. 

"Were  it  not  so,  what  need  David  pray  for  restraining  grace  ? 
Keep  back  thy  servant.  Lord,  my  corruptions  hurry  me  with  all 
violence  into  the  greatest  sins  :  they  persuade,  they  force,  they  drag, 
they  draw,  they  thrust  forward ;  and  now,  now  I  am  going  and 
yielding  ;  but,  Lord  withold  me  :  put  a  curb  and  check  upon  these 
violent  and  headstrong  corruptions  of  mine :  keep  back,  keep  me 
back  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

Secondly.  It  implies  that  utter  impotency,  that  the  best  lie  under, 
to  preserve  themselves  from  the  foulest  sins,  without  the  special 
aid  and  assistance  of  divine  grace. 

My  heart  is  not  in  my  own  hands  :  my  ways  are  not  at  my  own 
disposal :  I  cannot  stand  longer  than  thou  upholdest  me  :  I  cannot 
walk  longer  than  thou  leadest  me :  if  thou  withdrawest  thine  ever- 
lasting arms  from  under  me,  I  shall  stumble,  and  fall,  and  tumble 
headlong  into  fearful  precipices,  into  vile  impieties,  into  hell  and 
perdition  itself ;  and,  therefore,  Lord,  do  thou  keep  me :  do  thou 
by  thy  omnipotency,  supply  my  impotency :  by  thy  power  keep 
me  from  what  mine  own  weakness  will  certainly  betray  me  unto : 
Keep  back  thy  servant  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

These  two  things  are  implied  and  couched  in  the  petition  itself. 

Thirdly.  In  the  Text  we  have  the  Reason  also  why  David  prays 
so  earnestly  against  presumptuous  sins.  Which  reason  carries  in 
it  the  form  of  a  distinct  petition  by  itself.  Keep  back  thy  servant 
from  Presumptuous  Sins :  let  them  not  have  dominion  over  me.  But 
yet  it  may  be  well  understood  as  a  reason  of  the  foregoing  request : 
Therefore,  Lord,  keep  me  from  Presumptuous  Sins:  lest  by  falling 
into  the  commission  of  them,  I  fall  also  under  the  power  of  them ; 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  7 

lest,  by  prevailing  upon  me,  they  get  dominion  and  sovereignty 
over  me.  And,  in  this  reason  also,  we  have  a  hint  of  the  still  en- 
croaching nature  of  sin :  from  the  allowance  of  little  and  secret 
sins,  it  proceeds  to  the  commission  of  gross  and  presumptuous  sins  ; 
and,  from  the  commission  of  these,  it  proceeds  to  dominion  over 
him  :  and,  therefore,  if  we  would  not  be  slaves  to  our  lusts  and  vas- 
sals to  the  Devil,  we  had  need  all  of  us,  to  pray  with  David,  Lord 
keep  us  from  secret  sins,  lest  they  break  out  into  open  and  pre- 
sumptuous sins ;  and,  Lord,  keep  us  from  Presumptuous  sins;  lest 
they  get  dominion  over  us. 

From  the  words  thus  divided  and  opened,  several  useful  Obser- 
vations may  be  raised. 

As,  first,  from  the  Petition  itself,  we  may  observe  these  Two  doc- 
trinal points. 

First.  That,  in  the  very  best  Christians,  there  is  great  proneness  and 
inclination  to  the  very  worst  sins.  David  himself  prays  for  restrain- 
ing grace,  to  keep  him  from  presumptuous  sins. 

Secondly.  Observe,  It  is  not  our  own  power,  but  only  divine  grace, 
that  can  preserve  us  from  the  most  horrid  and  vile  sins.  Those  sins, 
that  we  now  abhor  the  very  thoughts  of ;  yet,  were  we  but  left  to 
ourselves,  and  were  but  divine  grace  abstracted  from  us,  even  those 
sins  we  should  commit  with  all  greediness. 

And,  then,  from  the  Person  who  makes  this  prayer  and  request 
unto  God,  observe, 

Thirdly.  That,  Because  the  strongest  Christians  are  too  weak  of 
themselves  to  resist  the  greatest  sins,  therefore  they  ought  continually  to 
implore  the  aid  and  assistance  of  divine  grace.  David,  though  a  strong 
and  mighty  saint,  yet  durst  not  trust  himself  alone  to  grapple  with 
a  corruption  or  a  temptation ;  and,  therefore,  in  the  sense  of  his  own 
weakness,  he  prays  the  Lord  to  keep  him :  Keep  thou  thy  servant. 

And,  then,  from  the  reason,  Keep  me  from  Presumptuous  sins,  lest 
they  get  dominion  over  me;  or,  let  them  not  get  dominion  over  me: 
observe, 

Fourthly.  That,  the  frequent  commission  of  presumptuous  and  daring 
sins,  will  sidjject  the  soul  to  the  reigning  power  and  dominion  of  sin. 

But  I  shall  not  handle  each  of  these  by  themselves  ;  but  give  you 
the  sum  and  substance  of  them  all  in  one,  and  so  prosecute  that. 
Which  is  this : 

That  THE  BEST  SECURITY,  WHICH  THE  BEST  OF  GOD'S  CHILDREN 
HAVE  FROM  THE  COMMISSION  AND  FROM  THE  DOMINION  OF  PRESUMP- 
TUOUS SINS,  IS  ONLY  THEIR  OWN  FERVENT  PRAYERS  AND  GOD'S  AL- 
MIGHTY GRACE. 


8 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


In  the  Prosecution  of  this  doctrine,  I  shall  endeavour  to  show 
you,  When  it  is  that  a  man  is  guilty  of  Presumptuous  Sins,  and 
wherein  the  Nature  of  such  sins  consists. 

I.  WHEN  A  MAN  IS  GUILTY  OF  PEESUMPTUOUS  SINS. 

1.  Then  a  Sin  is  Presumptuous,  when  it  is  committed  against 

THE  POWERFUL  DICTATES  OF  A  MAN'S  OWN  CONSCIENCE  AND  AGAINST 
THE  CLEAR  CONVICTION  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

When  conscience  is  awakened  in  conviction,  and  rings  aloud  in 
men's  ears,  "  The  ways  thou  livest  in  are  grossly  sinful,  the  end  of 
them  is  hell  and  death :  thou  wadest  through  the  dearest  blood  of 
thine  own  soul,  if  thou  goest  on.  Seest  thou  not  how  guilt  dis- 
mally stares  thee  in  the  face  ?  Seest  thou  not  how  the  mouth  of 
hell  belches  out  fire,  and  flames,  and  brimstone  against  thee  ?  Stop, 
therefore  :  I  here,  as  God's  officer,  arrest  thee  :"  If  now,  when  con- 
science thus  calls,  and  cries,  and  threatens,  men  will  yet  venture 
on,  this  is  most  bold  and  daring  presumption.  To  disobey  the  ar- 
rest, but  of  the  king's  officer,  is  a  most  presumptuous  crime :  how 
much  more,  therefore,  to  disobey  the  arrest  of  conscience ;  which 
is  the  chief  and  supreme  officer  of  God,  and  who  commands  in  the 
name,  yea,  in  the  stead  of  God,  as  it  were,  in  the  soul ! 

And  yet,  truly,  who  among  us  is  not,  in  some  kind  or  other 
guilty  of  this  presumption  ?  Sirs,  if  God  should  now  come  down  in 
terrible  majesty  in  the  midst  of  us,  and  if  he  should  ask  every  man's 
conscience  here,  one  by  one,  "  Conscience,  wert  thou  ever  resisted? 
wert  thou  ever  opposed  in  executing  thine  office,  to  this  and  to  that 
soul  ?"  where  sits  the  person,  whose  conscience  must  not  answer, 
"  Yes,  Lord,  I  accuse  him  :  I  testify  to  his  very  face,  I  have  often 
warned  and  admonished  him,  '  Oh,  do  not  venture  upon  this  or  that 
action :  there  is  sin,  there  is  guilt  lies  under  it :  there  is  wrath  and 
vengeance,  that  will  follow  it :  oh  pity,  oh  spare  thine  own  soul : 
this  sin  will  everlastingly  ruin  thee  if  thou  committest  it  ?"  "And, 
what !  didst  thou  commit  it  notwithstanding  all  this  ?"  "  Yes,  Lord: 
while  I  was  laying  before  him  all  the  arguments,  that  the  thoughts 
of  heaven  and  hell,  of  thy  glory  and  his  own  happiness,  could  ad- 
minister ;  yet,  so  presumptuous  was  he,  as  to  fall  upon  me  thine 
officer  ;  and  these  stabs,  these  gashes  and  wounds  I  received,  while 
I  was  admonishing  him,  and  warning  him  in  thy  name." 

O  Sirs,  a  thousand  times  better  were  it  for  us,  that  we  never  had 
consciences ;  better,  that  our  consciences  were  utterly  scattered  and 
become  insensible ;  better,  that  they  were  struck  for  ever  dumb, 
and  should  never  open  their  mouths  more  to  reprove  or  to  rebuke 
us  ;  better,  that  we  never  had  had  the  least  glimmering  of  light  to 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


9 


distinguish  betwixt  our  duty  and  what  is  sin  ;  than  thus  desperately 
to  outface  and  stifle  our  convictions,  and  to  offer  violence  to  our 
consciences,  and  presumptuously  to  rush  into  the  commission  of 
sin  in  despite  of  all  these :  better,  men  had  no  consciences  at  all,  or 
that  they  were  given  up  to  a  seared  and  reprobate  sense ;  than  to 
sin  thus  in  despite  of  their  consciences.  What  says  our  Saviour, 
Luke  xii.  47  ?  That  servant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  did  it 
not,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes. 

There  are  Two  things,  wherein  it  appears  that  all  sins  against 
conscience  and  against  convictions  are  Presumptuous  Sins. 

1.  Because,  in  all  such  sins,  there  is  a  most  horrid  contempt  of  the 
authority  and  sovereignly  of  the  Great  God. 

And  what  higher  presumption  can  there  be,  than  for  vile  worms 
to  set  at  nought  the  authority  of  that  God,  at  whose  frown  heaven, 
and  hell,  and  earth  tremble  ?  The  voice  of  conscience,  rightly  in- 
formed by  the  Scripture,  is  the  voice  of  God  himself:  it  is  God 
speaking  in  a  man,  and  whispering  to  a  man's  very  heart.  As 
Moses  was  the  interpreter  betwixt  God  and  the  Israelites,  so  con- 
science is  the  interpreter  betwixt  God  and  us.  Would  it  not  have 
been,  think  you,  a  most  desperate  presumption,  and  a  most  daring 
affront  against  the  majesty  and  sovereignty  of  God,  while  he  was 
with  his  own  voice  pronouncing  the  Ten  Commandments,  with 
thundering  and  lightning  and  earth  qixake,  from  Mount  Sinai,  for  the 
Israelites  to  have  been  notoriously  breaking  and  sinning  against 
every  one  of  those  Commandments,  as  he  spake  them  ?  Truly, 
though  now  God  delivers  his  will  and  commands  to  us,  not  imme- 
diately by  his  own  mouth,  as  then  he  did,  but  by  conscience  his  in- 
terpreter; yet,  while  we  know  that  conscience  speaks  to  us  in  the 
name  of  God,  it  is  as  much  fearful  presumption  for  us  to  slight  the 
voice  of  conscience,  as  if  we  should  slight  the  voice  of  God  himself 
speaking  from  heaven  immediately  to  us. 

And  that  is  the  first  thing. 

2.  By  sinning  against  our  consciences  and  against  our  convic- 
tions, we  make  it  very  evident,  that  we  stand  in  no  awe  nor  dread  of 
any  such  tiling  as  hell  and  eternal  damnation. 

And  is  not  that  boldness  ?  Is  not  that  presumption  ?  You  scorn, 
possibly,  to  be  such  puling,  whimpering  sinners,  as  to  be  affrighted 
with  such  bugbears  as  everlasting  torments,  and  everlasting  wrath 
and  vengeance.  You  know  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  and  that  the 
ways  you  take  lead  down  to  the  chambers  of  destruction :  and,  yet, 
though  God  and  the  Devil  stand  in  the  way,  you  will  through. 
Are  not  these,  think  you,  bold  and  presumptuous  sinners,  that  will 


10 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


go  on  in  sin,  though  hell-fire  flashes  in  their  faces  ?  Though  God 
should  cleave  the  ground  upon  which  they  walk,  and  through  that 
chink  should  give  them  a  view  of  hell ;  though  they  should  see  the 
damned  tumbling  up  and  down  in  those  torments,  and  hear  their 
y  el  lings,  and  shriekings,  and  roarings ;  yea,  though  God  should 
point  them  out  a  place  in  hell,  and  tell  them,  "  Look,  Sinner,  yonder 
is  a  place  kept  void,  and  heated  from  the  beginning  of  the  world 
for  thee:"  yet  are  there  some  such  bold  and  daring  wretches,  that 
they  would  outbrave  all  this,  and  would  sin  in  despite  either  of 
heaven  or  hell.  Yea,  and  which  is  a  most  sad  and  dreadful  con- 
sideration, some  there  are,  whose  consciences  are  already  brimfull 
of  extreme  horror  and  anguish  ;  and  yet  they  will  venture  upon 
those  sins,  that  have  caused  that  horror.  And  are  not  such,  pre- 
sumptuous sinners  ?  They  give  their  consciences  wound  upon  wound ; 
and,  though  sometimes  they  roar  bitterly,  yet  they  will  sin  outrage- 
ously, even  then  when  they  roar  and  smart  for  sin.  So  that  it  is  a 
clear  evidence  of  a  Presumptuous  Sin,  when  a  sin  is  committed 
against  a  man's  own  conscience,  against  knowledge,  and  against  con- 
viction. This  makes  a  sin  to  be  a  presumptuous  sin,  when  conscience 
cries  out  murder,  murder,  soul-murder ;  when  it  beseeches,  with 
tears  of  blood  that  they  draw  from  it,  to  desist  from  their  sins,  and 
yet  is  not  heard  nor  regarded.  This  is  presumptuous  sinning  ;  sin- 
ning, with  a  high  hand,  and  with  a  brazen  forehead. 

ii.  Then  a  man  sins  presumptuously,  when  he  sins  upon  long 

DELIBERATION  AND  FORECAST ;  PLOTTING  AND  CONTRIVING  WITH 
HIMSELF,  HOW  HE  MAY  ACCOMPLISH  HIS  SIN. 

Some  sins  are  committed  merely  through  a  sudden  surprise :  a 
temptation  comes  upon  the  soul  unawares,  and  finds  it  unprovided 
to  make  any  resistance :  and  so  it  prevails. 

So  it  was  with  the  Apostle  Peter.  His  apostasy  and  perjury 
were  indeed  very  dreadful :  yet  he  was  overcome  by  a  sudden  sur- 
prise. He  had  no  foregoing  thoughts  and  purposes  to  deny  his 
Master:  yea,  his  resolution  was,  to  own  and  confess  him  to  the  very 
death :  and,  therefore,  though  his  sins  were  foul  sins,  yet  they  can- 
not be  called  Presumptuous  Sins ;  but  rather  sins  of  weakness  and 
infirmity. 

And  so  there  are  divers  Christians,  that  are  overtaken  with  faults 
against  their  resolutions  and  prayers ;  yea,  and  contrary  to  their 
own  expectations.  Now  the  sins  of  such  persons  are  not  Presump- 
tuous Sins :  but  then  a  sin  becomes  presumptuous,  when  it  is  com- 
mitted after  long  deliberation,  premeditation,  and  forecast. 

There  is  a  twofold  deliberation,  that  makes  a  sin  presumptuous. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


11 


1.  When  a  man  sins,  after  he  hath  deliberated  with  himself,  whether 
he  shall  sin  or  not:  when,  upon  debating  the  case  at  length,  after 
much  pondering  and  consideration,  he  consents  to  sin. 

And  thus,  though  St.  Peter  denied  his  Master  upon  a  surprisal, 
yet  Judas  betrayed  him  upon  deliberation.  Now  this  is  desperate 
presumption,  to  sin,  when  a  man  ponders  and  considers  with  him- 
self, and  weighs  the  reasons  on  both  sides,  whether  he  shall  sin  or 
not.  And  yet,  truly,  of  such  Presumptuous  Sins  as  these  are,  we 
may  all  of  us  be  found  guilty.  Ask  but  yourselves  :  did  you  never 
commit  a  sin,  after  you  had  weighed  in  your  deliberate  thoughts 
all  circumstances :  putting  in  the  beneficial  consequences,  the  plea- 
sure, profit  and  credit  of  sin,  in  the  one  balance ;  and  the  danger- 
ous and  destructive  consequences,  that  wrath  and  hell  that  are  due 
to  sin,  in  the  other  balance  ?  Who  of  us  all  can  acquit  himself 
from  being  guilty  of  sinning,  after  such  comparisons  as  these  have 
been  made ;  after  the  due  weighing  both  of  sin  and  our  duty  ?  and, 
yet,  have  we  not  chosen  the  sin  before  our  duty  ?  Truly,  to  sin 
after  such  deliberate  comparisons  as  these  are,  is  a  provoking  and 
a  Presumptuous  Sin. 

2.  When  men  do  deliberate  and  contrive,  how  they  may  sin  to  the 
greatest  advantage,  how  they  may  make  the  most  of  their  iniquities : 
when  they  plot  and  contrive  with  themselves,  hoiv  they  may  squeeze  and 
draw  out  the  very  utmost  of  all  that  pleasure  and  sweet  that  they  imag- 
ine sin  carries  with  it:  this  makes  that  sin  a  Presumptuous  Sin. 

Thus,  those  drunkards  contrived  to  prolong  their  sin  :  Isaiah  lvi. 
12.  Come  ye,  say  they,  we  will  fetch  wine,  and....  fill  ourselves  with  strong 
drink;  and  to-morrow  shall  be  as  this  day,  and  much  more  abundant. 
Here  they  forecasted  to  make  as  great  advantage  as  they  could  of 
their  drunkenness,  and  to  get  as  much  pleasure  out  of  it  as  they 
could.  This  is  most  presumptuous  sinning.  Thus,  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  also  speaks  of  those,  that  were  wise  to  do  evil:  Jer.  iv.  22  ; 
that  could  improve  sin  to  the  very  utmost ;  and  could  get  more 
out  of  a  sin  by  their  husbanding  of  it,  than  another  could  that  had 
not  that  skill  and  mystery ;  these  are  wise  to  do  evil.  And  such 
are  Presumptuous  Sins :  when  men  stretch  and  strain  their  wits 
brimfull  of  sinful  devices,  either  so  as  they  may  reap  most  from 
them,  or  so  as  they  may  keep  their  wickedness  secret  from  the  ob- 
servation and  notice  of  men,  then  they  sin  presumptuously.  Do 
not,  therefore,  flatter  yourselves,  that,  though  indeed  you  are  sin- 
ners, as  who  indeed  is  not  ?  yet,  you  sin  only  through  weakness 
and  infirmity.  Ask  your  own  consciences :  did  you  never  sin : 
or  do  you  not  use  to  sin,  upon  premeditation  and  forecast  ?  When 


12 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


you  have  conceived  sin  in  your  own  hearts,  do  you  not  nurse  it 
and  nourish  it  there,  till  you  find  some  fit  opportunity  to  commit 
it ;  plotting  to  lay  hold  on  some  fit  occasion  to  act  some  wicked 
imagination  that  you  have  hatched  in  your  own  heart  ?  If  so,  this 
is  clear,  your  sinning  is  not  out  of  weakness,  but  from  stubborn- 
ness and  wilfulness. 

iii.  The  more  quiet  and  calm  your  affections  are  when 

YOU  SIN,  THE  MORE  FREE  YOU  ARE  FROM  THE  HURRYINGS  AND 
PERTURBATIONS  OF  PASSIONS  WHEN  YOU  SIN,  THE  MORE  PRESUMP- 
TUOUS ARE  YOUR  SINS. 

Indeed,  it  is  no  sufficient  excuse,  that  you  sin  in  a  passion ;  no 
more  than  it  is  for  a  murderer  to  say  he  was  drunk  when  he  did  it : 
but,  yet,  this  takes  off  something  from  the  presumption  in  sinning. 
Then  a  man  is  a  bold  and  arrogant  sinner,  when  he  can  sin  calmly  ; 
and  bid  defiance  to  God  and  heaven,  in  cold  blood. 

Now  St.  Peter's  denial  of  Christ,  was  from  the  excessive  passion 
of  fear,  that  then  surprised  him,  and  scattered  his  graces ;  but,  when 
that  passion  was  over,  he  recruited  again :  but  Judas  had  no  pas- 
sion ;  but  the  wickedness  of  his  own  heart  wrought  quietly  and 
calmly  in  him,  to  the  betraying  of  his  Master. 

When  the  winds  rage  violently,  no  wonder  if  sometimes  the  tall- 
est cedars  are  overthrown  by  them ;  but  those  trees,  that  fall  of 
their  own  accord,  when  the  air  is  still  and  calm,  it  is  a  certain  sign 
they  were  rotten.  So  it  is  in  this  case :  when  the  tempest  of  pas- 
sion rageth,  be  it  fear  or  any  other  passion  and  perturbation  of  the 
mind,  no  wonder  if  sometimes  the  tallest  and  the  strongest  Chris- 
tians fall,  are  cast  down,  and  overwhelmed  by  it ;  but,  if  men  fall 
into  sin  when  their  intellectuals  are  clear,  and  when  their  reason 
is  calm  and  undisturbed,  truly  this  is  a  certain  sign  these  men  are 
rotten,  and  these  presumptuous  sins  have  gotten  dominion  over 
them,  for  they  fall  like  rotten  trees  of  their  own  accord,  without 
any  tempest  of  passion  to  stir  them. 

iv.  "When  at  any  time  you  commit  a  sin,  consider  what 

THE  TEMPTATIONS  ARE  THAT  ASSAULT  YOU,  AND  HOW  YOU  BEHAVE 
YOURSELVES  UNDER  THOSE  TEMPTATIONS  ;  FOR,  FROM  THENCE,  YOU 
MAY  CONJECTURE,  WHETHER  YOUR  SINS  BE  PRESUMPTUOUS  OR  NOT. 

Temptations,  as  they  are  strong  inducements  unto  sin,  so  some- 
times they  are  great  mitigations  of  sin.  The  more  violently  the 
soul  is  baited  and  wearied  with  temptations,  the  less  presumption 
is  it  guilty  of  if  at  length  it  yields.  This,  God  doth  judge  to  be 
weakness,  not  wilfulness.  He  knows  our  frame ;  that  we  are  but 
dust  and  ashes ;  and  that  we  are  no  match  for  principalities  and 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


13 


powers :  and  those  mighty  enemies,  that  we  are  to  combat  with, 
we  can  no  more  stand  before  than  so  much  loose  dust  before  a  fierce 
and  rapid  whirlwind. 

Yea,  were  there  no  Devil  to  tempt,  yet  the  corruptions  of  our 
own  hearts  are  much  too  hard  for  us :  but,  when  both  our  own  lusts 
und  the  Devil  shall  conspire  together,  the  one  to  betray  us  with  all 
its  deccitfulncss  and  the  other  to  force  us  with  all  its  power,  who 
then  can  stand  ?  If  God,  at  such  a  time  as  this  is,  withdraw  his 
grace  and  Spirit,  as  sometimes  he  doth  from  the  best  of  his  ser- 
vants, where  is  the  Christian  that  ever  coped  with  these  tempta- 
tions, and  was  not  vanquished  and  captivated  by  them  ? 

It  is  true,  when  God  assists  him,  the  weakest  Christian  proves 
victorious  over  the  strongest  temptations.  A  dwarf  may  beat  a 
giant,  when  he  is  manacled  that  he  cannot  stir  nor  resist.  God  sees 
that  Satan  is  an  over-match  for  us ;  and,  therefore,  he  ties  his  hands, 
before  he  sets  us  out  to  the  conflict ;  and  what  wonder  is  it,  if  we 
then  conquer  ?  When  God  hath  trodden  Satan  under  us,  no  won- 
der, if,  as  weak  as  we  are,  we  can  then  trample  upon  him  too. 

But,  that  all  our  success  may  appear  to  be,  not  from  our  own 
strength,  but  from  God's  might,  he  leaves  us  sometimes  to  Satan, 
and  lets  loose  Satan  upon  us  in  all  his  rage.  He  leads  us  into  temp- 
tation, and  he  leaves  us  under  temptation ;  and,  when  we  are  buf- 
feted, we  then  yield  and  fall,  and  the  Devil  shamefully  triumphs 
over  us. 

In  this  case,  which  is  one  of  the  saddest  that  a  Christian  can  be 
in,  though  the  sin  be  very  foul  and  heinous ;  yet  the  same  power 
of  temptation,  that  makes  us  sin  heinously,  keeps  us  from  sinning 
presumptuously.  Presumptuous  Sins  are  not  to  be  measured  by 
the  bulk  and  ugliness  of  the  action,  but  by  the  forward  and  head- 
long consent  of  the  will  unto  it ;  and,  therefore,  a  gross  sin  may 
sometimes  be  but  a  sin  of  infirmity,  when  yet  a  sin  of  a  less  nature 
is  desperately  daring  and  presumptuous.  In  the  Law,  if  a  person 
that  was  ravished  struggled  and  cried  out  aloud  for  help,  the  crime 
was  not  imputed  to  her :  so,  if  the  soul  be  forcibly  ravished  by 
temptations,  though  it  struggle  and  strive  against  them,  though  it 
call  upon  its  God,  crying  aloud,  "Help,  Lord,"  though  it  call  up 
its  graces,  "Arise,  help  ;"  this  sin  shall  not  be  imputed  to  it  as  a 
presumptuous  sin. 

How  then  shall  we  judge  by  our  temptations,  whether  the  sins 
which  we  commit  are  presumptuous  or  not  ? 

I  answer :  you  may  judge  of  it,  by  these  following  particulars. 

1.  If  we  commit  sin,  when  we  are  not  besieged  and.disturbed  by  violent 


14 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


and  invincible  temptations,  this  is  too  certain  a  si(jn,  that  then  we  sin 
presumptuously. 

This  plainly  shows  a  will  strongly  fixed  and  resolved  to  sin. 
When  men  will  surrender  and  yield  up  their  souls  to  the  Devil, 
even  before  he  summons  them  ;  and  when  they  will  consent  to  sin 
upon  every  small  and  trivial  temptation,  as  soon  as  they  have  but 
a  hint  and  glimpse  of  some  sinful  object  passing  before  them,  though 
it  offer  them  no  violence,  though  it  present  nothing  to  them  of  so 
much  pleasure  and  profit  and  credit  in  it,  but  that  a  generous  Chris- 
tian might  easily  disdain,  if  yet  they  run  out  after  it,  and  will  sin 
merely  because  they  will ;  these  are  most  desperate  sinners,  that  are 
impatient  to  wait  the  leisure  of  a  lingering  and  lazy  temptation. 
They  know  the  Devil  hath  much  work  to  do  in  the  world  ;  many 
thousands  to  tempt,  deceive,  and  draw  to  perdition :  and,  therefore, 
they  will  not  trouble  him  ;  and,  for  his  ease,  they  will  sin  without 
a  temptation,  and  ruin  their  own  souls  without  any  help  of  any 
other  devil  than  what  their  own  hearts  prove  to  them.  As  those 
are  the  best  and  most  stayed  Christians,  that  are  constant  in  the 
performance  of  holy  duties,  even  then  when  they  have  no  strong 
impulses  and  motions  from  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  duty :  so,  truly, 
those  are  the  worst  and  most  stubborn  sinners,  that  even  then  commit 
sin  with  greediness,  when  they  have  no  violent  impulses  and  temp- 
tations from  the  Devil  to  hurry  them  into  sin. 

Now  there  are  Two  things,  whereby  it  plainly  appears,  that  then 
a  Sin  is  Presumptuous,  when  it  is  committed  without  strong  and 
violent  temptations  to  it. 

(1)  Hereby  we  do  evidently  declare  a  fearful  contempt  of  the 
great  God. 

"We  never  more  vilify  and  disparage  God,  than  when  we  do  that 
for  nothing,  which  we  know  his  soul  hates.  Should  the  Devil, 
when  he  tempts  you,  take  you,  as  he  took  Christ,  and  show  you  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them  all,  and  promise  to 
bestow  all  these  upon  you :  yet,  when  God  shows  you  the  infinite 
glory  of  the  kingdoms  of  another  world,  you  can  plead  no  natural 
reason  why  you  should  consent  to  sin  ;  God  infinitely  outbidding 
the  Devil,  even  then  when  the  Devil  bids  highest.  But  ,when  you 
will  prefer  a  sin  that  bids  nothing,  a  barren,  fruitless,  and  unprofita- 
ble lust,  before  the  holy  will  of  the  great  God  and  the  sure  promises 
of  eternal  glory,  what  reason  or  pretence  can  you  show  why  you 
should  sin,  unless  it  be,  because  you  are  resolved  rather  to  despite 
and  affront  God,- than  to  advantage  your  own  souls  ?  And  this  was 
the  great  aggravation  of  Judas's  Sin,  and  that  which  made  it  so  ex- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


15 


ceeding  Presumptuous  :  what  a  poor  temptation  were  thirty  pieces 
of  silver,  to  induce  him  to  the  vilest  wickedness  that  ever  was  com- 
mitted since  the  world  stood  !  It  was  no  more  than  the  ordinary 
value  and  rate  of  a  slave  :  as  you  may  see  in  Exod.  xxi.  32  ;  amount- 
ing much  to  about  thirty  seven  shillings  and  sixpence  :  and,  yet, 
so  far  did  he  undervalue  Christ,  as  that,  for  this  small  price,  he  sold 
the  Lord  of  Life  and  Glory :  and  this,  God  himself  takes  notice  of, 
as  a  great  indignity  done  unto  him ;  Zech.  xi.  13  ;  A  goodly  price, 
says  God  by  the  Prophet  there,  was  I  prized  at  of  them  1  I  know 
that,  at  the  very  hearing  of  this,  your  hearts  rise  up  in  detestation 
of  the  cursed  covetousness  of  Judas,  that  ever  he  should  suffer  him- 
self to  be  tempted  by  so  base  a  reward  as  a  few  shillings  were,  to 
betray  Him  to  death,  who  was  infinitely  more  worth  than  heaven 
and  earth.    "Why,  the  case  is  yours :  nay,  wonder  not  at  it :  he  be- 
trayed him  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  and  you  daily  crucify  him 
and  put  him  to  open  shame :  you  wound  and  pierce  him  to  the  very 
heart,  for  much  less  than  that  is :  look  back  upon  your  past  life, 
can  you  not  recal  to  mind,  that  you  have  been  prevailed  upon  to 
commit  many  a  sin  by  such  poor  and  inconsiderable  things  as  scarce 
bear  the  show,  or  face,  or  appearance  of  a  temptation  ?  have  you 
not  dealt  very  injuriously  with  God  and  Christ,  and  set  them  at 
nought  for  a  little  gain,  for  some  vanishing  delight,  for  compliance 
sake,  for  the  fickle  favour  of  men  ?  yea,  very  feathers  and  empty 
nothings  have  weighed  down  the  scales  with  you  against  God  !  The 
Devil's  first  and  greatest  sin  was  pride,  and  contempt  of  God :  and  how 
much  is  he  pleased  and  humoured,  to  see  the  same  contempt  of  God 
rivetted  in  the  hearts  of  men ;  and  to  see  him  so  much  slighted  in 
the  world,  that  he  can  scarce  bid  low  enough  when  he  tempts,  but 
whatever  he  offers  is  greedily  snatched  at,  and  preferred  before  God 
and  heaven,  though  it  be  but  a  very  toy  and  trifle  !  This,  certainly, 
must  needs  be  a  very  heinous  contempt  of  the  Great  Majesty  of 
Heaven,  and  must  needs  argue  most  desperate  boldness  and  pre- 
sumptuous sinning. 

(2)  "When  men  sin  upon  small  or  no  temptations,  they  declare 
plainly  a  wretched  neglect  of  their  precious  souls  ;  and,  therefore, 
they  sin  presumptuously. 

I  have  read  of  a  soldier,  who,  being  with  two  others  for  some 
crime  condemned,  drew  lots  for  his  life ;  and,  having  drawn  one  lot 
that  saved  and  pardoned  him,  seeing  one  of  his  companions  come 
shivering  and  quaking  to  draw,  told  him,  that,  for  two  shillings,  or 
thereabouts,  he  would  take  his  lot,  whatever  it  was  :  he  drew  again, 
and  again  it  proved  successful  to  him  :  however,  it  was  a  most  dar- 


16 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


ing  presumption,  that  after  so  narrow  an  escape,  he  should  again 
hazard  his  life,  and  set  it  to  sale  for  so  small  a  price  as  that  was. 
Truly,  the  like  presumption  we  ourselves  are  guilty  of:  we  pur- 
chase toys  and  trifles,  with  the  dreadful  hazards  of  our  souls  ;  those 
souls,  that  are  infinitely  more  worth  than  ten  thousand  worlds :  we 
make  common  barter  and  exchange  for  every  base  lust ;  and,  as 
prodigals  pay  very  dear  for  very  toys  only  to  satisfy  their  fancies, 
so  do  we  lay  down  our  precious  souls  at  stake  for  those  lusts  that 
usually  have  nothing  in  them  besides  the  satisfaction  of  the  hu- 
mours and  fancies  of  our  own  wills  in  sin.  Would  you  not  censure 
that  man  to  be  most  desperately  fool-hardy,  that  should  venture  to 
dive  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  only  to  take  up  pebbles  and  gravel  ? 
How  great  deal  of  folly  and  presumption  then  are  they  guilty  of, 
who  dive  even  to  the  bottom  of  hell,  only  to  get  straws  and  fea- 
thers, and  such  impertinent  vanities  and  inconsiderable  nothings, 
that  certainly  men  would  never  hazard  their  immortal  souls  for, 
unless  they  thought  they  did  themselves  a  courtesy  to  be  damned! 
How  many  are  there,  that  would  not  suffer,  no  not  so  much .  as  a 
hair  of  their  head  to  be  twitched  off,  to  gain  that,  for  which  they 
will  not  stick  to  lie  and  swear ;  sins  that  murder  their  souls  !  They 
are  so  foolish,  that  the  Lord  complains  in  Isa.  lii.  3,  they  sell  them- 
selves for  nought:  either  they  stay  not  till  the  Devil  comes  to  cheapen 
them,  but  sin  beforehand  ;  or,  else,  they  readily  take  any  price,  that 
he  offers  for  them  :  any  vile  trifle  is  looked  upon  as  a  great  pur- 
chase, if  they  can  procure  it  at  so  low  a  price  as  hell  and  damna- 
tion is.  What  is  it,  that  makes  the  swearer  open  his  throat  as 
wide  as  hell  against  heaven  and  God  himself:  but  only,  that  he 
fancies  that  a  big,  full-mouthed  oath  makes  his  speech  more  grace- 
ful and  stately  ?  And  what  is  it,  that  makes  the  company-keeper 
run  into  all  excess  with  riot,  and  drown  himself  in  all  sensuality ; 
but  only,  that  he  may  comply  with  his  debauched  companions,  and 
not  disgust  them  by  any  singularity  and  reservedness  ? 

And  can  these  things  be  called  Temptations?  Are  these  things 
matters  of  such  weight,  as  deserve  to  be  put  in  the  balance  against 
the  soul's  eternal  happiness  and  glory  ?  Is  it  possible,  that  men, 
that  have  noble  and  immortal  souls  in  them,  should  ever  so  far  de- 
base them,  as  to  bring  them  into  competition  with,  nay  to  make 
them  to  be  the  price  of,  such  vile  nothings  as  these  are  ?  And,  yet, 
tell  these  men,  that  they  hereby  rouse  up  God's  wrath  against  them, 
that  burns  to  the  lowest  hell ;  tell  them,  that  they  destroy  their 
precious  souls ;  tell  them,  that  they  get  nothing  by  such  sins  as 
these  are,  unless  they  reckon  damnation  for  gain :  yet,  let  God 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


17 


frown  and  hell  triumph,  and  their  souls  perish,  they  will  on ;  and 
will  not  raise  the  rate  of  sinning,  nor  put  the  Devil  to  more 
charges;  and  so  they  are  damned  for  nothing.  Is  not  this  most 
desperate  boldness  and  presumption  ?  and,  therefore,  do  not  lay  the 
blame  of  your  sins  upon  the  violence  of  temptation,  or  upon  the 
restless  importunities  of  the  Devil.  When  God  shall,  at  the  Last 
Day,  call,  "Sinner,  stand  forth:  what  is  the  reason  you  committed 
such  and  such  sins,  that  had  nothing  in  them  to  commend  them, 
that  left  nothing  after  them  but  shame  without  and  terrors  within?" 
will  you  then  plead  as  now  usually  you  do,  that  Temptations  were 
too  hard  for  you,  and  the  Devil  too  strong  for  you  to  resist  ?  No, 
no :  it  will  then  be  made  apparent,  that  the  Devil  was  falsely 
charged  with  multitudes  of  sins,  that  he  never  knew  of  till  they 
were  committed.  And,  therefore,  when  men  sin  upon  slight  Temp- 
tations, it  is  not  from  the  power  of  Temptations,  it  is  not  from  the 
importunity  of  the  Devil,  that  they  sin;  but,  only,  from  a  presump- 
tuous resolution,  that  they  will  sin  whatever  it  cost  them. 
And  that  is  the  First  Trial. 

2.  When  a  man  wilfully  and  knowingly  rims  himself  into  temp>ta- 
tions  and  upon  occasions  of  sin,  if  he  be  overcome  by  these  temptations, 
lie  sins  presumptuously  notwithstanding. 

In  this  case,  though  the  temptation  be  violent  and  irresistible ; 
yea,  though,  when  we  are  entangled  by  it,  we  strive  and  struggle 
to  our  very  utmost :  yet  this  doth  not  mitigate,  but  rather  aggra- 
vate our  sin;  because  it  was  merely  through  our  own  presump- 
tion, that  we  brought  ourselves  under  the  power  of  such  a  prevalent 
temptation,  from  which  Christian  fear  and  caution  might  easily 
have  preserved  us.  If  a  man,  that  is  wholly  ignorant  of  the  art 
of  swimming,  shall  plunge  himself  into  a  deep  river,  though  he 
struggle  hard  for  life  afterwards ;  yet,  if  he  sinks  and  is  drowned, 
he  perishes  only  through  his  own  presumption.  That  man  deserves 
to  be  blown  up,  that  will  make  gunpowder  in  a  smith's  shop,  when 
the  sparks  fly  thick  about  him :  truly,  occasions  of  sinning  are  the 
Devil's  forge,  where  he  is  continually  heating  and  hammering  out 
his  fiery  darts :  now,  for  you,  that  know  yourselves  to  be  as  catch- 
ing as  powder  or  tinder,  wilfully  to  run  yourselves  into  this  forge, 
where  his  fiery  darts  glow,  and  sparkle,  and  fly  about  you ;  what 
is  this,  but  most  desperate  boldness  and  presumption  ?  What  says 
the  Wise  Man,  Prov.  vi.  27  ?  Can  a  man  take  fire  in  his  bosom,  and 
his  clothes  not  be  burnt?  Can  a  man  run  himself  upon  such  occa- 
sions of  sin,  and  not  run  also  into  the  commission  of  sin  ?  As  the 
motion  of  a  stone,  when  it  falls  downward,  is  still  the  swifter  the 

Vol.  II.— 2 


18 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


nearer  it  comes  to  its  centre ;  so,  when  you  are  running  yourselves 
into  the  occasions  of  sin,  the  more  willingly  you  go  to  sin,  the 
nearer  you  come  to  it,  there  is  no  stop  nor  stay :  when  you  put 
yourselves  upon  these  occasions  and  temptations,  you  put  your- 
selves out  of  the  protection  of  God's  grace,  and  you  stand  wholly 
at  the  Devil's  courtesy ;  and,  if  you  are  overcome,  blame  nothing 
but  your  own  venturousness  and  presumption.  Consider  this, 
therefore  :  hast  thou  not  had  frequent  experience  of  many  sad  foils, 
that  the  Devil  hath  given  thee,  by  thy  rash  venturing  upon  occa- 
sions and  temptations  to  sin  ?  Hast  thou  not  found  such  and  such 
company,  such  and  such  employments,  and  other  like  circumstances, 
always  prove  snares  to  thee  ?  Never  plead  these  temptations  were 
too  strong  for  thee  to  resist :  what !  canst  thou  not  resist  them  ? 
And,  believe  it :  if  the  experience  of  thine  own  weakness  doth  not 
make  thee  careful  for  the  future  to  shun  such  snares  and  intangle- 
ments  as  these  are,  thy  sins  will  be  judged  by  God,  at  the  Last  Day, 
to  be  wilful  and  presumptuous  sins :  for  they  are  so,  if  not  in  them- 
selves considered,  yet  at  least  in  their  cause ;  for  you  presumptu- 
ously run  into  those  occasions  and  temptations,  whereby,  in  all 
likelihood,  you  will  be  overcome :  and  this  is  to  sin  presump- 
tuously. 

3.  Suppose  that  we  are  strongly  tempted,  without  the  betraying 
of  ourselves  to  the  temptation :  then  consider,  If  you  commit  the  sin 
to  which  you  are  tempted,  without  vigorous  and  resolute  resistance  ;  this 
is  a  certain  sign  that  you  sin  presumptuously.  Let  the  temptation  be 
never  so  strong  and  irresistible ;  yet,  if  you  yield  to  it  without  op- 
position or  resistance  made  against  it  to  your  utmost,  you  then  sin 
presumptuously. 

A  child  of  God,  when  he  acts  like  himself,  falls  fighting.  The 
Devil  gets  not  a  foot  of  ground  upon  him,  but  by  main  force  and 
strength.  Though  principalities  and  powers,  though  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  and  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places,  set 
themselves  all  in  array  against  him ;  yet  he  encounters  them  all, 
and  wrestles  with  them  all :  and  though,  sometimes,  through  weak- 
ness, he  is  overcome  ;  yet  he  never  basely  yields :  he  fights  stand- 
ing, and  he  fights  falling,  and  he  fights  rising;  and,  therefore,  when 
he  sins,  it  is  through  weakness,  and  not  through  presumption.  But 
others,  though  they  are  very  bold  and  presumptuous  against  God  ; 
yet  they  are  very  cowards  against  their  lusts,  and  against  the  temp- 
tations of  the  Devil :  when  a  temptation  assaults  them,  they  dare 
not  presume  to  oppose  that ;  but  they  dare  presume  to  offend  and 
provoke  God  himself :  that,  they  dare  do.    Believe  it,  Sirs :  you 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


19 


must  be  bold  and  resolute,  either  against  tbe  Devil,  or  against  the 
Great  God  :  one  of  these  you  must  grapple  with :  choose  which  you 
think  you  may  best  oppose,  and  soonest  conquer.  The  Devil  stands 
before  you,  armed  with  his  fiery  darts :  God  follows  you,  armed 
with  everlasting  vengeance.  If  you  will  not  engage  against  Satan, 
and  resolutely  oppose  him  and  all  his  force ;  what  do  you  else,  but 
turn  upon  God,  and  challenge  him  to  the  combat,  and  make  him 
your  enemy,  that  is  able  to  destroy  both  body  and  soul  in  hell-fire  for 
ever?  What  a  most  daring  presumption  is  this,  that  ever  we  should 
basely  surrender  up  ourselves  to  the  Devil,  without  striking  one 
stroke  in  our  own  defence;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  we  should 
dare  to  provoke  that  God,  that  can,  with  one  look  and  frown,  sink 
us  into  the  lowest  hell  ! 

And,  thus,  in  these  Three  particulars,  we  see  when  a  sin  is  pre- 
sumptuous, in  respect  of  temptations:  when  it  is  committed,  with- 
out temptations ;  when  we  run  into  temptations  and  occasions  of 
sin  ;  and  when  we  make  no  vigorous  opposition  against  them. 

4.  Another  trial  is  this  :  When  men  will  dare  to  sin,  under  emi' 
nent  and  remarkable  judgments  and  afflictions,  that  God  brings  upon 
them,  then  they  sin  presumptuously. 

What  is  this  else,  but,  when  God  stands  visibly  in  your  way, 
yet  you  will  desperately  run  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  buckler  ? 
He  hedgeth  up  your  way  with  thorns,  and  yet  you  will  break  through, 
though  it  be  to  the  tearing  of  your  flesh.  He  strikes  at  you  by 
his  judgments  :  and,  oh  the  madness  and  presumption  of  vile  dust 
and  ashes,  that  they  dare  to  strike  at  God  again  by  their  sins ! 
What  is  this  else,  but  even  to  dare  God  to  do  his  worst  ?  When 
God  treads  upon  us,  should  such  vile  worms  as  we  are,  turn  the 
tail,  and  threaten  to  take  revenge  upon  the  Almighty  ?  This  is  pre- 
sumption and  boldness,  that  God  takes  special  notice  of,  in  2  Chron. 
xxviii.  22,  Ahaz  was  brought  very  low,  says  the  text :  and,  yet,  in 
the  time  of  his  distress,  he  trespassed  yet  more  against  the  Lord:  This 
is  that  king  Ahaz :  God  sets  a  mark  and  brand  upon  him,  that  he 
may  be  known  to  all  posterity  for  a  most  daring  sinner,  that,  when 
God  had  brought  him  so  low,  when  so  many  enemies  waged  war 
against  him  and  distressed  him  ;  yet,  even  then,  he  provoked  a 
greater  enemy  than  they  all,  and  challenged  God  against  him  :  This 
is  that  king  Ahaz.  Truly,  may  it  not  be  said  of  many  among  us, 
"  This  and  this  is  that  person,  who,  when  God  afflicted  them,  instead 
of  humbling  themselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  grew  en- 
raged at  their  sufferings,  and  sinned  yet  more  and  more  against 
him  ?"  Oh,  it  is  dreadful,  when  those  punishments,  that  should  break 


20 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


and  melt  us,  prove  only  to  harden  our  hearts,  and  to  exasperate 
and  embitter  our  spirits  against  God.  "What  can  reform  us,  when 
we  offend  under  the  very  smart  of  the  rod?  Hereby,  therefore, 
judge  of  your  sins  :  if  so  be  God  be  gone  out  against  you,  if  he 
have  laid  his  hand  heavy  upon  you  ;  and  yet  you  regard  it  not,  but 
still  persevere  in  your  old  sins,  and  still  add  new  iniquities  to  them  ; 
if,  instead  of  humility  and  brokenness  of  hearts,  your  hearts  rise 
up  against  God,  and  you  are  ready  to  say  with  that  wicked  king, 
This  evil  is  of  the  Lord:  why  should  I  wait  upon  the  Lord  any  longer  ? 
conclude  upon  it,  you  are  those  desperate  presumptuous  sinners, 
that  scorn  to  shrink  for  whatever  God  can  lay  upon  them. 

5..  When  we  can  encourage  ourselves  with  hopes  of  mercy,  though  we 
live  in  sin  impenitently  ;  this  is  to  sin  presumptuously. 

You,  that  know  yourselves  to  be  sinners,  what  is  it,  that  makes 
you  to  bear  up  with  so  much  peace  and  confidence  ?  Why  do  you 
not  every  moment  fear,  lest  hell  should  open  its  mouth  and  swallow 
you  up  ;  lest  God  should  suddenly  strike  you  dead  by  some  re- 
markable judgment ;  lest  the  Devil  should  fetch  you  away  alive  to 
torments  ?  Why  do  you  not  fear  this,  since  you  know  yourselves 
to  be  sinners  ?  Why,  truly,  you  still  hope  for  mercy.  And  it  is 
only  from  this  very  presumption,  that  men  cry  Peace,  Peace  to 
themselves ;  when  yet  God  is  at  enmity  with  them :  they  flatter 
themselves  that  it  shall  be  well  with  them  in  the  latter  end,  though 
God  swears  he  will  not  spare  them ;  but  his  wrath  and  jealousy 
small  smoke  against  them.  In  Deut.  xxix.  19,  20,  God  says,  If 
any  man  shall  encourage  himself  when  he  goes  on  presumptuously 
in  the  way  of  his  own  heart,  adding  drunkenness  to  thirst,  I  will  not 
spare  him  ;  but  my  wrath  and  my  jealousy  shall  smoke  against  him  ; 
and  all  the  curses,  that  are  written  in  this  book,  shall  fall  upon  him. 
Were  but  sinners  truly  apprehensive  of  their  wretched  estate,  how 
they  stand  liable  every  moment  to  the  stroke  of  divine  justice,  how 
that  there  is  nothing  that  interposeth  betwixt  them  and  hell  but 
only  God's  temporary  forbearance  of  them  ;  truly,  it  were  impossi- 
ble, to  keep  them  from  running  up  and  down  the  streets,  like  dis- 
tracted persons  and  madmen,  crying  out  with  horror  of  soul,  "  Oh, 
I  am  damned,  I  am  damned  :"  but  their  presumption  stupifies  them, 
and  they  are  lulled  asleep  by  the  Devil ;  and,  though  they  live  in 
sin,  yet  they  still  dream  of  salvation :  and  thus  their  presumption 
flatters  them,  till,  at  length,  this  presumption  ends  then,  where  their 
damnation  begins,  and  never  before. 

And  thus  I  have,  in  Five  *  Particulars,  showed  you  what  it  is, 

*  Printed  six  in  the  first  edition  :  the  fourth  and  fifth  heads  being  printed  fifth 
and  sixth  ,  which  mistakes  are  carelessly  followed  in  the  folio.  Editor. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


21 


that  makes  a  sin  to  be  presumptuous  ;  which  is  that,  which  David, 
in  the  Text,  prays  to  God  to  keep  him  from  :  and,  I  doubt  not,  but 
these  particulars  have  represented  to  you  so  much  guilt  and  ugli- 
ness in  Presumptuous  Sins,  as  that  you  also  pray  with  him,  Lord, 
keep  us  also  from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

II.  Now,  though  possibly  it  may  seem  altogether  needless  to  die 
scarlet  redder ;  yet,  that  your  prayers  against  them  may  be  more 
importunate,  and  your  endeavours  unwearied,  I  shall,  in  the  next 
place,  by  SOME  AGGRAVATING  CONSIDERATIONS  engrain 
these  scarlet  crimson  sins,  and  strive  to  make  them  appear,  as  they 
are  in  themselves,  out  of  measure  sinful. 

i.  Consider,  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  commission  of 

PRESUMPTUOUS  SINS  DOTH  EXCEEDINGLY  HARDEN  AND  STEEL  THE 
HEART,  WITH  RESOLUTIONS  TO  PERSEVERE  IN  THEM  WITHOUT 
REPENTANCE. 

And  what  can  be  more  dreadful  than  this  is  ?  Resolvedness  to 
sin  is  a  disposition  likest  to  that  of  the  Devil ;  and  it  is  a  punish- 
ment next  to  that  of  hell.  A  man,  that  is  confirmed  in  wickedness, 
is  not  many  removes  off  from  a  devil,  in  his  nature  ;  and  from  a 
damned  person,  in  his  state.  There  is  a  fatal  consequence,  betwixt 
man's  resolving  to  continue  in  sin  to  the  end,  and  God's  resolving 
to  punish  him  with  those  torments  that  shall  have  no  end. 

God  hath  two  seals :  the  one,  of  the  Spirit  of  Adoption,  whereby 
he  seals  up  believers  to  the  day  of  redemption  ;  and,  the  other,  of 
Obduration,  whereby  he  seals  up  the  impenitent  to  the  day  of  de- 
struction :  he  seals  them  up  under  sin,  and  sets  them  aside  for  wrath. 
Hence  the  Apostle,  in  Romans  ii.  5,  speaks  of  a  hard  and  impeni- 
tent lieart,  treasuring  up  wrath  unto  itself  against  the  day  of  wrath. 

Now  presumptuous  sins  have  a  twofold  malign  influence,  thus 
to  harden  and  make  men  resolute  in  wickedness  :  for,  either,  they 
make  them  secure  under  sin  ;  or,  else,  quite  contrary,  desperate  for 
sin  :  and  both  these  strongly  conduce  to  the  hardening  of  the  heart. 

1.  Tlie  commission  of  Presumptuous  Sins  oftentimes  make  a  sinner 
resolute  and  secure,  under  the  blackest  guilt  tJie  soul  can  contract,  and 
the  fearf  idlest  threatenings  God  can  denounce. 

Security  under  guilt  arises  from  impunity.  Sinners  have  read 
and  heard  terrible  things  against  themselves,  that  God  will  wound 
the  hairy  sccdp  of  such  as  go  on  still  in  their  iniquities ;  that  he  will 
destroy  the  incorrigible  suddenly,  and  that  without  remedy :  but  yet 
none  of  all  this  is  executed  :  their  heads,  instead  of  being  wounded, 
are  crowned  with  blessings ;  and  this  speedy  destruction  still 
loiters :  they  neither  feel  terrors  within,  nor  meet  with  troubles 


22 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


without ;  and,  therefore,  as  Solomon  observes  because  they  go  un- 
punished they  grow  secure,  in  Eccl.  viii.  11  ; — Because  sentence 
against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the 
sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 

Carnal  reason  measures  God's  way  of  taking  vengeance  by  its 
own.  It  is  the  custom  of  men,  if  they  can,  to  revenge  while  an  in- 
jury is  warm.  Delay  and  forbearance  usually  cool  them  into  for- 
giveness :  and,  hence,  Presumptuous  Sinners  argue,  that,  certainly 
were  there  any  truth  in  God's  threatenings,  were  there  anything  to 
be  feared  besides  the  huge  noise  they  make,  they  should  then 
have  been  exemplarily  plagued,  when  they  committed  such  and 
such  a  daring  sin,  while  the  provocation  was  fresh.  And  from 
this  it  is,  that  the  worst  of  sinners,  after  the  commission  of  some 
vile  and  crying  sins,  are,  for  a  while,  troubled  with  a  trembling  and 
tormenting  conscience ;  that  the  threatenings,  that  are  denounced, 
should  fall  upon  them  by  some  visible  appearance,  and  some  signal 
hand  of  God  against  them  :  but,  when  they  see  no  such  thing  come 
of  it,  but  their  condition  is  prosperous  and  all  their  ways  sun-shine  ; 
how  doth  this  work  with  them  ?  Truly,  instead  of  admiring  God's 
patience  and  long  suffering,  they  despise  his  wrath ;  and  scoff  at 
those  threatenings,  that  before  they  dreaded  ;  and  think  none  of  them 
true,  because  none  of  them  are  felt. 

"We  read  of  such  bold  sinners,  as  these  are  in  2  Peter,  iii.  4, 

Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ?  do  not  all  things  continue  as 

they  were  ?  So,  these  Presumptuous  Sinners  say  in  their  hearts, 
"  Where  is  the  threatening  of  his  coming  against  us  ?  Do  not  all 
things  continue  with  us  as  they  were  ?  Though  preachers  roar  out 
whole  pulpits'-full  of  hell  and  damnation,  and  singe  our  ears  con- 
tinually with  fire  and  brimstone ;  making  fearful  clamours  of  death, 
hell,  and  damnation,  and  everlasting  torments :  yet  all  things  are 
with  us  as  they  were.  Is  not  the  sun's  light  as  cheering,  the  air's 
breath  as  refreshing,  and  the  earth's  womb  as  fruitful  as  it  was  ?" 
Their  greatest  sins  have  not  disturbed  the  least  atom  in  the  creation, 
nor  moved  so  much  as  a  hair  of  their  head.  For  all  that  sudden 
and  unavoidable  destruction,  that  is  denounced  against  them,  they 
still  flourish  and  prosper;  and,  because  God  doth  not,  as  man 
revenge  in  the  first  heat,  they  think  all  threatenings  are  made 
rather  to  affright,  than  to  do  execution:  and,  hence  it  is,  that 
they  embolden  and  harden  themselves  in  sin,  and  take  up  resolu- 
tions, that  they  will  continue  therein. 

And  that  is  the  first  way,  how  the  commission  of  Presumptuous 
Sins  brings  men  to  resolutions  of  sinning,  by  making  them  regard- 
less of  divine  threatenings. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


23 


2.  The  frequent  commission  of  Presumptuous  Sins  leaves  men  des- 
perate •  whereby  they  are  hardened  to  continue  in  their  sins. 

Nothing  more  fortifies  resolution,  than  despair.  Make  a  coward 
desperate,  and  you  make  him  invincible.  Now  Presumptuous  Sins 
usually  end  in  desperate  resolutions  ;  they  make  men  despair  of 
ever  gaining  power  over  them,  and  of  ever  obtaining  pardon  for  them. 

(1)  Men,  that  frequently  commit  Presumptuous  Sins,  despair  of 
ever  subduing  them. 

Let  your  own  hearts  make  answer  :  when  you  have  sinned  pre- 
sumptuously against  your  own  consciences  and  God's  known  Law, 
have  you  not  been  ready  to  conclude,  that  it  were  as  good  for  you 
to  abandon  yourselves  over  to  the  swing  of  such  a  lust,  as  still  to 
strive  thus  in  vain  against  it  ?  When  resolutions  against  sin 
prove  unsuccessful,  they  commonly  end  in  desperate  resolutions  to 
sin  :  and  yet,  truly,  this  is  no  other,  than  as  if  a  man  should  there- 
fore burn  his  house  down  about  him,  because  it  wants  repairing. 
Are  there  none  among  us  now,  that,  when  we  have  sinned  against 
light  and  against  convictions,  sit  down  under  this  despairing  temp- 
tation, That  it  is  in  vain  for  us  ever  to  make  head  against  such  a 
lust  more  :  it  will  prevail ;  and  why  should  we  not,  therefore,  give 
ourselves  to  it  ?  Truly,  what  you  have  been  tempted  unto,  others 
have  practised :  and,  because  the  stream  of  their  corruptions  is 
violent,  they  therefore  spread  out  their  arms  to  it,  and  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  carried  down  by  it  into  the  gulf  of  perdition  ;  resolv- 
ing to  run  after  the  stream  and  current  of  their  own  corruptions, 
because  they  find  it  so  strong ;  despairing  of  ever  subduing  them, 
having  been  so  often  overcome  by  them. 

(2)  The  frequent  commission  of  Presumptuous  Sins  makes  men 
despair  of  ever  obtaining  pardon  for  them  ;  and  that  hardens  them 
in  resolutions  to  continue  in  them,  and  then  they  cry  out  with  Cain, 
My  iniquity  is  greater  than  can  be  forgiven. 

Despair  of  pardon  oftentimes  exasperates  to  more  and  greater 
offences.  As  if  a  thief,  when  he  is  robbing  of  a  man,  should  ar- 
gue with  himself,  "If  I  am  detected  of  this  robbery,  it  will  cost  me 
my  life;  and,  if  I  murder  him,  I  can  but  lose  my  life:"  just  so  do 
many  argue  :  "  My  sins  are  already  so  many  and  so  great,  that  I 
cannot  avoid  damnation  for  them  :  I  see  my  name  pricked  down 
among  reprobates :  it  is  but  in  vain  for  me  to  struggle  against  my 
own  fate  and  God's  decrees :  it  is  too  nice  a  scruple,  since  God  hath 
given  me  up  to  the  Devil,  for  me  not  to  give  up  myself  to  sin :" 
n nd,  so,  away  they  go  to  sin  ;  and  sin  at  random,  desperately  and 
resolvedly.    Oh,  horrid  hardness !  that  when  the  thoughts  of  hell 


24 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


use  to  quench  and  allay  the  wickedness  of  other  men,  when  it  is 
most  furious  ;  yet  these  wretches  never  think  of  hell,  but  that  that 
eternal  fire  inflames  their  lusts,  and  the  thoughts  of  their  own  de- 
struction do  even  confirm  them  in  the  practice  of  those  very  sins 
that  destroy  them  !  And  yet,  to  this  pass  doth  the  commission  of 
Presumptuous  Sins  bring  many  a  wretched  soul  in  the  world.  Now 
resolution  to  sin,  out  of  despair,  is  to  sin  as  the  Devil  sins:  indeed, 
it  is  to  give  the  Devil's  image  in  the  soul  its  last  flourish :  the  dev- 
ils and  the  damned  spirits,  as  they  lie  always  smothering  and  burn- 
ing in  hell,  so  they  always  hear  that  dreadful  sound  "  For  ever 
thus :  for  ever  thus ;"  and,  because  their  chains  are  made  strong 
and  eternal  by  an  Almighty  decree,  this  makes  them  implacable : 
they  fret,  and  look  upward,  and  curse  that  God  that  hath  plunged 
them  into  those  torments,  from  which  hell  will  never  free  them . 
this  makes  them  desperate  in  their  resolutions  to  sin,  because  they 
despair  of  ever  bettering  their  condition.  Beware,  therefore,  lest 
you  also,  by  frequent  commissions  of  Presumptuous  Sins,  be  given 
up  to  hellish  despair,  such  as  this  is ;  so  to  despair  of  mercy,  as,  at 
the  same  time,  to  provoke  and  defy  justice. 

And  that  is  the  First  great  danger  of  sinning  presumptuously : 
it  will  make  men  resolute,  either  through  security  or  through  de- 
spair, to  continue  in  sin. 

ii.  Presumptuous  Sins,  as  they  steel  the  heart  with  most  despe- 
rate resolutions,  so  they  also  brazen  the  face  with  most  shame- 
less IMPUDENCY. 

All  shame  ariseth  from  the  apprehension  of  some  evil  suspected 
of  us,  or  discovered  in  us  ;  and  the  eyes,  that  can  discover  it,  are 
either  the  eyes  of  God  and  Angels,  or  the  eyes  of  Men  like  ourselves. 

Now  all  presumptuous  sinners  are  grown  bold  and  impudent,  as 
to  God  and  Angels.  Though  God  be  present  with  them  in  the 
closest  secresy,  though  his  eye  see  them  in  the  thickest  darkness  ; 
yet  this  doth  not  at  all  overawe  them :  they  dare  sin,  even  before 
his  face,  that  must  judge  them.  And,  if  some  of  them  be  yet  so 
modest,  as  to  conceal  their  wickedness  from  the  notice  of  men :  yet 
they  are  also  so  foolish  and  bold,  as  not  to  regard  God's  seeing 
them ;  in  comparison  of  whom,  to  sin  in  the  sight  of  the  whole 
world  is  but  to  sin  in  secret.  But  yet  the  frequency  of  presump- 
tuous sinning  will  also  quickly  cause  them,  to  abandon  this  shame 
too ;  and  to  outface  the  face  of  men,  which  they  more  dread  than 
they  do  the  face  of  God  or  angels. 

The  Lord  himself  takes  notice  of  the  impudency  of  such  men : 
and,  certainly,  every  sinner  hath  cause  to  blush,  when  God  calls 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


25 


him  impudent.  In  Jeremiah  vi.  15,  says  God,  Were  they  ashamed, 
when  they  had  committed  all  these  abominations?  nay,  they  ivere  not 
all  ashamed,  neither  could  they  blush:  and,  in  Jer.  iii.  3,  they  have  a 
whore's  forehead,  and  they  refuse  to  be  ashamed:  and,  in  Isaiah  iii.  9, 
Thesliow  of  their  countenance,  says  God,  doth  witness  against  them: 
they  declare  their  sin  as  Sodom  ;  they  hide  it  not. 

There  are  •  Three  degrees  of  shamefulness  in  sinning,  to  which 
many  of  our  grosser  sinners  do  arrive. 

1.  Those,  that  will  dare  to  commit  foul  sins,  even  publicly  and 
knowingly. 

Some  men  lose  half  the  pleasure  of  their  sins,  unless  others  may 
know  how  wicked  they  are,  and  how  far  they  dare  to  affront  the  Al- 
mighty. The  swearer  swears  not  in  secret,  where  none  can  hear 
him  ;  but  in  company,  and  calls  men  to  witness  as  well  as  God. 
The  drunkard  reels  in  our  streets,  in  mid-day  ;  and  is  ready  to  dis- 
charge his  vomit,  in  the  faces  of  all  that  he  meets  with.  Truly; 
presumptuous  sinning  will  at  last  grow  to  public  sinning.  Not 
only  at  the  Last  Day,  that,  which  hath  been  done  in  secret,  shall 
be  divulged  upon  the  house-top  ;  but,  many  times,  even  in  this  life  : 
those  sins,  that,  at  first,  wicked  men  durst  not  commit,  but  in  secret 
where  no  eye  saw  them,  after  a  while  they  are  grown  bolder,  and 
will  act  and  own  before  all  men. 

2.  Others  are  advanced  farther ;  and,  not  only  sin  openly,  but 
boast  and  glory  in  their  sins. 

The  Apostle,  in  Phil,  iii  19,  speaks  of  those,  whose  glory  was  in 
their  shame :  they  boast,  as  if  they  had  done  some  notable  exploit ; 
when,  alas !  they  have  only  murdered  a  poor  soul  of  their  own,  that 
lay  drawing  on  towards  its  death  before. 

3.  There  are  others  so  shameless,  that  they  boast  of  those  very  wicked- 
nesses, that  they  never  dared  to  commit. 

As  cowards  brag  of  their  exploits  in  such  and  such  a  combat, 
which  yet  they  never  durst  engage  in :  so  there  are  a  generation  in 
the  world,  who  dare  not,  for  the  terror  of  their  consciences,  commit 
a  sin,  that  yet  will  boast  that  they  have  committed  it ;  as  if  it  were 
a  generous  and  honourable  thing,  to  be  called  and  accounted  a  dar- 
ing sinner.  Shall  I  call  these  Men,  or  Monsters  rather,  that  boast 
of  such  things  as  make  them  more  like  devils  than  men  ?  and  yet, 
even  to  this  height  of  profligate  impudence,  will  Presumptuous 
Sins  lead  you.  But,  let  all  such  know,  God  is  resolved  to  try  the 
foreheads  of  these  men  at  the  Last  and  Great  Day  of  Judgment ; 
and,  in  despite  of  all  their  swaggering  and  boldness,  shame  and 
everlasting  confusion  shall  cover  their  faces,  as  impudent  as  they 
are  now. 


26 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


iii.  Consider  this:  WHAT  A  FEARFUL  THING  IT  WILL  BE,  IF  GOD 
SHOULD  CUT  OFF  SUCH  MEN  IN  THE  VERY  ACT  OF  SOME  PRESUMP- 
TUOUS SIN,  WITHOUT  AFFORDING  THEM  ANY  TIME  AND  SPACE  OF 
REPENTANCE. 

And  have  they  any  security,  that  God  will  not?  "What  promise 
have  they,  that  God  will  forbear  them  one  moment,  longer  ?  Nay, 
they  have  been  often  told,  that  God  will  make  a  speedy  end  with 
them  ;  that  he  will  take  them  away  as  with  a  whirlwind,  both  living, 
and  in  his  wrath :  as  it  is  in  Ps.  lviii.  9  :  and,  therefore,  he  strikes  not, 
without  giving  them  warning  enough,  though  he  strikes  suddenly. 

God  hath  two  chief  attributes,  that  he  especially  aims  to  glorify 
in  all  his  transactions  with  men ;  his  Mercy,  and  his  Justice.  These 
are  the  two  great  hinges,  upon  which  all  the  frame  of  his  Provi- 
dence moves.  The  mighty  affairs  of  eternal  election  and  reproba- 
tion were  first  agitated,  out  of  design  to  magnify  mercy  and  justice; 
and  all  temporal  concernments  are  governed  in  such  a  way,  as  may 
most  advance  these  two  attributes  of  mercy  and  justice. 

Now  Mercy  hath  already  had  a  large  share  of  glory,  in  forbear- 
ing after  so  many  provocations  ;  in  waiting  so  long  to  be  gracious ; 
staying  year  after  year,  expecting  your  repentance :  and,  if  you 
contemn  the  riches  of  God's  grace  and  mercy  still,  have  you  not 
reason  to  fear  it  will  be  the  turn  of  Justice  to  deal  with  you  next  ? 

And,  believe,  it,  the  commission  of  Presumptuous  Sins  gives  God 
a  fair  opportunity,  to  glorify  his  justice  upon  you  to  the  utmost: 
and  why  should  you  think  God  will  lose  such  an  advantage  ?  All 
the  world  must  needs  fall  down,  and  with  trembling  adore  the  just 
severity  of  God,  when  they  see  a  notorious  sinner  cut  off  in  the 
very  act  of  some  notorious  and  presumptuous  wickedness.  In 
Deut.  xvii.  12,  13,  when  a  presumptuous  sinner  is  punished,  says 
God,  all  the  people  shall  hear,  and  fear,  and  do  no  more  presumptuously : 
and,  if  so  much  glory  will  accrue  to  God  by  destroying  you,  why 
then  should  he  spare  you  one  moment  longer  than  your  next  sin  ? 
This  is  the  best  use  you  can  make  of  Presumptuous  Sinners,  even  to 
set  them  up  as  examples  and  monuments  of  his  wrath  and  ven- 
geance to  terrify  others :  and  why  should  you  think  then,  since  his 
Mercy  hath  been  glorified  already  to  you  in  waiting  and  forbear- 
ing so  long,  that  he  will  not  upon  the  next  sin  you  commit  glorify 
his  Justice  also  ? 

It  may  be,  God  hath  begun  to  deal  thus  already  with  some  of  you. 
In  the  very  midst  of  your  sins,  hath  not  the  hand-writing  of  some  re- 
markable judgment  appeared  against  you  ?  Hath  not  God  smitten 
some  of  you  in  your  persons,  in  your  estates,  or  in  your  relations? 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


27 


"Well,  take  Christ's  counsel :  Sin  no  more,  lest  a  worst  thing  befal 
you;  lest,  on  the  next  provocation,  he  strike  you  through,  and  sink 
you  to  hell.  Oh,  consider  what  a  fearful  thing  it  is,  while  your 
souls  are  all  on  flame  in  the  commission  of  sin,  then  for  God  to  hurl 
them  down  into  everlasting  and  unquenchable  fire;  as  he  may  take 
just  occasion  and  advantage  to  do,  for  the  glorifying  of  his  Justice, 
iv.  Consider  this :  it  is  very  hard  to  bring  presumptuous 

SINNERS  TO  REFORMATION  AND  REPENTANCE. 

The  first  step  to  evangelical  sorrow,  is  legal  terror  ;  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  works,  by  convincing  the  sinner  of  judgment  and 
wrath  to  come.  But,  tell  a  Presumptuous  Sinner  what  judgment 
and  wrath  are  due  to  him,  that  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  escape 
the  vengeance  of  God,  that  justice  will  overtake  him  ;  read  to  him 
all  the  curses  contained  in  the  Book  of  God,  and  tell  him  that  they 
are  all  entailed  upon  his  sin  :  this  moves  him  not :  he  knew  and 
considered  all  this  before.  A  Presumptuous  Sinner  must  be  a 
knowing  sinner :  he  knows  what  hell  is,  as  well  as  ever  any  man 
did,  that  hath  not  felt  it :  he  knows  what  a  precious  soul  he  destroys, 
how  glorious  a  heaven  he  forfeits,  what  dreadful  condemnation  he 
exposeth  himself  to  :  he  knows  all  this,  and  yet  he  sins  ;  and,  though 
this  were  enough,  one  would  think,  to  daunt  a  devil,  yet  he  breaks 
through  all  this  knowledge  to  his  own  lusts  again.  The  Apostle 
speaks  of  such  in  Romans  i.  32,  who  knowing  the  judgment  of  God, 
that  they,  which  commit  such  things,  are  worthy  of  death,  yet  presump- 
tuously continue  in  the  commission  of  such  sins.  Now  what  hope 
is  there,  of  reforming  and  reclaiming  such  as  these  are  ;  that  sin, 
after  they  have  cast  up  their  accounts  what  it  will  cost  them  ?  Cer- 
tainly, they,  that  dare  sin  when  they  see  hell  before  them,  there  is 
no  hope  that  they  will  leave  sinning,  till  they  see  hell  flaming  round 
about  them,  and  themselves  in  the  midst  of  it. 

III.  Now,  though  these  Presumptuous  Sins  be  in  their  nature 
and  aggravations  so  heinous,  yet  ARE  THE  BEST  CHRISTIANS 
EXCEEDING  PRONE  TO  COMMIT  THEM. 

When  the  sea  is  tempestuous,  did  we  only  stand  safe  upon  the 
shore,  it  were  enough  to  behold  the  woeful  shipwrecks  of  others 
with  that  horror  and  commiseration  that  such  a  spectacle  deserves  : 
but,  when  we  are  tossed  in  the  same  tempest,  and  see  some  split 
against  rocks,  and  others  swallowed  up  of  quicksands,  unto  which 
naturally  the  stream  strongly  carries  us  also ;  truly,  then,  our  pity 
and  detestation  of  their  dangers,  our  horror  and  consternation  of 
their  ruin,  are  not  sufficient  without  great  care  and  diligence  for 
our  own  security  and  preservation. 


23 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


Therefore,  0  Christians  !  look  to  yourselves.  The  glorified  saints 
in  heaven  see  the  dangers  they  have  escaped,  with  praise ;  and  the 
dangers  others  fall  into,  with  pity  :  but  thou,  0  Christian  !  art  not 
yet  got  to  shore.  Still  thou  sailest  upon  the  same  sea,  wherein 
most  do  perish  ;  even  the  raging  sea  of  corruption,  which  is  yet  made 
more  raging  by  the  storms  of  temptation  :  and,  if  thou  seest  many, 
that  are  bound  heaven-ward,  make  shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good 
conscience,  it  is  not  enough  for  thee,  to  slight  their  dangers,  or  to 
censure  and  pity  their  miscarriages ;  but  fear  thou  also,  lest  the 
same  corruptions  and  temptations  overwhelm  and  drown  thee  in 
the  same  perdition.  This  is  the  Apostle's  caution  :  1  Cor.  x.  12 ; 
Let  him,  that  thinketh  lie  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall:  and,  in  Rom. 
xi.  20  ;  Thou  standest  by  faith :  be  not  high-minded,  but  fear. 

And,  indeed,  because  of  that  violent  inclination  that  is  in  all  unto 
sin,  there  is  no  state  in  this  life  so  perfect,  as  to  make  this  exhorta- 
tion useless  and  unseasonable.  David  himself  prays  for  restraining 
grace  :  Keep  back  thy  servant  from  presumptuous  sins. 

From  which  words  I  formerly  collected,*  and  shall  now  prose- 
cute this  Proposition. 

That,  IN  THE  BEST  CHRISTIANS,  THERE  IS  GREAT  PRONENESS  TO 
THE  WORST  SINS. 

In  the  handling  of  this  so  true  a  point,  I  shall,  by  some  Demon- 
strations, make  it  evident,  that  there  is  a  strong  inclination  in  the 
best  to  the  worst  sins :  and,  then, 

Search  out  the  Original  Cause,  whence  it  is,  that,  since,  in  the 
first  creation,  man's  will  was  left  wholly  free  and  indeterminate, 
without  any  other  inclination  to  good  or  evil,  besides  what  its  free 
and  arbitrary  choice  made ;  yet,  in  the  new  creation,  whereby  souls 
are  repaired,  there  should  be  still  left  in  it  that  bias  that  strongly 
sways  it  unto  evil. 

These  Two  things,  God  assisting,  I  shall  at  present  do. 

i.  For  the  demonstrations  of  the  point,  I  shall  give  you  them 
in  these  following  particulars. 

1.  The  Examples  of  others  may  here  be  a  convincing  argument. 

If  I  should  summon  in  the  most  excellent  of  God's  saints,  a  man 
might  wonder  that  drunkenness,  incest,  murder,  and  abjuration  of 
Christ,  that  such  brats  of  Satan  should  ever  be  found  in  company 
with  such  an  angelical  troop  as  they  are  :  and,  yet,  Noah  is  drunk, 
Lot  is  incestuous,  David  murders,  and  Peter  abjures.  These  glori- 
ous stars  have  had  their  twinklings ;  and,  if  the  leaders  and  cham- 
pions are  thus  foiled,  what  may  we  think  then  hath  in  all  ages  be- 
*  See  pp.  6,  7,  of  this  volume.  Editor. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


29 


fallen  the  crowd  of  vulgar  Christians?  We  may,  with  truth  and 
boldness,  say,  Never  was  there  a  sin  committed  in  the  world,  how 
horrid  soever,  unless  the  unpardonable  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but  God  may  find  it  written  down  in  his  Book  of  Remembrance 
under  their  names,  whose  names  he  himself  hath  written  down  in 
the  Book  of  Life.  And,  what !  shall  we  say,  when  we  see  a  stone 
falling,  that  there  is  no  weight  nor  propenseness  in  it  to  fall  ?  Shall 
we  say,  when  we  see  such  eminent  Christians  falling  into  sin,  yea 
even  into  great  and  gross  sins,  that  they  have  not  strong  propen- 
sions  and  inclinations  to  sin  ? 

Yet,  0  ye  Saints,  divulge  not  these  things  to  wicked  men  :  whis- 
per them  softly  one  to  another,  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest  some 
profane  wretch  or  other  overhear  you,  and  take  that  for  encourage- 
ment that  was  only  meant  for  caution.  What  is  more  common, 
than  for  the  vilest  sinners  to  plead  for  their  excuse,  or  warrant 
rather,  the  foul  miscarriages  of  God's  dearest  saints  ?  Thus,  the 
drunkard  looks  upon  holy  Noah  as  a  pot-companion ;  whereby  he 
discovers  his  nakedness  in  a  worse  sense  than  ever  Ham  did  :  and, 
thus,  the  unclean  sensualist  quotes  David,  and  calls  him  in  to  be 
the  patron  of  his  debauchery  :  certainly,  if  there  be  any  grief  that 
can  overcast  the  perfect  joys  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  it  is,  that  their 
names  and  examples  should,  to  the  great  dishonour  of  God,  be  pro- 
duced by  wicked  and  sinful  men,  to  countenance  their  grossest  sins 
and  wickednesses.  But,  let  such  know,  that  though  God  hath  set 
up  these  in  his  Church  to  be  monuments  of  his  mercy,  to  declare 
to  humble  and  penitent  sinners  how  great  sins  he  can  pardon ;  yet, 
if  any  hereupon  embolden  themselves  in  sin,  instead  of  being  set 
up  as  monuments  of  mercy,  God  will  set  them  up  as  pillars  of  salt. 

2.  It  appears,  that  there  is  a  strong  proneness  in  the  best  to  the 
worst  sins,  from  those  frequent  and  pressing  Exhortations,  that  are 
given  us  in  Scripture,  to  watchfulness  against  them,  and  to  the  mortifica- 
cation  of  them. 

Wherefore  were  these  curbs  necessary,  but  that  God  sees  our  lusts 
are  headstrong,  and  ready  to  fly  out  and  hurry  us  into  all  excesses  ? 

Nay,  these  exhortations  are  not  so  particularly,  nor  with  so  great 
emphasis,  given  to  the  wicked,  as  they  are  to  the  children  of  God. 
Of  the  wicked  God  saith,  He,  that  will  be  wicked,  let  him  be  wick- 
ed still :  that  is  all  the  care  God  takes  of  them ;  as  we  use  to  say  of 
them,  that  we  despair  to  reclaim,  Nay,  let  them  take  their  own 
courses.  But  he  especially  warns  and  exhorts  the  godly  to  be- 
ware of  those  sins,  that  one  would  think  a  godly  man  were  scarce 
liable  to  commit. 


30 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


See  how  Christ  cautions  his  disciples  :  Luke  xxi.  34 ;  Take  heed 
to  yourselves,  says  he,  lest  at  any  time  your  hearts  be  overcharge  I  with 
surfeiting,  and  drunkenness,  and  the  cares  of  this  life.  Would  not 
any  man  wonder,  that  our  Saviour  should  so  solicitously  warn  them 
against  surfeiting  and  drunkenness,  which  are  the  sins  usually  of 
a  plentiful  estate  ?  but,  what !  warn  them,  against  these  sins,  whose 
poverty  was  such  and  was  to  be  such,  that  those,  that  gave  unto 
them  a  cup  of  cold  water,  should  receive  a  plentiful  reward  for 
their  pains !  Were  they  in  such  danger,  to  be  surfeited  by  the  one, 
and  drunk  with  the  other  ?  And,  what !  they  like  to  be  choked  with 
the  cares  of  this  life,  and  with  carking  to  get  what  they  had  not, 
who  had  but  just  before  renounced  all  that  they  had  to  follow 
Christ !  Yea,  but  Christ  knew,  that,  even  in  these  poor  abstemious 
disciples,  there  was  a  natural  proneness  to  gluttony,  and  rioting, 
and  drunkenness  ;  and,  therefore ,  he  thus  exhorts  them :  and  he 
doth  it,  that  grace  may  keep  them  from  inclining  to  these  sins,  as 
their  low  and  persecuted  condition  should  be  sure  to  keep  them 
from  committing  them. 

So  also  the  Apostle,  in  Col,  iii.  5,  speaking  to  them,  that  should 
certainly  appear  with  Christ  in  glory,  as  you  may  see  in  verse  4, 
yet  these  he  commands  to  mortify  their  members  that  were  tipon  the 
earth.  But  what  members  are  these  ?  It  may  be  they  are  only 
vanity  and  inconstancy  of  thoughts,  levity  and  unfixedness  of  affec- 
tions, deadness  and  heaviness  of  heart,  and  such  other  less  sins,  that, 
should  they  be  perfectly  free  from,  they  should  be  perfectly  holy. 
No,  says  the  Apostle  :  these  members  are  the  big  limbs  of  the  Old 
Man  :  they  are  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate  affection,  evil  con- 
cupiscence, and  covetousness.  And,  in  verse  8,  he  exhorts  them  again, 
to  put  off  all  these  things  ;  anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy,  filthy  com- 
munication, and  lying :  and  so  he  goes  on  reckoning  up  foul  and 
horrid  sins  ;  and  exhorts  them  to  mortify  these  sins,  who  were  to 
appear  with  Christ  in  glory.  Those,  who  never  lived  in  them,  not 
at  least  after  their  conversion,  is  it  not  strange,  that  such  eminent 
Christians  as  these  were,  should  need  exhortations  against  such  foul 
sins  ?  There  are  many  persons  in  a  state  of  nature,  that  would  count 
their  morals  much  wronged,  if  you  should  be  officiously  importu- 
nate with  them,  not  to  commit  adultery  or  blasphemy,  not  to  be 
covetous  or  drunkards,  or  the  like :  this  they  would  look  upon  as 
an  injury  done  to  them,  that  you  should  suspect '  such  things  as 
these  are  of  them  :  would  not  they  say,  as  Hazael  did  to  the  prophet, 
What !  are  thy  servants  dogs,  that  they  should  do  such  great  things 
as  these  are  ?  But  the  Apostle  knew  that  the  inclinations  of  the  best 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


31 


"were  too  strong  ;  even  to  those  sins,  that  a  perfect  moralist  would 
think  scorn  that  they  should  be  suspected  of:  and,  therefore,  he 
exhorts  them,  with  all  earnestness  and  frequent  importunity,  to 
mortify  such  foul  sins  as  these  are. 

3.  It  appears,  also,  from  the  Irritating  Power,  that  the  Law  hath. 

Even  in  the  best  of  God's  children,  there  is  accidentally,  through 
our  corruption,  such  a  malign  influence,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  in  the 
holy,  just,  and  good  Law  of  God,  that  instead  of  quelling  sin,  it  doth 
the  more  enrage  and  provoke  it :  and  this  we  call  the  Irritating 
Power  of  the  Law.  Thus,  the  Apostle  tells  us  in  Eom.  vii.  8,  that 
sin  takes  occasion  by  the  Law,  to  work  in  us  all  manner  of  concu- 
piscence. 

Now  were  it  possible,  that  sin  should  grow  strong  by  that  Law  that 
was  given  on  purpose  to  destroy  it,  but  that  there  are  in  us  violent 
propensions  towards  what  is  forbidden  us,  and  eager  desires  after 
that  which  God  hath  denied  us  ?  So  strangely  depraved  are  our 
corrupt  natures,  that  we  swell  with  our  yoke,  and  labour  to  throw 
off  whatever  may  lay  a  restraint  upon  us :  like  green  sticks,  being 
bent  one  way,  by  natural  strength  we  start  as  far  back  the  other 
way.  Can  none  of  us  call  to  mind  some  sins,  that  possibly  we 
should  never  have  committed,  had  they  not  been  forbidden  to  us  ? 
The  command  oftentimes  gives  corruption  a  hint,  in  what  and  how 
it  may  offend  God.  And  is  not  this  therefore  a  clear  demonstra- 
tion of  that  mighty  proneness  that  there  is  in  all  of  us  unto  sin, 
when  that  Law,  that  forbids  sin,  shall  prove  an  incentive  to  it  ? 
The  more  will  a  high-mettled  horse  foam  and  fling,  the  harder  you 
rein  him  in.  And  if  you  stop  a  river  in  its  course,  it  will  rise  and 
swell  till  it  overflows  its  banks :  and  whence  is  this,  but  because 
there  is  a  natural  proneness  in  it  to  run  towards  the  sea  ?  And 
when  God  casts  his  Law  before  men  as  a  stop  to  them  in  their  sin- 
ful course,  they  swell  the  higher,  till  they  have  borne  away  or 
overflown  all  those  bounds  and  dams,  that  God  hath  set  to  bound 
them  in.  And  whence  proceeds  all  this,  but  only  because  there  is 
a  natural  tendency  and  propension  in  men's  hearts  to  sin  ?  and, 
therefore,  the  more  they  are  opposed,  the  higher  still  do  their  cor- 
ruptions swell,  and  the  more  do  they  rage.  And,  although  the 
force  of  this  sinful  propension  may  be,  in  some  of  God's  children, 
in  a  good  measure  broken  ;  yet,  in  the  very  best  of  them,  is  there 
some  degree  or  other  of  this  Irritating  Power  of  the  Law,  to  stir 
them  up  to  sin,  even  by  forbidding  them  to  sin. 
And  that  is  the  Last  Demonstration. 

ii.  The  next  thing  propounded,  was  to  enquire  into  the  original 


32 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


CAUSE,  WHENCE  THIS  SINFUL  INCLINATION  PROCEEDS  ;  how  it  COmes 

to  pass,  that  there  is,  in  all  men,  and  even  in  the  best  Christians, 
such  a  strong  propension  unto  sin. 

In  the  enquiry  into  this,  I  shall  lead  you  on  gradually,  by  these 
following  steps. 

1.  In  marts  first  creation,  the  will  had  in  it  a  natural  power  to  de- 
termine the  specification  of  its  own  acts  ;  that  is,  freely  to  sway  itself 
either  unto  good  or  evil,  which  of  them  it  pleased ;  and,  if  there 
was  any  bias  in  it  to  draw  it  more  one  way  than  another,  as  some 
there  was,  it  was  an  inclination  to  that  which  is  good. 

For  man's  faculties  were  then  entire  and  perfect :  his  knowledge 
clear,  to  discern  what  was  his  chief  good,  and  his  highest  happi- 
ness :  his  will  free,  to  choose  it ;  and  his  affections  ready,  to  embrace 
and  clasp  about  it.  His  love,  his  fear,  his  joy,  his  delight,  were 
all  of  them  centered  in  God :  that,  which  is  now  in  us  from  grace, 
was  in  him  from  nature. 

Since  the  Fall,  we  need  a  twofold  assistance.  One,  a  Common 
Influence  and  Assistance ;  such,  as  is  vouchsafed  to  all  men,  to 
enable  them  to  the  performance  of  the  common  and  ordinary  ac- 
tions of  this  life :  it  is  from  God's  immediate  influence,  that  we  are 
enabled  to  move,  to  think,  to  speak ;  for  in  him  we  live,  and  move, 
and  have  our  being.  And  then  we  need  also  a  Special  Influence, 
vouchsafed  only  to  the  children  of  God :  whereby  we  are  enabled 
to  perform  holy  and  spiritual  actions ;  as  to  love,  fear,  and  obey 
God  sincerely  :  and  this  special  influence  we  commonly  call  grace  ; 
whereby  we  are  enabled  to  act  divinely  and  spiritually. 

Now  the  difference  betwixt  Common  and  Special  Influence  lies 
in  this :  that  what  God  works  in  us  by  a  common  influence,  is 
wrought  without  any  grudge  or  reluctancy  in  man's  nature  to  the 
contrary ;  but  what  is  wrought  in  us  by  a  special  influence,  is 
brought  to  pass,  nature  gainsaying  and  contradicting.  Thus,  when 
God  enables  a  sinner  to  act  faith,  or  love,  or  any  divine  and  heav- 
enly grace,  this  is  contrary  to  the  tendency  of  corrupt  nature,  and 
therefore  this  is  called  Special  Grace. 

Now  while  man  stood  in  the  state  of  innocen^y,  there  was  noth- 
ing in  his  nature,  that  contradicted  his  fear  of  God,  his  dependence 
on  God,  or  his  love  to  God ;  and,  therefore,  to  enable  him  to  act  all 
these,  he  needed  no  special  influence  of  special  grace,  but  only  of  a 
common  and  ordinary  providence.  Before  the  Fall,  Adam  stood 
in  no  need  at  all  of  any  such  thing  as  that  special  grace  of  which 
we  now  stand  in  need  ;  but  the  same  assistance  of  God,  for  the  kind 
of  it,  that  enabled  him  to  move,  or  to  speak,  or  to  think,  was  suf 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


33 


ficient  also  to  enable  him  to  perform  the  most  spiritual  obedience : 
because,  then,  the  most  spiritual  obedience  was  no  more  to  him, 
than  those  actions  which  we  call  natural,  as  eating-,  and  drinking-, 
walking,  and  thinking,  are  to  us  now ;  and,  therefore,  he  required 
no  more  assistance  from  God  for  the  performance  of  spiritual  obe- 
dience, than  we  now  require  from  God  for  our  natural  actions. 
Now,  as  he  had  this  perfection  of  power  to  perform  what  was  good  ; 
so,  he  had  a  proneness  of  will  also  to  it :  but,  yet,  in  that  prone- 
ness  there  was  not  perseverance :  he  might,  as  afterwards  he  did, 
turn  aside  from  God  unto  Satan ;  and,  notwithstanding  his  inclina- 
tion to  obedience  and  proneness  to  that  which  was  good,  yet,  hav- 
ing not  a  perseverance  in  that  proneness,  but  being  lord  over  his 
own  will  as  he  was  over  the  rest  of  the  visible  creation,  he  volun- 
tarily and  wilfully  consented  to  the  commission  of  sin. 

2.  This  voluntary  inclination  of  Adam  to  sin  hath  ever  since,  by  a 
dreadful  yet  righteous  judgment  of  God,  brought  upon  all  his  posterity 
a  natural  and  necessary  inclination  unto  sin :  so  that  now,  either  what- 
ever they  do  is  sin,  or  there  is  sin  in  whatever  they  do. 

That  we  may  clearly  apprehend  how  Adam's  first  sin  and  provo- 
cation, committed  so  many  thousand  years  ago,  causes  such  strong 
propensions  to  sin  in  all  his- posterity,  you  must  observe  these  fol- 
lowing particulars. 

(1)  We  and  all  mankind  were  in  Adam,  not  only  as  in  our  com- 
mon parent,  from  Avhom  we  received  our  being ;  but  as  in  our  com- 
mon head,  surety,  and  representative,  from  whom  we  were  to  re- 
ceive either  our  well  or  our  ill  being. 

•  He  was  the  head  of  the  covenant.  Both  he  and  we  were  parties 
in  the  covenant :  he  obeying,  we  obeyed ;  and,  he  sinning,  we 
transgressed  :  what  he  did,  as  in  this  public  capacity,  was  not  alone 
his  personal  act,  but  it  was  ours  also.  Now  what  right  Adam  had 
to  indent  for  his  posterity,  and  to  oblige  them  to  the  terms  of  the 
covenant,  I  have  long  since  opened  to  you  on  another  occasion,* 
and  I  shall  therefore  pass  it  by  now. 

(2)  The  threatening  annexed  to  the  Covenant  of  Works  was 
death.  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  says  God,  thou  shalt  surely 
die:  Gen.  ii.  17. 

There  is  a  threefold  death,  that,  by  the  violation  of  this  com- 
mand, man  was  subject  unto :  a  Temporal  death  ;  consisting  in  the 
miseries  of  this  life,  and,  at  last,  in  a  separation  of  the  soul  from 

*  This  probably  refers  to  "The  Doctrine  of  the  Two  Covenants,"  where  the 
subject  is  fully  discussed.  That  Treatise  was  not  published,  however,  till  several 
years  alter  this  Discourse.  Editor. 

Vol.  II.— 3 


34 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


the  body :  an  Eternal  death  ;  consisting  in  the  everlasting  separa- 
tion of  the  soul  from  God :  and  a  Spiritual  death ;  consisting  in 
the  loss  and  separation  of  God's  image  from  the  soul.  And,  upon 
Adam's  sin,  this  threefold  death  was  threatened  ;  namely  temporal, 
spiritual,  and  eternal.  Of  these  three,  the  spiritual  death  was  pre- 
sently inflicted  upon  man's  fall  ;  consisting  in  the  separation  of  the 
image  of  God  from  the  soul :  man  was  immediately  deprived  of 
that  holiness  and  perfect  righteousness,  wherein  the  image  of 
God  did  consist. 

3.  No  action  can  be  lioly,  that  doth  not  flow  from  the  image  of  God 
in  the  soul,  as  from  its  principle. 

Every  action  is  sinful,  that  hath  not  the  glory  of  God  for  its  end. 
Now  no  action  can  have  the  glory  of  God  for  its  end,  that  hath  not 
the  image  of  God  for  its  principle :  and,  therefore,  man  being  de- 
spoiled of  this  image  of  God,  there  is  no  action  of  any  man  in  the 
state  of  nature,  but  what  is  sinful  and  corrupt.  And  hence  it  is, 
that,  in  regeneration,  God  again  stamps  his  image  upon  the  soul : 
not,  indeed,  so  perfectly  as  at  man's  first  creation  ;  but,  yet,  in  such 
a  degree,  as  doth,  through  grace,  enable  him  to  act  holily,  and  in 
some  measure  according  to  the  will  of  God. 

4.  Though  man  be  despoiled  of  the  image  of  God,  and  cannot  act 
holily  ;  yet  he  is  a  busy  and  active  creature,  and  must  and  will  be  still 
acting.  He  hath  an  active  nature,  and  he  hath  active  faculties,  still  left 
him ;  though  the  image  of  God,  that  should  make  those  actions  holy,  is 
justly  taken  from  him. 

And  here,  at  last,  we  have  traced  out  the  true  cause  of  that  strong  * 
propension,  that  there  is  in  all  men  unto  sin.  While  the  soul  en- 
joyed the  image  of  God,  it  sought  especially  to  do  all  in  reference 
unto  God :  but,  now  that  it  hath  lost  that  image,  it  cannot  any 
longer  raise  up  its  actions  to  a  suitableness  to  the  will  of  God  ;  and 
therefore  now  it  sinks  them,  and  seeks  only  to  please  its  own  car- 
nal desires  and  appetite.  Take  the  whole  resolution  of  it  in  two 
or  three  words.  The  nature  of  the  soul  makes  it  prone  and  in- 
clined to  act ;  for  it  is  a  busy,  active  creature  :  and,  if  it  acts,  it  must 
sin ;  because  it  hath  not  the  image  of  God  to  raise  its  actions  to  a 
holy  and  divine  conformity  to  the  will  of  God  :  and,  therefore,  now 
to  be  prone  to  act,  is  to  be  prone  to  sin,  and  this  is  the  true  ground  of 
that  strong  propension,  that  is  in  all  men,  to  that,  which  is  evil 
and  sinful. 

But,  you  will  say,  "if  this  proneness  to  sin  be  from  the  loss  of 
God's  image,  how  comes  it  to  pass,  that  those,  who  are  renewed 
again  according  to  the  image  of  God,  do  still  complain  of  this  strong 
proneness  and  propension  to  sin  ?" 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


35 


To  this  I  answer,  that  in  those  of  fallen  mankind,  to  whom  God 
is  pleased  to  restore  his  image  in  regeneration,  accordingly  as  this 
image  is  more  or  less  perfect  so  is  this  proneness  to  sin  more  or 
less  strong  ;  but,  because  the  best  are  but  in  part  renewed,  therefore 
this  sinful  proneness  is  but  in  part  destroyed  in  the  best :  grace 
weakens  it  ,but  grace  doth  not  quite  remove  it ;  and  therefore  the 
holiest  Christain  hath  and  shall  have  as  long  as  he  lives  in  this  world, 
cause  to  complain,  with  the  Apostle,  Rom.  vii.  23,  I  see  another  law 
in  my  members,  warring  against  the  Jaw  of  my  mind.  There  is  a  car- 
nal, sensual  inclination  in  him  ;  strongly  swaying  him  to  sin,  con- 
trary to  the  bent  and  inclination  of  his  renewed  part :  and,  therefore, 
he  shall  have  cause  still  to  cry  out,  with  the  Apostle,  0  wretched 
man  that  I  am, !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  Be- 
cause the  image  of  God  is  but  in  part  restored  in  him,  therefore  there 
is  partly  also  an  inclination  in  him  to  sin. 

Yea,  but  you  will  say,  "Possibly  this  inclination,  in  the  best 
Christians,  may  be  to  smaller  and  lesser  sins ;  but  it  cannot  be 
thought,  that  a  child  of  God,  who  is  renewed  again  according  to  the 
image  of  God,  should  have  a  strong  proneness  and  inclination  to 
those  foul  sins,  that  the  wicked  of  the  world  lie  in." 

To  this  I  ansAver :  The  most  that  grace  doth,  in  the  best  of  God's 
children,  in  this  life,  is,  to  weaken  and  lessen  that  natural  propen- 
sion,  that  is  in  a  child  of  God  to  every  sin  ;  but  not  to  destroy  that 
propension  to  any  one  sin  at  all,  no  not  to  the  foulest  and  vilest 
sins.  The  Old  Man,  in  this  life,  never  loseth  one  limb ;  though 
•it  be  weakened  and  consuming  away  in  his  whole  body.  Take  a 
child  of  God,  that,  before  his  conversion,  had  a  strong  propension 
to  any  sin ;  suppose  what  sin  you  will,  though  never  so  foul  and 
horrid :  the  same  propension  still  remains  :  it  is  not  indeed  so 
violent  and  raging  as  it  was ;  but  there  it  is  :  it  is  abated  and  over- 
come by  grace ;  but  still  there  is  the  same  proneness  to  sin.  It 
may  be,  a  Christian  is  not  so  sensible  of  this  propension  to  sin,  nor 
so  frequently  as  formerly  he  hath  been :  but,  yet,  the  experience  of  the 
best  sometimes  can  inform  them,  that,  even  to  the  worst  sins  and 
most  horrid  temptations,  they  find  a  faction  and  party  in  their 
hearts  to  promove  them ;  and,  it  is  as  much  work  as  grace  can  do, 
to  subdue  and  quell  these  great  sins. 

iii.  I  now  come  to  enquire  into  the  grounds  and  reasons; 

WHY  GOD  SHOULD  SUFFER  THIS  PRONENESS  TO  SIN  TO  CONTINUE  IN 
HIS  DEAREST  SAINTS  AND  CHILDREN,  AFTER  THEIR  CONVERSION 
AND  REGENERATION. 

Possibly,  some  may  think  it  would  have  been  more  conducible 


36 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


to  God's  glory,  as  well  as  to  their  own  peace  and  comfort,  if  God 
had  at  once,  at  their  first  conversion,  utterly  destroyed  all  seeds  and 
remainders  of  corruption  in  them,  and  at  first  made  them  as  perfectly 
holy  as  they  shall  beat  last.  Hereby,  God  would  not  have  been  so  pro- 
voked as  he  is,  nor  his  Spirit  so  grieved,  nor  the  Devil  so  rejoiced,  at 
the  daily  miscarriages  of  the  best  Christians.  "Wherefore  is  it,  that  God 
hath  perfected  the  saints  now  in  glory,  but  that  they  might  yield 
him  perfect  obedience  and  service  ?  Why,  truly  our  services  would 
be  as  perfect  and  as  well  pleasing  unto  God  as  theirs  are,  were  our  im- 
perfect natures  as  theirs  are ;  and,  therefore,  God  would  have  had  a 
double  heaven,  an  upper  and  a  lower  heaven,  had  he  but  destroyed 
sin  in  us  upon  earth  :  and,  since  it  might  seem  so  much  to  redound 
to  his  glory,  why  hath  he  not  consummated  our  sanctification  ;  but 
hath  still  left  thorns  in  our  eyes,  and  goads  in  our  sides,  with 
which  not  only  we  but  he  himself  also  is  grieved  and  vexed? 
"What  should  be  the  reason  of  this  ? 

To  answer  this  question :  you  must  know  the  general  and  com- 
prehensive reason  thereof,  is  his  own  sovereign,  unaccountable 
good-will  and  pleasure ;  into  which  the  reason  of  all  things  is  most 
rationally  resolved :  and,  therefore,  that,  among  all  mankind  that 
lay  all  alike  in  the  same  mass  of  corruption,  some  are  sanctified 
and  some  are  not ;  that,  among  them  that  are  sanctified  some 
are  sanctified  in  one  degree  and  some  in  another,  and  yet  none 
so  perfectly  as  to  be  freed  from  sin;  the  best  of  God's  saints  may 
rest  satisfied  in  this  :  it  is  God's  good  pleasure,  to  give  forth  his 
grace  in  such  a  measure ;  to  some  more,  to  some  less  ;  as  shall  only 
weaken,  not  utterly  destroy,  the  corruptions  of  his  people.  There- 
fore the  Apostle,  in  Heb.  x.  10,  speaking  of  Christ's  coming  to  do  the 
will  of  God,  by  the  Which  will,  says  he,  we  are  sanctified.  That  we 
are  sanctified,  when  others  are  not,  is.  from  the  will  of  God  :  that 
we  are  sanctified  in  such  a  measure,  not  more  nor  less,  must  be  re- 
solved into  the  sovereign  and  uncontrollable  will  of  God  :  by  the 
tchich  will  we  are  sanctified. 

And  yet,  there  are  also  many  wise  ends  and  reasons  of  this  will 
of  God,  why  he  should  leave  still  such  sinful  propensions  and  cor- 
rupt inclinations,  even  in  the  best  of  his  people.  As, 

1.  Hereby,  God  maintains  a  beauty  and  harmony  in  the  works  of 
grace,  as  well  as  in  the  irorlcs  of  nature. 

The  beauty  and  harmony  of  the  universe  consists  in  gradation ; 
whereby,  as  by  little  steps  or  rounds,  we  ascend  from  one  kind  of 
being  to  another.  Thus,  God  hath  placed  man  in  the  world,  as  it 
were  a  middle  step  betwixt  brute  creatures  and  angels;  and,  there- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


37 


fore,  lie  partakes  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  both  :  his  soul  and  his 
intellectual  part — that,  is  made  like  the  nature  of  angels  :  and  then 
there  is  in  him  a  sensitive  part,  desires  and  propensions  ;  and,  on 
this  side,  he  is  akin  even  to  the  beasts  that  parish.  So  is  it  also  in 
the  works  of  grace :  a  Chiistian  is,  as  it  were,  a  step  betwixt  a  wick- 
ed man  and  an  angel :  a  wicked  man  hath  no  grace,  and  a  holy 
angel  hath  no  sin  :  now  to  make  up  this  great  gap,  God  hath  placed 
a  Christian  as  a  middle  step  betwixt  them,  to  tack  and  unite  the 
moral  world  together :  there  is  in  him  a  heavenly  and  spiritual 
part ;  and,  by  that,  he  is  of  affinity  to  the  angels :  and  there'  are  also 
in  him  sinful  desires  and  sinful  inclinations  ;  and,  by  these  he  holds 
hands  with  wicked  men,  and  is  thereby  joined  to  them.  And  thus 
God  illustrates  his  wisdom,  in  causing  such  an  admirable  harmony 
and  gradual  difference  in  the  works  of  grace  :  bringing  men  out  of 
a  state  of  mere  sinful  nature,  to  a  state  of  grace  mixed  with  sin  ; 
and,  from  a  state  of  mixed  grace,  to  a  state  of  pure  and  complete 
grace,  where,  at  last,  a  Christian  shall  be  fully  consummated,  and 
be  as  the  angels  of  God.  Thus,  from  step  to  step,  God  gradually 
carries  on  the  work  of  sanctification  to  perfection  ;  and,  hereby,  he 
maintains  an  admirable  beauty  and  harmony  in  the  works  of  grace, 
as  well  as  in  the  works  of  nature.  This  sets  forth  the  beauty  of 
the  world,  that  there  is  such  a  conveyance  from  one  kind  of  crea- 
tures to  another  :  whereby  they  touch  one  another,  and  are  tacked 
together  by  several  orders,  as  inanimate  and  sensitive ;  then,  rational, 
as  men  ;  then,  intellectual,  as  angels.  So  also  is  it  in  grace  :  from 
a  wicked  man,  to  a  saint,  partly  wicked  and  partly  gracious  :  from 
a  saint  on  earth,  to  a  saint  in  heaven ;  where  the  imperfect  work 
of  grace,  here  on  earth,  is  swallowed  up  by  perfect  grace  and  holiness. 

2.  Therefore  doth  God  sirffer  sinful  inclinations  to  remain  in  the 
best  Christians,  that  he  might  have  ioherewitho.1  continually  to  exercise 
the  graces  of  his  people. 

Some  graces  are  Graces  of  "War,  if  I  may  so  call  them  ;  which 
would  never  be  exercised,  if  we  had  hot  enemies  to  encounter  with. 
And,  therefore,  as  it  is  said  in  Judges  iii.  2,  that  God  would  not 
utterly  drive  out  all  the  nations  before  the  children  of  Israel,  but 
left  some  of  them  among  them,  that,  by  continual  combating  and 
fighting  with  them,  they  might  learn  war :  so  neither  hath  God 
utterly  expelled  the  Spiritual  Canaanites  out  of  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  to  this  end,  that,  by  daily  conflicting  with  them,  they  might 
learn  the  wars  of  the  Lord,  and  might  grow  expert  in  the  handling 
and  using  every  piece  of  their  Spiritual  and  Christian  Armour. 
How  should  we  keep  a  holy  watch  and  ward,  if  we  had  no  enemies 


33 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


to  beat  up  our  quarters  ?  and  now  should  we  exercise  faith,  which 
St.  John  tells  us  is  our  victory,  if  we  had  no  enemies  to  conquer  ? 
and  should  we  exercise  repentance  and  godly  sorrow,  whereby  the 
soul  is  recruited  and  whereby  its  graces  are  reinforced  again,  if  so 
be  we  were  never  foiled  nor  overcome  by  our  spiritual  enemies  ? 
Part  of  our  spiritual  armour  would  soon  rust,  but  that  our  corrup- 
tions and  sinful  inclinations  put  us  daily  upon  a  necessity  of  using 
it.  Shortly,  when  we  come  to  heaven,  we  shall  have  no  need  nor 
use  of  these  graces  :  there,  we  shall  be  out  of  the  reach  of  all  enemies  : 
and,  therefore,  God  is  resolved  to  exercise  these  graces  here,  and 
suffers  corruption  to  abide  in  this  life ;  that  so,  grace,  making  way 
through  this  corruption,  may  enter  into  heaven,  where  it  shall  for 
ever  rest  and  triumph.  These  warring  graces  of  the  saints  have  no 
time  nor  place  to  be  exercised  in,  but  only  in  this  life :  and,  because 
God  will  have  all  the  parts  of  holiness  have  their  due  exercise, 
therefore  hath  he  left  these  corruptions  in  the  soul,  that  their  war- 
ring graces  might  have  enemies  to  encounter  with.  And, 

3.  Hereby  also  the  almighty  power  of  God  is  exceedingly  glorified, 
in  preserving  us,  through  faith,  unto  salvation;  notwithstanding  our 
own  violent  inclination  and  proneness  to  sin,  unto  our  own  destruction. 
Though  St.  Peter,  when  he  walked  upon  dry  land,  was  upheld '  by 
the  power  of  Christ,  as  God :  yet  that  power  was  not  so  remarkably 
glorious,  in  his  preservation  and  walking  upon  the  dry  land ;  as 
when  Christ  lent  him  his  hand  and  upheld  him  from  sinking,  when 
he  walked  and  stood  upon  the  surface  of  the  water ;  because  then 
he  had  a  proneness  and  propension  in  him  to  sink,  more  than  when 
he  stood  upon  the  dry  land.  So,  truly,  I  may  say  that  the  stand- 
ing of  the  glorified  saints  in  heaven  in  a  state  of  holiness,  although 
it  may  be  and  is  a  work  of  God's  almighty  power :  yet  it  seems 
not  altogether  so  much  to  magnify  the  power  of  God,  in  preserving 
them  in  that  state  of  holiness  and  glory,  no  not  to  eternity ;  as  it 
doth  to  preserve  a  poor  weak  Christian  one  day  in  a  state  of  grace : 
because  there  is  no  proneness  in  a  glorified  saint,  to  fall  from  his 
happiness  into  sin ;  but  there  is  in  a  saint  on  earth,  to  fall  from 
grace,  and  from  the  work  of  God  upon  his  soul. 

4.  This  glorifies  also  the  prevalency  of  Christ's  intercession,  and  the 
triumph  of  God's  pardoning  grace  and  mercy. 

Oh,  how  exceedingly  glorious  is  free  grace !  in  that  God  can  and 
doth,  for  Christ's  sake,  pardon  many  and  great  sins,  though  he  cer- 
tainly knows  there  is  such  a  sinful  propension  left  behind  in  man's 
nature,  that  will  again  be  breaking  out  into  the  same  or  greater 
provocations ! 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


39 


iv.  The  application  of  tins  point  shall  be  in  these  particulars. 

1.  Is  there  so  strong  a  proneness  in  the  best  Christians,  to  the 
worst  sins  ?  Hence,  then,  Let  wicked  men  learn,  not  to  insult  over 
them  when  they  fall,  nor  to  reproach  holiness  with  their  foul  miscar- 
riages. 

Truly,  grace  hath  always  found  it  ill-neighbourhood,  to  dwell  in 
the  same  soul  with  sin :  for  wicked  men,  being  themselves  all  of 
one  piece,  know  not  how  to  distinguish  betwixt  the  propensions  of 
the  one  and  of  the  other :  they  know  not  how  to  distinguish  when 
the  Saint  in  a  Christian  acts,  and  when  the  Sinner :  and,  so,  they 
very  irrationally  charge  holiness  with  those  crimes,  that,  were  they 
not  in  part  unholy,  they  should  never  commit.  When  a  man, 
that  makes  a  forward  profession  of  religion,  and  in  the  general 
course  of  his  life  makes  conscience  of  his  ways,  doth,  through  temp- 
tation or  inadvertency,  fall  into  some  sin  that  becomes  notorious ; 
what  is  more  common  in  the  mouths  of  profane  scoffers,  than  this  ? 
"This  is  one  of  your  godly  ones!  This  is  one  of  the  sanctified 
gang  I"  Thus  they  laugh  and  sneer  at  him.  But,  sinner,  let  me 
tell  thee,  thou  mistakest  the  man.  Did  you  ever  hear  him  pray  so 
as  to  charm  heaven ;  and,  which  is  more,  so  as  to  melt  even  your 
hearts  into  affection  ?  Did  you  ever  hear  him  discourse  of  spiritual 
things,  as  if  he  had  been  intimate  with  angels,  and  one  of  heaven's 
secretaries  ?  Have  you  formerly  observed  in  him  a  blameless  and 
exenrplary  conversation  ?  then,  indeed,  you  might  say  this  is  one 
of  the  godly :  holiness  owns  him,  religion  glories  in  him,  while  he 
thus  adorns  his  profession;  but,  when  he  sins,  say  not,  "Behold 
one  of  the  godly  :"  this  is  blasphemy  against  religion.  No  :  it  is 
not  the  godly  man  that  sins :  no ;  it  is  the  corrupt  and  and  unholy 
part  in  him  :  it  is  that  part  in  him,  that  is  most  like  to  thee.  In 
Romans  vii.  17,  says  the  Apostle,  It  is  no  more  I,  hut  sin  that  dwell- 
eth  in  me.  And,  if  it  be  indwelling  sin  that  is  the  cause  of  actual 
sin  in  the  best,  why  then  do  you  belie  their  graces  ?  Why  do  you 
accuse  them,  whom  the  Apostle  vindicates ;  telling  you  plainly, 
that  it  is  not  they,  but  sin  in  them  ?  Learn,  therefore,  to  put  a 
difference  betwixt  a  Saint  and  a  Sinner  in  every  child  of  God :  and, 
if  it  be  the  sinner  in  them,  that  exposeth  them  to  your  scorns  and 
flouts,  what  else  do  you  in  upbraiding  of  them,  but  more  upbraid 
yourselves,  that  are  nothing  but  sinners  throughout?  Judge,  there- 
fore, how  senseless  and  unreasonable  it  is  for  you  to  reproach  them, 
whom,  were  they  not  so  much  like  you,  you  would  have  nothing  to 
reproach  with.  Therefore,  let  wicked  men  never  more  flout  and 
jeer  at  the  falls  and  sins  of  those,  that  are  holy  ;  imputing  them  to 


40 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIX. 


them,  as  lioly :  for  it  is  the  sinner  in  them  that  sins,  and  not  the 
saint ;  and,  by  upbraiding  them  for  sin,  they  do  more  upbraid  and 
reproach  themselves. 

2.  Is  there  such  a  strong  propension,  in  the  best,  to  the  worst 
sins?  See,  then,  ivliat  cause  even  the  best  have,  to  be  continually  humble. 

Oh,  this  is  that,  which  breaks  the  very  heart,  and  rends  the  very 
bowels  of  a  true  Christian,  that  he  should  be  so  violently  inclined 
to  that,  which,  of  all  things  in  the  world,  his  God  is  most  averse 
to  ;  and  which,  of  all  things  in  the  world,  as  it  is  the  only  thing  he 
never  made,  so  it  is  that  which  he  always  hates.  This  is  that,  which 
makes  him  smite  his  breast  with  anguish ;  and  cry  out,  with  the 
Apostle,  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  / 

And  well,  truly,  may  the  best  saint  call  himself  a  wretched  man, 
since  he  carries  that  in  his  bosom,  that  will  be  a  perpetual  torment 
and  vexation  to  him  as  lono:  as  he  lives.  There  are  factions  and 
rebellions,  intestine  discords  and  civil  wars  within ;  the  flesh  lust- 
ing against  the  Sjjirit,  and  the  Spirit  lusting  against  the  flesh:  there 
is  a  sea  of  wickedness ;  and  yet,  in  the  midst  of  it,  true  grace,  like 
fire,  striving  to  burn  it  up.  Nay,  no  wonder  this  great  combustion 
makes  such  a  smoke  and  smother,  as  wrings  tears  from  his  eyes. 
For,  when  he  meditates,  this  chokes  his  meditation :  he  begins  with 
God ;  but,  through  this  sinful  proneness,  he  falls,  he  knows  not 
how,  into  some  impertinent  thought  or  other,  and  in  a  moment 
slides  from  heaven  to  earth  :  his  thoughts  are  like  ravelled  thread  : 
he  knows  not  the  method,  order,  nor  end  of  them.  When  he  prays, 
this  corruption  sits  very  heavy  upon  his  heart :  and  as,  at  the  even- 
ing, the  shadow  of  the  body  moves  much  faster ;  so,  truly,  many 
times,  the  lips  move  apace  in  prayer,  when  yet  the  heart  is  dull 
and  drowsy.  "Wherever  he  is,  whatever  he  is  about,  lust  is  intrud- 
ing into  his  company :  corruption  will  be  thrusting  itself  into  all 
his  actions.  This  is  that,  which  makes  him  weary  of  his  very  life, 
so  that  he  could  very  well  be  content,  nay  he  really  and  heartily 
wishes  from  his  heart,  that  this  house  of  clay  were  pulled  down 
about  him. 

Truly,  when  we  look  abroad  into  the  world,  and  take  notice  in 
what  filthy  sins  it  wallows ;  what  oaths  and  cursings,  what  blas- 
phemies and  drunkenness,  what  murders,  uncleannesses,  and  riots 
have  every  where  overspread  the  face  of  the  whole  earth ;  what  do 
we  see,  but  the  effects  of  that  sinful  nature,  that  is  common  to  us, 
as  well  as  unto  them  ?  There  we  see  our  own  hearts  unbowelled ; 
and  there  we  can  discern  what  ourselves  are,  at  the  cost  of  other 
men's  sins.    What  says  the  Wise  Man,  in  Prov.  xxvii.  19  ?    As  in 


DISCOURSES    C  O  ;>  C  £  K  X  1  X  6  SIN. 


■11 


water,  face  answereth  to  face  ;  so  doth  the  heart  of  a  man  to  a  man.  It 
was  the  proud  Pharisee's  boast,  Lord,  /  tliank  thee  that  I  am  not  as 
other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican : 
as  it  is  in  Luke  xviii.  11.  Yes,  believe  it,  you,  and  I,  and  all,  yea 
the  best  of  us  all,  are  even  as  others  are.  The  vilest  sinners  are 
the  truest  glasses  to  represent  to  our  view  what  our  hearts  are. 
Their  wickedness  gives  in  a  true  inventory  of  what  lies  locked  up 
in  our  breasts  :  there,  we  have  the  same  vipers  knotting  and  sprawl- 
ing within,  that  crawl  forth  in  others'  lives  :  there,  are  rancour,  and 
malice,  and  hatred,  and  slaughters,  and  adulteries ;  and  the  whole 
spawn  of  all  those  black  sins,  that  have  made  men  either  infamous 
in  story,  or  mighty  in  torment.  And,  that  we  have  not  yet  out- 
sinned  all  the  copies  that  ever  were  set  us,  that  we  have  not  yet 
discovered  some  new  unknown  wickedness  to  the  world,  is  not 
because  our  inclination  to  sin  or  our  stock  of  corruption  fails  us ; 
but  because  God's  grace,  either  preventing  or  renewing,  fails  not. 

Where  then  is  the  Christian,  that  hath  not  cause  to  go  mourning 
to  his  grave  ?  Can  you  blame  him,  when  you  see  him  sad  and  dis- 
consolate ;  when  he  hath  no  less  reason  for  it,  than  a  heart  brimfull 
of  sin  ?  Certainly,  that  man  neither  loves  God,  nor  his  own  soul, 
that  can  hear  that  there  is  in  him  such  a  violent  propension  to  in- 
jure the  one  Q,nd  ruin  the  other,  without,  exclaiming,  with  the  Pro- 
phet, Woe  is  me  !  for  I  am  undone  ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  an  un- 
clean heart  and  of  polluted  lips  I  It  is  but  just,  yea  it  is  all  the 
reason  in  the  world,  that,  while  our  hearts  continue  to  be  fountains 
of  sin,  our  heads  should  continue  to  be  fountains  of  tears. 

3.  Is  there,  in  the  best,  a  strong  proneness  to  the  worst  sins  ? 
What  cause  have  we  then,  to  long  and  breathe  after  heaven  ! 

For,  not  till  then,  shall  we  be  free  from  it.  Indwelling  sin  hath 
taken  a  lease  of  our  souls,  and  holds  them  by  our  own  lives :  it 
will  be  in  us  to  the  last  gasp  ;  and,  as  the  heart  is  the  last  that  dies, 
so  also  is  that  corruption  that  lodgeth  in  it.  But,  yet,  die  it  must, 
and  die  it  shall :  and  this  is  the  comfort  of  a  child  of  God,  that, 
though  he  brought  sin  with  him  into  the  world,  yet  he  shall  not 
carry  it  with  him  out  of  the  world.  God  hath  so  wisely  ordered 
•  and  appointed  it,  that,  as  death  came  in  by  sin,  so  also  shall  sin  it- 
self be  destroyed  by  death  :  as  worms,  when  they  creep  into  their 
holes,  leave  their  slime  and  their  dirt  behind  them  ;  truly,  so  is  it 
with  a  Christian :  when  he  dies,  he  leaves  all  his  slime,  all  his  filth 
and  corruption,  at  the  mouth  of  the  grave  ;  and  his  soul  gets  free 
from  that  clog,  and  mounts  up  into  the  bosom  of  God  :  and  there 
alone  is  it,  that  it  shall  no  more  strive  and  struggle  against  sinful 


42 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


propensions  and  inclinations :  there,  shall  it  be  eternally  fixed  and 
confirmed,  not  only  in  glory,  but  in  holiness  also :  we  shall  there 
be  out  of  the  reach  of  Satan's  temptations.  We  read,  indeed,  that 
sometimes  the  Devil  appears  before  God,  as  an  accuser;  but 
we  never  read,  that  he  comes  there  as  a  tempter ;  we  shall  no  more 
feel  the  first  risings  and  steamings-up  of  corruption,  there :  no  more 
shall  we  cast  kind  glances  upon  our  sins,  nor  have  hovering  thoughts 
towards  them.  0  blessed  necessity,  when  the  soul  shall  be  tied  up 
to  one  all-satisfying  good !  when  it  shall  have  as  natural  a  prone- 
ness  and  ardour  to  delight  in  God,  as  to  love  itself,  and  to  delight 
in  its  own  happiness !  And  who  then  would  desire  to  linger  any 
longer  here  below ;  and  to  spin  out  his  wretched  life,  wherein  sin 
and  sorrow  shall  have  the  »-reatest  share  ?  Here  the  best  of  us  are 
in  perpetual  combats  and  quarrels  betwixt  sin  and  grace :  the  o:ie 
will  not  yield,  and  the  other  cannot :  corruption  compels  one  way, 
and  grace  commands  another.  Haste,  therefore,  O  Christian,  out 
of  this  scuffle :  make  haste  to  heaven,  and  there  the  controversy  will 
be  for  ever  decided  :  there,  shalt  thou  no  more  live  in  fear  of  new 
sins,  nor  yet  in  sorrow  for  old  sins ;  but  all  sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  flee  away :  all  tears  shall  be  wiped  from  our  eyes,  and  all  sin 
shall  be  rooted  out  of  our  hearts ;  and  we  shall  be  perfectly  holy, 
even  as  the  angels  themselves. 

4.  Is  there  such  a  strong  proneness,  in  the  best,  to  the  worst  sins  ? 
Tltis  then  should  teach  us,  carefully  to  avoid  cell  temptations  to  sin.  and 
whatever  may  be  an  occasion  to  draw  forth  that  corruption  that  lies  la- 
tent within  m. 

Wherefore  is  it,  that  one  petition,  of  those  few  that  Christ  taught 
his  disciples,  was,  that  God  would  not  lead  them  into  temptation ; 
but  because  he  knew  that  there  are  in  all  of  us  sinful  natures,  that 
do  too,  too  well  correspond  with  temptations?  And  he  knew,  that, 
if  we  were  brought  into  temptations,  it  is  very  seldom  that  we  are 
brought  off  from  them  without  sin. 

Were  we  as  free  from  inherent  sin,  as  Adam  was  at  first ;  or,  were 
we  confirmed  in  grace,  as  the  saints  in  heaven  now  are ;  we  might 
then  repel  all  temptations  with  ease :  and  therefore  our  Saviour, 
whose  nature  was  spotless  by  an  extraordinary  conception,  and 
whose  holiness  was  secure  to  him  by  an  unspeakable  union  of  the 
godhead,  tells  usrin  John  xiv.  30,  the  prince  of  this  world  came,  and 
found  noticing  in  him.  The  Devil  came  to  tempt  him ;  but,  because 
he  found  nothing  in  him,  therefore  he  could  fasten  nothing  upon 
him  :  no  temptation  could  enter,  because  there  was  no  corruption 
to  receive  it ;  and,  therefore,  when  he  tempted  Christ,  he  only  cast 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


43 


fiery  darts  against  an  impenetrable  rock ;  a  rock,  that  will  beat 
them  back  again  into  his  own  face. 

But  our  corruptions  have  made  us  combustible  matter,  that  there 
is  scarce  a  dart  thrown  at  us  in  vain :  when  he  tempts  us,  it  is  but 
like  the  casting  of  fire  into  tinder,  that  presently  catcheth :  our 
hearts  kindle  upon  the  least  spark  that  falls ;  as  a  vessel,  that  is 
brimfull  of  water,  upon  the  least  jog,  runs  over.  Were  we  but  true 
to  ourselves/though  the  Devil  might  knock,  by  his  temptations ; 
yet  he  could  never  burst  open  the  everlasting  doors  of  our  hearts, 
by  force  or  violence :  but,  alas !  we  ourselves  are  not  all  of  one 
heart  and  one  mind :  Satan  hath  got  a  strong  party  within  us,  that, 
as  soon  as  he  knocks,  opens  to  him,  and  entertains  him.  And,  hence 
is  it,  that,  many  times,  small  temptations  and  very  petty  occasions 
draw  forth  great  corruptions  :  as  a  vessel,  that  is  full  of  new  liquor, 
upon  the  least  vent  given,  works  over  into  foam  and  froth ;  so, 
truly,  our  hearts,  almost  upon  every  slight  and  trivial  temptation, 
make  that  inbred  corruption,  that  lodgeth  there,  swell,  and  boil, 
and  run  over  into  abundance  of  scum  and  filth  in  our  lives  and 
conversations. 

Have  we  not  great  cause,  therefore,  to  be  jealous  and  suspicious 
of  ourselves ;  and  to  keep  a  watchful  eye  over  all  the  motions  of 
those  bosom-traitors,  our  own  hearts  ?  He,  that  trusteth  to  his  own 
heart,  says  Solomon,  is  a  fool:  Prov.  xxviii.  26.  Certainly,  it  were 
the  greatest  folly  in  the  world,  to  trust  our  hearts,  after  so  frequent 
experience  of  their  treachery  and  slipperiness.  Venture  them  not, 
therefore,  upon  temptations.  What  security  have  you,  that  your 
sinful  hearts  will  not  sin ;  yea  and,  it  may  be,  betray  you  into  such 
great  abominations,  as  you  cannot  now  think  of  without  horror  ? 

As  men  presume  upon  the  mercy  of  God,  to  pardon  their  lesser 
sins ;  so  they  presume  also  upon  their  own  strength,  to  preserve 
them  from  greater  sins.  They  say  of  small  sins,  "  Is  it  not  a  little 
one,  and  our  souls  shall  live?"  And  they  say  of  great  sins,  "Is 
it  not  a  great  one,  and  our  souls  shall  never  commit  it?"  Alas  ! 
Low  know  you,  but,  if  once  you  lay  your  head  in  the  lap  of  a  temp- 
tation, these  Philistines  will  be  upon  you  ?  and  you,  like  Sampson, 
think  to  go  and  shake  yourselves,  as  at  other  times:  but,  alas! 
your  great  strength  is  departed  from  you ;  and  you,  left  a  prey  to 
the  foulest  and  worst  of  sins. 

And  thus  now  you  have  seen  in  David's  prayer,  the  best  saints' 
proneness  to  the  worst  sins. 

IV.  The  next  thing  observable  is,  TIIE  BEST  SAINTS' 
WEAKNESS  AND  INABILITY  TO  PRESERVE  THEM- 
SELVES, WITHOUT  THE  ASSISTANCE  OF  DIVINE  GRACE. 


44 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


And  both  these,  namely,  their  proneness  to  commit  sin,  and  their 
weakness  to  resist  it,  are  evident  demonstrations  of  the  general  pro- 
position :  The  Almighty  grace  of  God  is  their  best,  yea  and  their 
only  security. 

Now,  as  the  bottom  and  foundation  of  this  present  exercise,  I 
shall  lay  down  this  point  to  be  treated  of. 

That  it  is  not  a  christian's  own,  but  god's  power  only, 
that  can  preserve  him  from  the  commission  of  the  most 
daring  and  presumptuous  sins.  ' 

And  yet,  truly,  if  any  sins  are  easy  to  be  resisted  and  overcome, 
they  are  the  sins  of  the  grosser  sort :  for,  many  times,  it  is  with  sins, 
as  with  overgrown  bodies ;  the  vaster  the  bulk  of  them  is,  the  less 
is  their  force  and  activity. 

i.  The  soul  hath  great  advantage  to  lay  hold  on  great 

SINS,  AND  TO  KEEP  THEM  OFF  AT  ARM'S  LENGTH  ;  WHEN  LESS  SINS 
SLIP  IN,  AND  SEIZE  UPON  THE  HEART  UNPERCEIVABLY.  For, 

1.  Great  and  Presumptuous  Sins  seldom  make  an  assault  upon  the 
soul,  but  they  give  warning  beforehand  to  prepare  for  resistance. 

The  stratagems  of  war,  if  they  are  but  discovered,  usually  prove 
unsuccessful :  as  strong  liquors,  taking  vent,  lose  their  strength  and 
spirits.  So  is  it  in  this  holy  war  also  :  the  soul  may  easily  foresee 
gross  sins,  and  therefore  may  more  easily  avoid  them.  If  a  man 
feel  in  himself  sinful  thoughts  stirring,  and  sinful  desires  strug- 
gling, hereupon  an  assault  is  made,  and  the  Devil  hereby  gives  us 
warning  what  sins  we  should  especially  watch  against :  are  they 
lascivious  thoughts?  beware  of  uncleanness :  are  they  wrathful 
thoughts  ?  beware  of  murder :  are  they  murmuring  thoughts  ?  be- 
ware of  blasphemy :  are  they  worldly  thoughts  and  desires  ?  be- 
ware of  oppression  and  injustice.  Thus  these  giant-like  sins  stand 
forth  in  view,  and  send  open  defiance  to  the  soul,  and  bid  it  pre- 
pare for  the  combat.  Sinful  thoughts  and  sinful  desires  go  before, 
as  armour-bearers  use  to  go  before  their  champions,  and  proclaim 
what  great  lust  is  about  to  make  an  assault  upon  the  soul. 

Now  such  fore-warnings  as  these  are  a  great  advantage,  that  we 
have,  to  repel  and  subdue  them.  Job  xxxiv.  32,  That,  which  I  see 
not,  teach  thou  me.  And  what  follows  ?  If  I  have  done  iniquity,  I 
will  do  so  no  more.  When  a  man  sees  his  enemy  before  him,  this 
is  a  mighty  advantage,  either  to  avoid  or  to  conquer. 

This  advantage  we  have  not  against  smaller  sins.  "We  cannot 
so  easily  escape  sins  of  ignorance,  because  we  cannot  see  them ; 
nor  yet  the  sins  of  our  thoughts  and  desires,  because  we  cannot 
foresee  them.    Who  of  us  all  knows  what  thoughts  will  next  bub- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


45 


ble  up  in  our  hearts,  whether  holy  and  gracious,  or  whether  sinful 
and  profane  ?  These  strike  without  warning  ;  and,  as  an  enemy 
within,  rise  up  in  the  midst  of  our  hearts  unseen. 

Sins  are  of  two  sorts :  either  those,  by  which  we  are  tempted ; 
or  those,  to  which  we  are  tempted.  The  Devil  makes  use  of  one 
sin,  to  tempt  to  another ;  of  a  less,  to  tempt  to  a  greater.  Thus, 
wicked  thoughts  are,  at  once,  sins  in  themselves,  and  also  tempta- 
tions unto  wicked  actions.  Now  it  is  very  hard,  and  the  best  Chris- 
tians find  it  so,  to  keep  themselves  free  from  sinful  thoughts  ;  be- 
cause these  spring  up  immediately  in  the  heart,  without  any  fore- 
going temptations  to  them  :  but,  while  the  Devil  is  tempting  us  to 
sinful  actions  by  sinful  thoughts,  then  the  soul  hath  leisure  to  re- 
collect itself,  to  muster  up  all  its  graces,  to  set  its  guards,  to  call  in 
divine  help  and  assistance ;  and,  upon  these  preparations,  it  may 
more  easily  resist  the  sin  and  overcome  the  temptation. 

And  that  is  one  great  advantage  which  we  have,  to  keep  our- 
selves from  Presumptuous  Sins. 

2.  Natural  conscience  also  abhors  more,  and  doth  more  oppose,  these 
outrageous,  Presumptuous  Sins,  than  it  doth  those  sins,  that  it  judgeth 
to  proceed  only  from  weakness  and  infirmity  ;  and  this  also  gives  us  a 
mighty  advantage  to  keep  ourselves  from  them. 

Little  sins  do  not  much  disturb  the  peace  and  quietness  of  a  man's 
conscience ;  arid,  therefore,  the  Apostle  speaks  of  himself  before 
his  conversion,  in  Acts  xxiii.  1,  7"  have  lived,  says  he,  in  all  good 
conscience  before  God  until  this  very  day.    And  so,  in  Phil.  iii.  6, 

touching  the  Law,  says  he,  speaking  of  himself  before  his  conver 

sion,  I  was  blameless.  How  could  that  be  ?  What !  blameless ; 
and  unconverted,  and  in  a  state  of  nature !  Yes,  he  was  not  guilty 
of  notorious,  scandalous  sins ;  and,  as  for  lesser  faults,  his  consci- 
ence overlooked  them,  and  never  blamed  him  for  them.  And  so, 
truly,  is  it  with  many  a  moral  man :  his  conscience  hath  not  a  word 
to  say  against  all  his  small  and  petty  sins :  let  his  heart  be  sensual, 
and  his  thoughts  vain,  and  his  discourse  unsavoury  ,  and  his  life 
unprofitable ;  yet,  still,  conscience  and  he  live  very  friendly  to- 
gether :  But,  let  the  Devil  tempt  such  a  sober  sinner  as  this  is,  to 
murder,  or  adultery,  or  drunkenness,  or  some  such  branded  impiety, 
conscience  then  flings  fire-brands  and  storms,  and  cries  out,  with 
Ilazael,  What !  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  such  things  as 
these  are?  As  subjects  pay  to  their  prince,  in  many  little  sums, 
without  grudging,  that,  which,  were  it  exacted  from  them,  all  at 
once,  in  one  great  tax,  would  make  them  repine  if  not  rebel ;  so  is 
it  with  us :  we  stand  not  with  the  Devil  for  small  sins  ;  but,  if  he 


46 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


tempt  us  to  greater  abominations,  then  conscience  makes  an  alarm 
and  uproar  in  the  soul,  and  will  not,  nay  cannot  consent  to  damn 
itself  by  wholesale.  Certainly,  that  man,  that  can,  as  our  Saviour 
speaks  of  the  Pharisees,  swallow  camels,  sins  of  a  huge  bulk  and 
size,  without  any  check  or  straining  at  them,  must  needs  have  a 
conscience  as  wide-mouthed  as  hell ;  and  he,  who  hath  so  large  a 
conscience,  hath  no  conscience  at  all. 

And  that  is  another  advantage  which  we  have  against  Presump 
tuous  Sins. 

3.  The  fear  of  shame  and  of  infamy  in  the  world,  many  times,  put\ 
a  great  restraint  upon  the  lusts  of  men;  and  keeps  them  from  breaking 
out  into  those  daring  and  presumptuous  wickednesses,  that  otherwise 
they  would  do. 

Therefore,  our  Saviour  describes  the  Unjust  Judge  to  be  one  of 
a  strange  temper,  that  neither  feared  God,  nor  regarded  man :  Luke 
xviii.  2.  Those,  that  have  worn  off  all  fear  of  God  from  their 
hearts,  yet  usually  have  some  awe  of  man  still  left  them  :  though 
they  are  so  hardened,  that  they  fear  not  God's  judging  them ;  yet 
they  are  withal  so  childish,  that  they  fear  man's  censuring  them  : 
loth  they  are,  that  their  names  should  be  tossed  to  and  fro,  from 
tongue  to  tongue ;  that  the  world  should  say  of  them,  "  This  man 
is  a  drunkard,"  and  "  That  man  is  an  unclean  person,"  and  "That 
man  is  a  thief."  Tell  me,  0  sinner,  why  else  dost  thou  seek  cor- 
ners to  hide  thy  wickedness  in?  why  dost  thou  not  do  it  in  the  face 
of  the  sun,  and  before  the  eyes  of  the  whole  world  ?  Why  that 
very  shame,  that  makes  men  skulk  in  secret  when  they  sin,  had 
they  no  secrecy  to  hide  themselves  in  from  the  notice  of  men,  would 
keep  them  also  from  the  sin  itself.  It  doth  not  terrify  men  to  con- 
sider, that  God  writes  down  all  their  sins  in  his  book  of  remem- 
brance ;  but,  should  he  write  all  their  sins  upon  their  foreheads  in 
visible  letters,  that  all  the  world  might  read  them,  where  is  the 
wretch  so  impudent,  that  would  dare  to  be  seen  abroad  ?  Our 
streets  would  be  desolate,  and  your  pews  would  be  empty,  and  the 
world  would  grow  a  wilderness;  and  those,  that  we  took  for  men, 
would  appear  to  be  but  very  monsters  and  beasts :  such  woeful" 
transformation  hath  sin  made  in  the  world.  How  many  swine  are 
there,  wallowing  in  their  own  vomit!  how  many  goatish  sensualists 
are  become  brutish  in  filthy  pleasures!  how  many  earth-worms  are 
there,  crawling  up  and  down  in  the  muck  of  this  world,  loading 
themselves  with  thick  clay !  Certainly,  if  every  sinner  should  be 
seen  in  his  own  shape,  we  should  meet  with  very  few  men  in  the 
world.    Now  wicked  men  are  ashamed  to  be  seen  abroad  in  such 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


47 


disguises  as  these  are,  and  therefore  they  study  to  sin  in  secret ;  or, 
if  that  cannot  be,  they  force  themselves  to  abstain  from  sin ;  un- 
willing they  are  to  be  pointed  at  in  the  streets.  "There  goes  a 
drunkard,  or  an  extortioner :  there,  a  cheater,  or  an  adulterer ;" 
and  the  like  :  and,  for  very  fear  thereof,  sometimes  they  are  kept 
from  the  commission  of  those  infamous  sins,  that  would  make  them 
a  reproach  to  all  their  neighbours.  And  that  is  another  advantage. 

4.  The  fear  of  human  laws  and  penalties  doth  many  times  keep  men 
from  the  committing  many  great  and  horrid  impieties,  such  as  would 
fall  under  the  notice  of  the  law. 

It  is  a  great  mercy,  that  God  hath  instituted  magistracy,  that  may 
be  a  terror  to  evil  works ;  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  Eom.  *xiii.  3. 
"Were  it  not  more  for  fear  of  human  laws  inflicting  of  corporal  pun- 
ishments upon  men,  than  God's  threatening  of  eternal  punishments, 
the  whole  world  would  become  worse  than  a  savage  wilderness : 
within,  would  be  fears  and  tumults;  without,  would  be  rage  and 
violence  :  our  dwellings,  our  persons,  our  possessions,  would  be  all 
exposed  to  the  furious  lusts  of  ungodly  men  ;  and,  by  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing,  and  committing  adultery,  men  would 
break  forth,  till  blood  toucheth  blood ;  as  the  Prophet  speaks :  Hos. 
iv.  2.  But  the  wise  Providence  of  God,  who  hath  subdued  the 
beasts  of  the  earth  to  man,  hath  also  subdued  man,  who  else  would 
become  more  wild  and  brutish  than  they,  to  man :  God  hath  there- 
fore subdued  man  to  man,  so  that  those,  that  stand  not  in  auy  awe 
of  the  God  of  Heaven,  yet  are  awed  by  the  gods  of  the  earth ;  and 
those,  whom  the  .thoughts  of  hell  and  eternal  wrath  cannot  scare 
from  sin,  yet  many  times  the  thoughts  of  a  prison  and  gibbet  do. 

Now  this  fear  is  of  great  advantage,  to  keep  men  from  the  com- 
mission of  Presumptuous  Sins  ;  Avhich  they  have  not,  to  keep  them 
from  the  commission  of  lesser  and  smaller  sins. 

And,  what !  is  not  this  security  enough  against  them  ?  Is  there 
need  of  any  more  ?  Were  it  not  strange,  if  the  warning  given  be- 
forehand to  prepare  for  resistance,  if  the  reluctancy  of  natural  con- 

rience,  if  the  shame  of  the  world  and  the  fears  of  human  laws  and 
penalties,  should  not  be  sufficient  to  preserve  us  from  them  ?  Were 
not  this  strange  ?    Yes,  it  were  so  :  yet  so  it  is. 

ii.  Notwithstanding  all  these  advantages,  still  we  have 
GREAT  CAUSE  TO  PRAY,  WITH  DAVID,  Lord,  keep  back  thy  servants 
from  Presumptuous  Sins.  All  other  defence  is  but  weak,  and  all 
other  security  is  but  unsafe :  Lord,  therefore  do  thou  keep  us. 

And  this  I  shall  endeavour  to  demonstrate  unto  you,  by  two  par- 
ticulars :  the  one,  from  Scripture ;  and,  the  other,  from  Experience. 


48 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


1.  From  Scripture. 

All  our  ability,  whether  for  the  performance  of  duties  or  for  the 
opposing  of  corruption,  is,  in  Scripture,  entirely  ascribed  unto  the 
power  of  God. 

Thus,  the  Apostle  exhorts  the  Ephesians,  in  chap.  vi.  10.  My 
bretlircn,  be  strong.  But,  in  whom  ?  what,  in  yourselves  ?  no,  says 
he,  but,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might:  for,  in 
his  almighty  power,  though  mighty  corruptions  rush  in  upon  you 
and  threaten  your  ruin,  though  the  Devil  and  the  powers  of  hell 
push  sore  at  you  to  make  you  fall ;  yet  God  calls  upon  you  to  stand, 
and  to  withstand  them  all.  "  Stand,  alas !  how  can  we  ?  such  poor 
weak  feeble  creatures  as  we  are,  how  can  we  stand  ?"  why,  says  the 
Apostle,  be  strong  in  the  Lord:  there  is  your  security  against  all  the 
force  of  your  spiritual  enemies  :  lay  hold  on  his  almighty  power, 
and  engage  that  for  you,  and  this  will  bring  you  off  the  field  with 
victory  and  conquest. 

So,  again,  in  2  Cor.  iii.  5.  "We  are  not  sufficient,  says  the  Apos- 
tle, of  ourselves,  to  do  anything  as  of  ourselves :  not  sufficient  to  think 
a  good  thought,  and  therefore  not  sufficient  to  resist  an  evil  thought. 
For  our  resisting  of  an  evil  thought  must  be  by  thinking  a  good 
one :  if  an  evil  thought  rise  up  in  our  hearts,  we  cannot,  of  our- 
selves, so  much  as  think,  that  that  thought  is  evil,  nor  think  that 
it  ought  to  be  suppressed  and  stifled ;  and,  much  less,  can  we  then, 
of  ourselves,  suppress  any  sin.  And  what  should  we  do  under  this 
utter  impotency  and  inability,  but  call  in  divine  help  and  assist- 
ance ?  our  sufficiency  is  of  God. 

Yet,  in  this,  we  cannot  think  our  sufficiency  to  be  of  God,  nor 
can  we  depend  upon  the  sufficiency  of  God  to  enable  us  to  do  it : 
For  it  is  God,  says  the  Apostle,  that  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  his  own  good  pleasure,  both  to  think  and  to  act;  so  you  have 
it  in  Phil.  ii.  13. 

So  that  it  is  most  evident,  to  all,  that  will  not  wilfully  shut  their 
eyes  against  the  light  of  truth,  that  both  the  first  motions  and  the 
whole  succeeding  progress  of  the  soul,  either  to  the  performance 
of  duty  or  to  the  resistance  of  sin,  are  wholly  from  God's  almighty 
power  engaged  for  them,  and  strengthening  them  to  the  one  and 
for  the  other. 

2.  Another  demonstration  of  this  truth  shall  be  from  the  Com- 
mon Experience  of  all. 

Ilave  you  not  found,  sometimes,  that  you  could,  with  holy  scorn 
and  disdain,  reject  those  very  temptations  to  sin,  that,  at  other 
times,  when  God  hath  absented  himself  from  you,  when  he  hath 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


49 


withdrawn  his  power  and  grace,  have  sadly  prevailed  upon  you,  it 
may  be  to  the  commission  of  some  daring  and  presumptuous  sin? 
Have  you  not  found  it  to  be  so  ?  What  else  is  this,  but  an  evident 
argument,  that  it  is  not  your  own,  but  God's  power,  that  keeps  you 
from  the  worst  sins  ?  We  may  conclude  by  our  falls,  when  God 
doth  forsake  us,  that,  when  we  stand,  we  stand  not  by  our  own 
strength,  but  by  his.  Why  do  you  not  always  fall  ?  or  why  do 
you  not  always  stand  ?  will  you  say  it  is,  because  we  are  not  al- 
ways alike  tempted  ?  if  you  be  not,  why,  then,  since  the  Devil  is 
always  alike  malicious  ?  even  herein,  appear  the  mercy  and  power 
of  God,  who  almightily  rebukes  him:  but  when  you  are  alike 
tempted,  whence  proceeds  it,  that  sometimes  you  yield,  and  some- 
times you  resist  and  conquer ;  but  only  from  hence,  sometimes  God 
is  present  to  assist  you,  and  sometimes  he  departs  from  you  to  hum- 
ble you  ?  he  is  present  sometimes,  that  you  might  not,  utterly  sink 
and  perish  under  your  sins ;  and  he  absents  himself  sometimes, 
that  you  may  be  sensible  by  your  falls,  that  formerly  it  was  not 
your  own,  but  his  power  that  preserved  you. 

And  this  may  suffice  for  the  demonstration  of  the  truth ;  That  it 
is  not  in  the  power  of  the  best  Christians  to  keep  themselves  from 
Presumptuous  Sins,  but  God's  power  only  can  do  this. 

iii.  Now,  by  this  time,  possibly  it  may  arise  up  in  the  hearts  of 
some  profane  ones,  to  make  the  same  objection,  as  some  did,  in 
the  Apostle's  days,  against  the  doctrine  of  election :  "  If  it  be  so, 
that  it  is  not  in  my  own  power  to  keep  myself  from  the  commis- 
sion of  sin,  yea  of  the  greatest  and  worst  sins,  but  only  God's  power 
can  do  this:  why  doth  he  yet  complain?  why  cloth  he  yet  find 
fault  with  us  for  doing  that,  which  we  cannot  but  do,  unless  he 
himself  preserve  us  from  it  ?" 

I  might  here  take  occasion  to  vindicate  the  equity  and  righteous- 
ness of  God,  in  requiring  from  us  the  exercise  of  that  power,  that 
he  bestowed  upon  our  natures  at  first,  and  which  we  lost  only 
through  our  own  wilful  default:  but  I  have  done  this  divers  times 
already  ;  and,  therefore,  I  shall  only  at  present  briefly  consider  what 
power  men  have  still  left  them,  both  in  a  state  of  nature  and  in  a 
state  of  grace,  to  keep  themselves  from  the  commission  of  sin:  and 
that,  in  a  few  particulars,  briefly. 

1.  Clear  it  is,  that,  whatever  power  men  have,  either  to  naturals  or  to 
spirituals  ;  yet  they  cannot  act  or  exercise  that  power,  without  exciting 
influence  from  God  to  quicken  and  rouse  it. 

Who  will  say,  that  a  man,  that  sits,  hath  not  power  to  rise  ;  and 
that  a  man,  that  stands,  hath  not  power  to  walk  ?  and  yet  it  is  cer- 

Vol.  II.— 4 


50 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


tain,  he  neither  shall  rise  nor  walk,  unless  God  move  and  excite 
and  rouse  that  power  of  his,  and  put  it  upon  that  work :  for,  in  him, 
as  we  live,  so  we  move  and  have  our  being.  So,  then,  the  power  to 
use  our  power  is  from  God's  quickening,  enlivening,  and  actuating 
of  us. 

2.  A  child  of  God,  who  is  regenerated  and  born  again,  hath  a  'power 
to  do  something  that  is  not  sin :  because  he  hath  a  gracious  principle 
wrought  within  him ;  and  he  acts  for  a  right  end,  even  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

But  yet,  this,  withal,  must  be  supposed,  that  he  shall  never  so 
act,  without  the  special  aid  and  assistance  of  God,  quickening  and 
stirring  up  his  graces. 

3.  A  man,  in  a  state  of  nature,  hath  no  power  to  keep  himself  from 
sin  in  general. 

That  is,  he  hath  no  power  to  do  any  thing,  but  what  is  sinful ; 
for,  whatever  action  is  not  sinful  must  floV  from  a  gracious  princi- 
ple, and  must  be  directed  to  a  right  end ;  which  no  action  of  a 
wicked  man  can  be,  for  both  the  first  principle  and  also  the  last 
end  of  every  action,  that  a  wicked  man  doth,  are  carnal  self. 

4.  Though  wicked  men  have  not  a  power  to  do  that,  which  is  not  sin- 
ful ;  yet  they  have  a  power  to  resist  this  or  that  particular  sin. 

They  are  sadly  necessitated  to  act  within  the  sphere  of  sin ;  that 
is,  whatever  they  act  is  sinful ;  but,  yet,  they  may,  as  it  were,  choose 
which  sin  they  will  act.  Neither  doth  this  overthrow  what  was  de- 
livered before :  for,  when  they  choose  a  less  sin  rather  than  a 
greater,  when  they  avoid  the  commission  of  a  daring  and  presump- 
tuous sin  and  choose  rather  to  perform  a  duty ;  this  proceeds  not 
merely  from  their  own  power,  but  from  the  power  and  influence 
of  God,  raising  and  exciting  their  power.  That  men  choose  to  feed 
upon  wholesome  meat  rather  than  upon  poison,  though  they  have 
a  free-will  to  do  so ;  yet  this  doth  not  merely  proceed  from  their 
free-will,  but  from  God's  guiding  and  exciting  that  free-will,  to 
choose  wholesome  food  rather  than  poison.  So  it  is  here :  Avhat 
sin  man  avoids,  is  not  to  be  ascribed  to  his  own  power,  though  a 
power  he  hath :  but  it  is  to  be  ascribed  only  to  God's  common  or 
to  his  special  grace  and  influence,  whereby  that  power,  that  would 
otherwise  lie  dead  and  unacted,  is  quickened  and  actuated  in  us. 
What  difference  is  there,  betwixt  a  man.  that  hath  no  power,  and  a 
man  that  hath  a  power  but  yet  cannot  use  it  ?  Truly,  such  are  we: 
what  power  we  have  against  sin,  we  cannot  make  use  of,  till  God 
raise  and  act  us  by  his  exciting  grace  :  therefore  have  we  still  need 
to  pray,  with  David,  Lord,  do  thou  keep  me  from  sin :  for,  though 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


51 


I  have  a  power,  yet  it  is  but  a  latent  and  sleepy  power ;  and  will 
not  be  available,  till  thou  dost  awaken  and  quicken  it. 

V.  The  next  thing  to  be  enquired  into,  is  HOW  GOD  KEEPS 
MEN  BACK  FROM  PRESUMPTUOUS  SINS,  even  then,  when 
their  proneness  to  them  is  most  violent  and  eager. 

For  satisfaction  to  this,  you  must  know,  that  God  hath  two  hands, 
whereby  he  holds  men  back  from  their  sins. 

The  strong  hand  of  his  Providence.   The  powerful  hand  of  Grace. 

And,  sometimes,  God  puts  both  these  hands  to  it,  in  a  mixed 
way  of  Providence  and  Grace  together.  These  are,  as  it  were, 
God's  left-hand  and  his  right-hand :  by  the  one  he  overrules  the 
actions ;  and,  by  the  other,  he  overrules  the  hearts  of  men :  and 
both,  al  mightily. 

i.  God  frequently  withholds  men  from  the  commission  of  sin,  BY 

A  STRONG  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE  UPON  THEM. 

Frequently,  he  doth  so  :  and,  that  he  doth  not  so  always,  is  not 
because  he  is  defective,  either  in  power  or  goodness,  whereby  he 
should  restrain  them  from  evil ;  but  because  he  is  infinite  in  wisdom, 
whereby  he  knows  how  to  bring  good  out  of  evil. 

And,  therefore,  before  I  proceed  to  lay  down  those  several  ways 
that  Providence  takes  to  hinder  the  commission  of  sin,  I  shall  pre- 
mise this :  That  it  is  no  taint  at  all  to  the  pure  holiness  of  God, 
that  he  doth,  by  his  Providence,  concur  to  thpse  wickednesses  of 
men,  that,  if  he  pleased,  he  might  prevent  and  hinder. 

That  God  doth  so  is  clear  :  for  Providence  is  not  so  often  a  re- 
straint from  sin,  as  it  is  a  powerful  temptation  unto  sin.  It  is  a 
temptation,  as  it  administers  objects  and  opportunities,  and  as  it 
suits  them  both  unto  the  lusts  of  men.  Thus,  Cain  killed  his  brother 
Abel,  by  a  providence ;  and  Achan  stole  the  wedge  of  gold :  Judas 
betrayed  his  master,  and  the  Jews  crucified  him,  by  a  providence : 
yea,  all  that  villainy,  that  ever  was  acted  under  the  sun,  was  all 
brought  forth  out  of  the  cursed  wombs  of  men's  lusts,  and  made 
fruitful  by  God's  Providences. 

Neither  is  it  hard  to  conceive,  how  God  should,  without  sin  him- 
self, concur  to  sin  in  others :  since  his  most  sovereign  will,  being 
above  all  law,  cannot  possibly  fall  under  any  guilt.  "We  are  obliged 
to  keep  back  men  from  the  commission  of  sin,  when  it  is  in  our 
power  to  do  it ;  but  no  such  obligation  lies  upon  God,  though  he 
can  easily  keep  all-  wicked  men  in  the  world  from  ever  sinning 
more :  yea,  though  they  are  so  tied  up,  that  they  are  not  able  to 
sin  without  his  permission  and  concurrence ;  yet  he  permits  wisely, 
concurs  holily,  and  yet  notwithstanding  at  last  punishes  justly.  In 


52 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


brief,  God  doth  whatever  man  doth :  for,  as  the  Prophet  saith,  he 
worketh  all  our  works  in  us  and  for  us ;  and,  in  him,  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being.  And  yet,  in  one  and  the  same  action, 
man  sins  and  God  is  holy  :  because  man  acts  contrary  to  that  law, 
which  God  hath  set  him  ;  but  God  himself  is  subject  to  no  law,  be- 
sides his  own  sovereign  will,  and  where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no 
transgression,  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  in  Eomans  iv.  15.  God  is  not 
bound  to  hinder  the  commission  of  sin  as  we  are ;  and,  therefore, 
when  he  permits,  nay  when  Providence  accomplished  it,  still  is  he 
holv,  just,  and  good  ;  still  is  he  righteous  in  all  his  ways  and  holy  in 
all  his  works,  though  he  works  that  together  with  men,  that  makes 
them  unrighteous  and  unholy. 

This  I  thought  fit  to  premise,  that  so,  when  you  hear  how  many 
ways  God  is  able  to  hinder  the  commission  of  sin  by  his  Provi- 
dence, ydu  should  not  suffer  an}'  undue  thoughts  to  rise  up  in  your 
hearts  against  his  holiness,  when  he  chooseth  sometimes  rather  to 
permit  and  concur  to  the  sins  of  men,  than  to  hinder  and  forbid 
them  :  who,  when  he  permits  sin,  permits  it  righteously  ;  and,  when 
he  hinders  sin,  hinders  it  almightily. 

1.  There  are  Five*  remarkable  ways,  whereby  the  all-ivise  Provi- 
dence of  God  hinders  the  commission  of  a  sin,  even  then  when  men  are 
most  bent  and  eager  upon  it. 

(1)  Sometimes,  where  his  Grace  doth  not  sanctify  the  heart,  his 
Providence  shortens  the  life,  of  the  sinner. 

"Where  he  doth  not  cleanse  the  fountain,  yet  there  he  removes 
the  foundation  of  a  sin ;  that  is,  he  takes  away  the  very  life  and 
being  of  the  sinner.  Many  times,  when  wicked  men  have  imag- 
ined some  presumptuous  sin,  and  go  big  with  it,  God  suddenly  cuts 
them  off  from  the  land  of  the  living ;  and  gives  them  no  space  to 
bring  it  forth,  unless  it  be  in  hell  among  those  Devils  that  inspired 
it :  Ps.  lxiv.  6,  7,  says  the  Psalmist,  They  search  out  iniquities :  they 
accomplish  a  diligent  search:  but  what  follows?  God  shall  shoot  at 
them  with  an  arrow;  suddenly  shall  they  be  wounded:  while  they  are 
thinking  and  contriving  wickedness  in  their  hearts,  in  that  very 
day  they  perish  and  their  thoughts  with  them.  Thus,  proud  Pha- 
raoh resolves,  in  spite  of  God  and  all  his  miracles,  to  bring  back 
the  children  of  Israel  to  their  old  bondage ;  but,  before  he  could 
bring  his  purpose  into  execution,  God  brings  him  to  execution. 
And,  so,  Sennacherib  intends  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  but, 
before  he  can  compass  it,  God  slays  his  army  and  his  own  children 
also.    Herod  intends  a  bloody  persecution  against  the  Church  :  but 

*  The  former  editions  have  four,  but  the  author  enumerates  fire.  Editor. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


53 


God  smites  him :  lice  devour  him ;  and  eat  a  way  into  that  very 
heart,  that  conceived  so  wicked  a  purpose.  It  were  endless  to  cite 
instances,  in  this  particular.  Histories  and  hell  are  full  of  those, 
whom  God's  Providence  hath  cut  off,  before  they  could  fulfil  their 
ungodly  designs  ;  upon  whom  that  threatening  in  Eccl.  viii.  13, 
hath  been  signally  verified,  It  shall  not  be  well  with  the  wicked,  neither 

shall  he  prolong  his  days  because  he  feareth  not  before  God.  This 

Providence  God  doth  usually,  if  not  only,  exercise  upon  wicked 
men ;  snatching  them  away  from  their  sins,  and  yet  in  their  sins 
also.  Yea,  and  herein  he  deals  with  them  also,  in  some  kind  of 
mercy,  in  that  he  abridges  the  time  of  his  patience  to  them,  who, 
he  foresees,  will  only  abuse  it,  and  treasure  up  to  themselves  wrath 
against  t/te  day  of  wrath  ;  for,  hereby,  their  account  is  lessened,  and 
their  torments  made  more  tolerable.  It  bad  been  better  for  sin- 
ners, that  they  had  dropped  immediately  from  the  womb  to  the 
tomb;  better,  that  they  had  been  swaddled  in  their  winding-sheets: 
yea,  shall  I  say  it  had  been  better  for  them,  that  they  had  been 
doomed  to  everlasting  torments,  as  soon  as  they  saw  the  light,  than 
that  God  should  suffer  them  to  live  twenty,  forty,  or  sixty  years, 
adding  iniquity  to  iniquity  without  repentance ;  and  God  accord- 
ingly adding  torments  to  torments  to  punish  them,  never  to  be  re- 
pented of?  Oh,  the  desperate  condition,  that  sinners  are  in !  Un- 
less God  give  them  repentance,  the  sooner  they  are  in  hell,  the  bet- 
ter it  will  be  for  them  ;  and  it  is  a  mercy,  if  God  will  damn  them 
betimes !  Those,  whom  God  doth  not  endear  to  his  Grace  by 
changing  their  natures,  yet  he  indebts  to  his  Providence  by  short- 
ening their  lives :  and,  yet,  are  there  none  of  us,  that  wish  our 
lives  were  prolonged  to  a  thousand  years,  were  it  possible ;  not  that 
we  might  have  a  longer  time  and  space  to  repent,  but  that  we 
might  the  longer  enjoy  our  sins  ?  If  God  should  grant  your  wish, 
ind  keep  you  alive  till  the  Day  of  Judgment,  would  not  that  day 
become  a  thousand  fold  more  gloomy  and  dreadful  to  you,  than  if 
God  had  cut  you  off  at  the  ordinary  time  and  age  ?  and,  therefore, 
it  is  a  great  favour,  that  God  vouchsafes  both  to  the  elect  and  to 
reprobates,  in  that,  since  the  flood,  he  hath  cut  short  the  days  of 
man  upon  earth  :  for,  hereby,  the  elect  come  to  enjoy  the  glory  and 
happiness  of  heaven  the  sooner  ;  and  reprobates  feel  the  torments 
and  punishments  of  hell  the  lighter,  Providence,  by  a  speedy  dis- 
patch, preventing  those  sins,  that  otherwise  would  sink  them  the 
deeper  into  condemnation. 

(2)  God  providentially  keeps  men  from  sinning,  if  not  by  short- 
ening their  lives,  yet  by  cutting  short  their  power,  whereby  they 
should  be  enabled  to  commit  sin. 


54 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


All  that  power,  that  wicked  men  have  to  sin,  is  either  from  them- 
selves, or  from  their  wicked  associates  whom  they  make  use  of  as 
instruments  for  the  accomplishment  of  their  impieties :  but  Provi- 
dence can  strike  them  in  both  ;  and,  thereby,  give  their  lusts  a  mis- 
carrying womb  and  dry  breasts.  Sometimes,  God,  by  his  Provi- 
dence, cuts  off  their  evil  Instruments ;  and  thereby  disables  them 
from  sinning:  sometimes,  their  instruments  for  counsel;  thus  Provi- 
dence, by  overruling  Absalom  to  reject  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel, 
prevents  all  that  mischief  that  so  wise  and  so  wicked  a  statesman 
might  have  contrived  ;  and  thereupon  he  goes  and  hangs  himself: 
sometimes  he  cuts  off  their  instruments  of  execution ;  and,  so,  God 
disappointed  the  hopes  of  blaspheming  Eabshakeh,  and  sent  an 
angel,  that,  in  one  night,  killed  almost  two  hundred  thousand  of 
the  Assyrians  dead  on  the  place :  certainly,  it  is  great  folly,  for 
men,  upon  confidence  of  their  wise  and  powerful  instruments,  to 
set  themselves  up  against  that  God,  that  can,  without  or  against  all 
means  and  instruments,  confound  their  designs  and  frustrate  all 
their  enterprises.  And,  as  God  thus  strikes  their  instruments  :  so, 
sometimes,  he  strikes  their  Persons  ;  and  takes  from  them  the  use 
of  those  natural  faculties,  by  which  they  should  be  enabled  to  com- 
mit their  sins :  sometimes,  he  hides  their  wits  from  them,  and  be- 
sots them  ;  so  he  did  to  the  Jews  :  John  vii.  30.  They  sought  to 
apprehend  Jesus  :  who  did  hinder  them  ?  was  he  not  there  .among 
them  ?  Were  there  not  enough  of  them  to  do  it  ?  yet  they  only 
stand  gazing  at  him,  like  men  besotted,  till  he  escapes  away  from 
them :  sometimes,  God  hides  away  their  hands  from  them,  and  en- 
feebles them ;  as  in  Ps.  lxxvi.  5,  None  of  the  mighty  men  have 
found  their  hands :  God  hath  benumbed  them,  and  laid  their  hands 
out  of  the  way  when  they  should  have  used  them  :  the  Sodomites, 
you  know,  swarmed  thick  about  Lot's  house,  intending  villainy  to 
his  guests ;  and  God  smote  them  with  blindness,  that  they  groped 
for  the  door,  even  at  noon-day :  Jeroboam  stretcheth  out  his  hand 
against  the  Prophet,  and  God  suddenly  withers  it.  This  is  God's 
frequent  course  with  wicked  men :  when  he  doth  not  subdue  their 
wills,  yet  he  oftentimes  subdues  their  power  of  sinning.  Yea,  and 
possibly,  although  we  have  not  such  frequent  instances  of  it,  God 
may  deal  thus  sometimes  with  his  own  children :  thus  he  hath 
threatened  or  promised  rather  to  his  Church,  that  he  will  hedge  up 
her  way  with  thorns,  that  she  should  not  be  able  to  break  through 
to  her  idols,  as  formerly  she  had  done  :  so  you  have  it  in  Hos.  ii: 
6.  And,  indeed,  it  is  a  great  mercy,  that  God  doth  take  away  that 
power  from  men  that  he  sees  they  will  only  abuse  to  their  own  de- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


55 


struction.  It  is  not  cruelty,  but  compassion,  that  chains  up  mad- 
men ;  and  takes  from  them  those  swords,  arrows  and  firebrands, 
that  else  they  would  hurl  up  and  down  abroad,  both  to  their  own 
and  others'  mischief:  and,  so,  it  is  God's  common  pity  to  sinners, 
that  are  very  madmen,  that  fetters  and  chains  them  up ;  and  lays 
such  a  powerful  restraint  upon  them  by  his  Providence,  that,  where 
their  wills  are  not  defective,  yet  their  power  to  execute  sin  should 
be.  What  would  wicked  men  think,  if  God  should  now  suddenly 
strike  them  dumb,  or  blind,  or  lame,  or  impotent  ?  would  they  not 
account  this  a  heavy  judgment  inilicted  upon  them?  they  would 
so :  and  yet,  believe  it,  it  were  better  for  them  that  God  should 
strike  them  dumb  upon  the  place,  than  that  they  sheuld  ever  open 
their  mouths  more  to  blaspheme  and  rail  at  God  and  his  people : 
better,  they  were  struck  blind,  than  that  the  Devil  and  vile  lusts 
should  enter  into  the  soul  by  those  casements :  better,  that  God 
should  maim  them,  than  that  they  should  have  strength  to  commit 
those  sins,  that,  if  but  willed,  will  damn  them ;  but,  if  executed, 
will  sink  their  souls  sevenfold  deeper  into  condemnation.  Now  the 
Providence  of  God,  by  taking  away  their  power,  prevents  their 
wickedness,  and  so  mercifully  mitigates  their  condemnation. 

(3)  Sometimes,  God  keeps  men  from  the  commission  of  sin,  by 
raising  up  another  power  against  that,  by  which  the  sinner  is  to 
execute  sin. 

Thus,  when  Saul  would  have  put  Jonathan  to  death  for  break- 
ing a  rash  vow  that  he  himself  had  made,  God  raiseth  up  the  spirits 
of  the  people  to  rescue  him ;  and  they  plainly  tell  him,  Jonathan 
shall  not  die.  The  Jews  hated  Christ,  and  would  have  killed  him, 
but  that  they  feared  the  people,  whom  his  miracles  had  obliged  to 
him,  so  that  they  durst  not  venture  upon  him  till  his  hour  was  come. 

(■i)  Sometimes,  Providence  casts  in  some  seasonable  diversion, 
that  turns  them  off  from  .the  commission  of  that  sin,  that  they 
intended. 

"When  they  are  hotly  pursuing  their  wickedness,  Providence  starts 
some  other  game  for  them,  and  sets  them  upon  some  other  work. 
Thus  it  fared  with  Antiochus,  in  Dan.  xi.  30 :  he  sets  himself  against 
the  Holy  Covenant ;  but,  for  all  his  rage  against  it,  he  shall  return 
into  his  own  land,  says  God :  for  the  ships  of  Ghittim  shall  com,e 
against  him,  and  the  ships  of  the  Romans ;  and,  instead  of  invading 
others'  dominions,  he  must  return  to  defend  his  own :  thus  God 
diverted  him  from  his  design  of  ruining  the  Jews.  And,  sometimes, 
where  God  doth  not  dry  up  the  spring  of  corruption,  yet  he  turns 
the  streams  of  it  which  way  he  pleaseth :  as  a  skilful  physician, 


56 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


when  one  part  of  the  body  is  oppressed  with  ill  humours,  draws 
them  to  another  part  that  is  less  dangerous;  so  God,  by  his  Provi- 
dence turns  men  from  the  commission  of  a  greater  to  a  lesser  sin  ; 
thus  he  overruled  Joseph's  brethren :  they  consulted  to  cast  him 
into  a  pit,  and  there  to  let  him  starve,  unless  he  could  feed  upon 
his  dream  of  wheat  sheaves  ;  but  God,  by  his  Providence,  so  orders 
it,  that  merchants  pass  by  that  way,  and  to  them  they  sell  .him. 
There  are,  I  believe,  but  few  men,  who,  if  they  will  but  examine 
back  their  lives,  cannot  produce  many  instances  both  of  the  Devil's 
Policy,  in  fitting  them  with  occasions  and  opportunities  of  sin,  and 
of  God's  Providence,  in  causing  some  emergent  affairs,  some  unex- 
pected action  to  interpose,  and  hinder  them  from  those  sins  that 
they  purposed. 

(5)  God,  sometimes,  keeps  men  from  sin,  by  removing  the  object, 
against- which  they  intended  to  commit  it. 

Thus,  when  Herod  intended  to  put  Peter  to  death  the  next  morn- 
ing, that  very  night  God  sends  an  angel,  and  makes  his  escape,  and 
so  prevents  that  sin :  and  so,  truly,  in  all  ages,  God  hides  away  his 
children  from  the  fury  of  ungodly  men. 

There  are,  doubtless,  many  other  various  and  mysterious  Provi- 
dences, whereby  God  hinders  the  sins  of  men ;  but  these  are  the 
most  common  and  most  remarkable  ways :  by  shortening  their 
lives  ;  by  lessening  their  power ;  by  raising  up  another  power  to 
oppose  them  ;  by  diverting  them  another  way ;  and  by  removing 
the  objects  of  their  sins. 

The  next  thing  is,  to  show  you  how  God  hinders  the  commis- 
sion of  sin,  in  a  way  of  Grace. 

2.  But  I  shall  leave  this  till  another  time,  and  make  some  Ap- 
plication of  what  hath  now  been  spoken. 

(1)  See  here  the  sad  and  woeful  estate  of  wicked  men,  whom 
Grace  doth  not  change,  but  only  Providence  restrain. 

A  mere  restraint  from  sin,  when  the  heart  continues  fully  set  and 
bent  upon  it,  must  needs  cause  torment  and  vexation.  Their  own 
corruptions  urge  them  forward  ;  but  God's  Providence,  that  meets 
them  and  crosses  them  at  every  turn,  and  that  disappointment, 
that  they  meet  when  they  fully  resolve  upon  sin,  cause  great  vexa- 
tion of  spirit.  As  God  will  torment  them  hereafter  for  their  sins  ; 
so  he  torments  them  here,  by  keeping  them  from  their  sins.  All 
the  wicked  in  the  world  are  strangely  hampered  by  God's  Provi- 
dence, as  so  many  bulls  in  a  net :  that,  though  they  struggle,  yet 
cannot  possibly  break  through;  and,  by  their  struggling  only  vex 
and  weary  themselves.    God  doth,  as  it  were,  give  up  the  hearts  of 


DISCOURSES    C  O  X  C  E  R  X  I  X  O  SIX. 


57 


wicked  men  to  the  Devil :  only  he  ties  their  hands.  Let  them  in- 
tend and  imagine  as  much  evil  and  mischief  as  they  can ;  yea,  as 
much  as  hell  can  inspire  into  them  :  yet  none  of  these  shall  execute 
any  of  it,  otherwise  than  as  God  permits  them.  Now  if  there  be 
any  real  pleasure  in  sin,  it  is  in  the  execution  of  it:  that,  which  men 
take  in  the  plotting  and  contriving  of  it,  is  merely  the  delight  of  a 
dream  and  fancy ;  and  herein  lies  the  exceeding  wretchedness  of 
wicked  men,  that,  though  Providence  almightily  hinders  them  in 
the  execution  of  sin,  yet  justice  will  justly  punish  their  intention 
and  plotting  of  it. 

(2)  This  should  teach  us  to  adore  and  magnify  this  sin-preventing 
Providence  of  God. 

Our  lives,  our  estates,  yea,  whatever  is  dear  and  precious  to  us 
hitherto,  have  been  secured  to  us  only  by  his  powerful  hand,  which 
hath  curbed  in  the  unruly  lusts  of  men,  and  kept  them  from  break- 
ing forth  into  violence,  and  blood,  and  rapine.  Should  God  slack 
the  reins,  should  he  throw  them  upon  the  necks  of  ungodly  men, 
how  would  uproars,  and  confusions,  murders,  and  slaughters  over- 
spread the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  make  the  world  a  hell  above 
ground !  Eedemption  and  Providence  are  two  wonderful  works  of 
God :  by  the  one  he  pardons  sin,  that  is  committed ;  and,  by  the 
other,  he  prevents  sin,  lest  it  be  committed :  both  of  them  are  con- 
trivances of  Infinite  Wisdom  ;  and  both  of  them  are  unsearchable, 
and  past  finding  out ;  and,  therefore,  we  ought  to  ascribe  the  glory 
of  both  unto  God,  that  hath  laid  both  the  design  of  Redemption 
and  of  Providence  for  man's  good,  and  for  man's  salvation. 

(3)  If,  at  any  time,  we  can  recall  to  mind,  as  indeed  who  is  there 
that  cannot,  that  God  hath  thus  by  his  Providence  prevented  us 
from  the  commission  of  sin,  how  should  this  oblige  us  thankfully 
to  own  this  mercy  of  God  to  us ! 

May  not  all  of  us  say,  "Had  not  God  taken  aWay  our  power,  had 
he  not  taken  away  the  objects  of  our  lusts,  had  he  not  diverted  us 
some  other  way,  we  had  now  been  deeply  engaged  in  those  sins, 
that  the  merciful  Providence  of  God  hath  diverted  us  from  ?"  He 
it  was,  that  hedged  up  the  broad  way  with  thorns  ;  that  so  he  might 
turn  us  into  the  narrow  way,  that  leads  unto  eternal  life  and  happiness. 

(4)  Hath  God's  Providence  so  many  ways  and  methods  to  hinder 
the  commission  of  sin  ?  then  we  may  be  assured,  that  he  will  never 
permit  it,  but  when  it  shall  redound  to  his  own  praise  and  glory. 

It  is  an  excellent  saying  of  Austin :  "  He,  that  is  most  good, 
will  never  suffer  evil,  unless  he  were  also  most  wise ;  whereby  he 
is  able  to  bring  good  out  of  evil."    And,  therefore,  when  we  see 


58 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


wicked  men  let  alone  to  accomplish  their  hellish  designs,  we  may 
then  quiet  ourselves  with  this  :  "  God  knows  how  to  make  his  own 
advantage  out  of  their  wickedness  :  to  know  how,  from  such  dung 
and  filth  to  reap  a  most  fruitful  crop  of  glory  to  himself."  The 
rage  of  man,  says  the  Psalmist,  thou  wilt  restrain,  and  the  residue 
thereof  shall  turn  to  thy  praise :  that  wickedness,  which  God  doth 
not  restrain,  he  will  make  redound  to  his  own  praise  and  glory. 

(5)  This  may  establish  our  hearts  in  peace,  when  we  see  the 
wickedness  of  men  most  raging  and  violent :  "  They  cannot  sin,  un- 
less God  gives  them  a  power."  As  Christ  told  Pilate,  Thou  hast 
no  power  over  me,  in  John.  xix.  11 ;  except  it  be  given  thee  from  above. 

And,  certainty,  that  God,  that  gives  them  a  power  to  sin,  still 
keeps  a  power  in  his  own  hands  to  limit  them  in  their  sins  ;  and 
when  their  lusts  are  most  unruly,  he  can  say  to  them,  Hitherto  shall 
ye  go,  and  here  shall  your  proud  waves  be  stayed.  He  stints  them, 
and  bounds  them  ;  and  he  also  can  totally  restrain  them,  when  he 
pleaseth,  and  when  it  shall  be  most  for  his  own  praise  and  glory. 

ii.  Now,  as  God  doth  thus  keep  men  back  from  the  commission 
of  Presumptuous  Sins  by  a  strong  hand  of  Providence :  so,  some- 
times, he  doth  it  by  his  grace. 

And  this  Grace  is  either  merely  restraining,  or  else  it  is  sanc- 
tifying and  renewing.  Both  of  them  are  of  very  great  force  and 
efficacy  :  by  the  one,  he  holds  men  back  from  sin  ;  and,  by  the  other, 
he  turns  them  against  sin. 

1.  You  have,  doubtless,  read  much  concerning  Sanctifying  and 
Restraining  Grace :  but,  yet,  that  your  notions  and  apprehensions 
of  them  may  be  more  clear  and  distinct,  I  shall  give  you  the  differ- 
ence there  is  betwixt  these  two  in  several  particulars. 

They  differ,  in  their  Subject :  they  differ,  in  their  Essence  :  and 
they  differ,  in  their  Manner  of  Operation. 

(1)  They  differ,  in  respect  of  their  Subject. 

Restraining  Grace  is  but  common ;  and  it  works  upon  wicked 
men  and  reprobates,  as  well  as  upon  others:  but  Sanctifying  Grace 
is  special ;  and  belongs  only  to  those,  who  belong  themselves  to 
the  election  of  grace.  Esau,  whom  the  Scripture  notes  as  the  great 
instance  of  reprobation,  comes  out  against  Jacob,  with  a  troop  of 
four  thousand  ruffians ;  intending,  doubtless,  to  revenge  himself 
upon  him  for  the  loss  of  his  birth-right  and  blessing  :  but,  at  their 
first  meeting,  God,  by  a  secret  work,  so  mollifies  his  heart,  that,  in- 
stead of  falling  upon  him  and  killing  him,  he  falls  upon  his  neck 
and  kisses  him  :  here  God  restrains  him  from  that  Presumptuous 
Sin  of  murder,  not  in  a  way  of  mere  external  providence,  but  with 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN, 


59 


his  own  hand  immediately  turns  about  his  heart ;  and,  by  seeing 
such  a  company  of  cattle  bleating  and  bellowing,  so  many  timor- 
ous men'  and  helpless  children  all  bowing  and  supplicating  unto 
him,  he  turns  his  revenge  into  compassion,  and,  with  much  urging, 
receives  a  present  from  him,  whom  before  he  intended  to  make  a 
prey.  The  same  power  of  restraint  God-  laid  upon  the  heart  of 
Abimelech,  that  heathen  king :  you  have  it  in  Genesis  xx.  <!,  when 
he  had  taken  Sarah,  Abraham's  wife,  intending  to  make  her  his 
wife  or  concubine,  God  tells  him  in  a  dream,  i"  withheld  thee  from 
sinning  against  me :  therefore  suffered  I  thee  not  to  touch  her :  here  was 
nothing  visible  to  hinder  Abimelech  from  so  great  a  wickedness : 
but  God  invisibly  wrought  upon  his  heart,  and  unhinged  his  wicked 
desires.  Now,  from  the  instances  of  Esau  and  Abimelech,  we  may 
clearly  collect  how  Restraining  Grace  differs  both  from  Restrain- 
ing Providence,  and  also  from  Sanctifying  Grace.  From  Provi- 
dence it  differs,  because,  usually,  when  God  providentially  restrains 
from  sin,  he  doth  it  by  some  visible  apparent  means,  that  doth  not 
work  by  bringing  any  change  or  alteration  on  the  heart,  but  only 
by  laying  an  external  check  upon  men's  actions :  but,  by  Restrain- 
ing Grace,  God  deals  in  a  secret  way  with  the  very  heart  of  a  sin- 
ner ;  and,  though  he  doth  not  change  the  nature  of  his  heart,  yet 
he  alters  the  present  frame  and  disposition,  of  it,  and  takes  away 
the  desire  of  committing  those  sins  that  yet  it  doth  not  mortify. 
And,  from  Sanctifying  Grace  it  differs  also,  in  that  God  vouchsafes 
Restraining  Grace  to  wicked  men,  as  you  have  heard ;  but  none 
partake  of  Sanctifying  Grace  besides  the  children  of  God,  and  the 
remnant  according  to  election :  those  whom  he  predestinates,  them 
he  also  calls,  that  is,  them  he  sanctifies ;  as  you  have  it  in  Rom. 
viii.  30.  Election  and  sanctification  are  of  the  self- same  breadth  : 
election  is  the  cause  of  sanctification,  and  sanctification  is  a  sign  of 
election.  Those  whom  God  will  bring  to  himself  in  glory,  he 
causeth  a  double  separation  to  pass  upon :  the  one,  from  eternity, 
when  he  calls  them  out  from  the  mass  of  those  that  he  leaves  to 
perish  in  their  sins;  and  the  other  in  time,  when  those,  whom  he 
hath  set  apart  for  himself  by  election,  he  brings  home  to  himself 
by  conversion.  And,  therefore,  whatever  measure  of  Restraining 
Grace  God  may  afford  to  wicked  men  and  reprobates ;  yet  Sancti- 
fying Grace  is  the  fruit  only  of  election,  and  the  portion  only  of 
those  who  are  elected.    And  that  is  the  first  difference. 

(2)  They  differ  also,  in  their  Nature  and  Essence. 

Sanctifying  Grace  is  a  habit  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  ;  called,  therefore,  a  writing  of  the  Law  on  the  heart,  and  a 


60 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


putting  of  God's  fear  into  our  inward  parts  :  Jer.  xxxi.  33.  And 
St.  Joan  terms  it,  a  seed,  that  remains :  1  John  iii.  9.  These  ex- 
pressions clearly  denote  it  to  be  an  internal  principle  or  habit, 
deeply  rooted  and  fixed  in  the  soul :  and,  whatever  holy  actions  a 
saint  performs,  as  they  are  caused  by  a  divine  influence  without 
him,  so  they  flow  also  from  a  holy  principle  within  him  :  hence 
our  Saviour  tells  us,  in  Matt.  xii.  35,  that  a  good  man,  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  his  heart,  bringeth  forth  good  things  ;  that  is,  out  of  that 
inward  habit  and  principle  of  grace,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
wrought  in  him,  in  the  work  of  regeneration.  But  Kestraining 
Grace  hath  no  such  habit  and  principle  implanted  in  the  soul ;  but 
is  only  a  merciful  actual  influence  from  God,  hindering  the  com- 
mission of  those  sins  to  which  men's  natural  corruptions  make  them 
inclined.  In  brief,  Sanctifying  Grace  is  a  quality  wrought  in  us. ; 
but  Restraining  Grace  is  only  an  action  flowing  from  God. 

(3)  Sanctifying  and  Restraining  Grace  differ,  in  their  manner  of 
"Working  and  Operation. 

And  here  we  may  observe  a  Fourfold  difference. 

[1]  Sanctifying  Grace  keeps  the  soul  from  sin,  by  destroying  it ; 
but  Restraining  Grace  keeps  the  soul  from  sin,  only  by  imprison- 
ing it. 

God,  many  times,  shuts  up  the  sins  of  those  in  prison,  whom  not- 
withstanding he  will  at  last  shut  up  in  hell.  It  is  Sanctifying  Grace 
alone,  that  can  do  execution  upon  them :  Restraining  Grace  may 
debar  them  of  their  liberty ;  but  it  is  only  Sanctifying  Grace,  that 
can  deprive  them  of  their  life.  There  may  appear  but  little  differ- 
ence betwixt  the  conversation  of  a  child  of  God,  whom  Special 
Grace  doth  sanctify ,  and  one  in  a  state  of  nature,  whom  Common 
Grace  cloth  only  restrain :  doth  the  one  walk  blameless^,  without 
offence  ?  doth  he  avoid  the  grosser  pollutions  of  the  world  ?  so 
doth  the  other :  a  star  is  not  more  like  a  star,  than  these  meteors 
may  be  like  them.  But  here  lies  the  difference  :  Restraining  Grace 
only  ties  the  hands  ;  but  Sanctifying  Grace  stabs  the  Old  Man  to 
the  heart.  It  is  one  thing,  to  bind  a  thief  to  a  tree ;  and  another 
thing,  to  nail  him  fast  to  the  cross  :  Restraining  Grace  only  binds 
corruption  fast,  that  it  cannot  stir,  not  outwardly,  but  still  it  hath  as 
much  strength  as  ever  ;  but  Sanctifying  Grace  crucifies  it,  and  nails 
it  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  where  it  weakens  and  languishes  and  hangs 
a  dying  body  of  death.  The  earth  is  as  dry  and  hard  in  a  frosty 
winter,  as  it  is  in  a  parching  summer ;  yet  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
difference  in  the  cause  of  it :  in  summer,  the  sun  dries  up  the  moist- 
ure; and,  in  winter,  the  frost  binds  it  in:  truly,  Restraining  and 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


<;i 


Sanctifying  Grace  are,  for  all  the  world,  like  frost  and  sun:  the 
ways  of  those,  who  have  only  a  restraint  laid  upon  them,  may  be 
altogether  as  fair  and  clean,  as  the  ways  of  those,  that  are  sancti- 
fied ;  but  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  cause :  Sanctifying  Grace 
dries  up  the  filth  and  corruption  in  the  heart  of  the  one ;  but  Re- 
straining  Grace  only  freezes  in  and  binds  up  the  filth  and  corrup- 
tion of  the  other. 

[2]  Sanctifying  Grace  strikes  especially  at  the  sins  of  the  heart; 
but  Kestraining  Grace,  usually,  only  hinders  the  sins  of  the  life. 

An  unregenerate  man,  though  never  so  moral,  hunts  his  sins  only 
in  purlieus :  as  soon  as  they  are  gotten  within  the  pale,  he  ceaseth 
his  pursuit.  It  is,  usually,  the  highest  care  and  upshot  of  a  moral 
man's  endeavours,  to  keep  his  lusts  from  boiling  over,  and  raising 
smoke  and  ashes  about  him  :  and,  if  he  can  but  obtain  this,  let  the 
heart  be  brimfull  of  sin,  let  the  thoughts  soak  and  stew  in  malici- 
ous, unclean,  covetous  designs  and  contrivances ;  he  never  opposeth 
nor  lamenteth  them.  A  mere  restraint  walks  only  round  about  the 
outward  man ;  and,  if  it  meets  with  any  lust  struggling  abroad,  it 
drives  it  in  again  into  the  heart ;  but,  for  those  sins  that  lie  pent 
up  there,  it  seldom  molests,  and  never  subdues  them.  The  heart 
may  indulge  itself  in  vain,  filthy,  destructive,  and  pernicious 
thoughts :  it  may  sit  brooding  over  .coclcatrice-eggs,  till  it  hatch  them 
into  serpents ;  and,  in  them,  be  stung  to  death :  it  may  toss  a  sin 
to  and  fro  in  the  fancy ;  and,  thereby,  make  some  kind  of  recom- 
pense to  the  Devil  for  not  committing  it :  and  yet  this  man  be  only 
under  a  powerful  restraint  from  God's  Restraining  Grace.  But 
Sanctifying  Grace  doth  more  especially  oppose  the  sins  of  the  heart 
and  of  the  inward  man ;  for  there,  is  its  seat  and  residence,  in  the 
heart.  Restraining  Grace  watches  without ;  but  True  Grace  dwells 
within :  and,  as  Christ  speaks  of  the  church  of  Pergamos,  it  dwells 
there,  where  Satan's  seat  is :  it  rules  in  the  midst  of  its  enemies ;  and 
it  is  engaged  so  to  do  for  its  own  security,  that  it  may  still  crush 
them  as  they  arise  in  the  heart. 

Now,  from  this  particular,  we  may  be  helped  in  judging,  whether 
our  abstaining  from  sin  be  only  from  common  Restraining  Grace, 
or  from  Sanctifying  and  Renewing  Grace.  See  what  sins  they  are, 
that  you  most  of  all  labour  to  beat  down.  Do  you  strive  only 
against  the  sins  of  your  lives,  and  not  against  the  sins  of  your 
hearts  that  are  the  spring  and  fountain  of  the  other  ?  Are  you  con- 
tent, when  you  have  beaten  your  corruptions  from  the  out- works, 
and  driven  them  in,  where  they  do  not  rage  so  furiously  as  they 
have  done  ?    Whereas,  before,  they  sallied  forth  at  pleasure,  and 


62 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


made  havoc  of  your  souls,  and  wounded  your  consciences ;  now, 
they  are  pent  up  in  a  narrower  room  and  compass ;  doth  this  con- 
tent you  ?  Do  you  think  it  enough  to  lay  close  siege  to  your  cor- 
ruptions by  conviction  and  legal  terrors ;  and  to  shut  them  up, 
that  they  may  no  more  break  forth  as  formerly  they  have  done,  to 
the  gross  defilement  of  your  lives?  If  this  be  all,  then  know,  this 
is  no  more  than  what  a  mere  Common  Restraint  may  effect  upon 
you,  without  any  work  of  Sanctifying  Grace  upon  the  heart,  True 
grace,  when  it  beats  back  sin,  follows  it  and  pursues  it  into  the 
heart ;  and  there  searches  for  it :  and,  if  it  sees  it  but  breathe  in  a 
thought,  or  stir  in  a  desire,  presently  it  falls  upon  it  and  destroys  it. 

[3]  Sanctifying  Grace,  when  it  keeps  a  soul  from  sin,  always  en- 
gages the  will  against  it ;  but  Common  and  Restraining  Grace  only 
awakens  and  rouses  up  the  conscience  against  it. 

The  "Will  and  the  Conscience  are  two  leading  faculties  of  the 
soul :  the  one  commands,  what  shall  be  done  ;  and  the  other  informs, 
what  ought  to  be  done  :  and  all  the  rest  of  the  faculties  and  affec- 
tions of  the  soul  take  part  and  side  with  these  two.  In  a  godly 
man,  these  two  are  at  an  agreement :  what  conscience  prompts,  the 
will  commands,  and  the  inferior  faculties  are  all  ready  to  execute. 
Sanctifying  Grace  works  immediately  and  specially  upon  the  will, 
and  makes  a  mighty  change  there ;  so  that,  whereas,  before  con- 
version, man's  will  is  so  utterly  depraved,  that  it  can  like  nothing 
but  sin ;  after  grace  hath  touched  it  and  mightily  turned  it  about, 
it  cannot  now  any  longer  give  its  full  and  free  consent  to  the  com- 
mission of  any  sin  :  if  such  an  one  sins,  he  doth  it  truly  and  pro- 
perly against  his  will ;  as  the  Apostle  speaks  in  Romans  vii.  15 ; 
That,  which  I  do,  I  allow  not.  Now  a  wicked  man  may  sin  against 
his  conscience ;  but  it  is  impossible,  that  he  should  ever  sin  against 
his  will ;  that  is  continually  set  upon  sin :  and,  were  it  not  that  God 
sometimes  raiseth  up  natural  conscience  in  him  to  oppose  his  cor- 
rupt will,  he  would  every  moment  rush  into  the  most  damning  im- 
pieties, without  any  of  the  least  regret  or  sense  of  it.  "When  the 
Devil  presents  a  sin  to  the  embraces  of  the  will,  and  when  the  will 
closes  with  it,  and  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul  are  ready  to  commit 
it,  God  sends  his  conscience  among  them.  "  "What,  Conscience,  art 
thou  asleep !  Seest  thou  not  how  the  Devil  and  thine  own  devilish 
heart  are  now  plotting  and  contriving  thine  eternal  ruin  ?"  This 
rouses  conscience,  and  makes  it  storm  and  threaten,  and  hurl  fire- 
brands into  the  face  of  sin,  while  it  lies  in  the  very  embraces  of  the 
will  ;  and,  though  it  cannot  change  the  will  from  loving  it,  yet  it 
frights  the  will  from  committing  it.    This  is  the  most  usual  way, 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


63 


which  Ecstraining  Grace  takes  for  the  prevention  of  sin,  by  sending 
in  conscience  to  make  strong  and  vigorous  oppositions  against  it. 

There  are  none  of  us  here,  but,  through  divine  grace,  have  been 
kept  from  many  sins,  that  we  were  in  great  danger,  through  the 
corruptions  of  our  own  hearts,  to  have  committed  :'  sin  hath  been 
conceived  by  us;  but  God  hath  stifled  and  strangled  it  in  the  womb. 
"Would  you  know  whether  this  hath  proceeded  from  God's  Eestrain- 
ing  or  from  God's  Sanctifying  Grace  ?  then  make  a  judgment  ac- 
cording to  this  rule :  "Where  Kestraining  Grace  only  resists  and 
hinders  sin,  it  doth  it  by  setting  one  faculty  and  affection  of  the 
soul  against  another ;  but,  where  Sanctifying  Grace  hinders  it,  it 
sets  the  same  faculty  and  affection  of  the  soul  against  itself.  Re- 
straining Grace  sets  one  affection  against  another;  conscience,  against 
will ;  the  fear  of  hell,  against  the  love  of  sin  ;  hellish  terrors,  against 
sinful  pleasures ;  God's  threatenings,  against  the  Devil's  flatteries  ; 
it  martials  up  these,  and  so  enters  the  combat :  here  are  bandyings 
of  one  power  of  the  soul  against  another :  but  the  will  is  entirely 
on  sin's  part ;  and,  if  conscience  prevail  and  pull  away  a  beloved 
lust  from  the  embraces  of  the  will,  the  sinner  parts  with  it  very 
heavily  and  unwillingly,  following  it  as  Phaltiel  did  Michal  weep- 
ing, though  he  durst  not  make  resistance.  But  when  Sanctifying 
Grace  opposes  and  hinders  sin,  it  sets  the  same  faculty  and  affec- 
tion of  the  soul  against  itself;  will,  against  will ;  love,  against  love ; 
desire,  against  desire  :  he  wills  the  commission  of  sin,  it  is  true ;  but 
yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  wills  the  mortification  of  it:  he  loves  to 
gratify  his  sin  ;  but  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  wills  the  crossing  of  it 
too :  he  desires  to  enjoy  that  pleasure  and  contentment,  that  he 
fancies  he  may  take  in  sin  ;  and  yet  he  desires,  at  the  same  time,  to 
destroy  it.  Here  is  one  and  the  same  faculty  bandying  against  it- 
self: and  the  reason  of  this  is,  because  a  child  of  God  hath  two 
principles  in  every  single  faculty :  there  is  in  him  a  mixture  of 
flesh  and  spirit ;  a  carnal  part,  that  sides  with  sin,  and  a  spiritual 
part,  that  always  contradicts  and  opposes  it :  and  these  two  are 
spread  over  his  whole  soul,  and  are  mingled  with  every  power  ana 
faculty  thereof;  so  that  he  can  neither  do  the  evil  nor  the  good  that 
he  would  do,  without  contradiction,  strife,  and  reluctancy.  Now 
try  yourselves  by  this,  when  you  are  tempted  to  sin  :  what  is  it, 
that  resists  it  ?  is  it  your  will,  or  is  it  only  your  conscience  ?  are 
you  only  frighted  from  it  ?  doth  the  fear  of  hell  overcome  the  love 
of  sin  ?  all  this  may  be  from  a  mere  Restraint  in  those,  who  are 
altogether  unacquainted  with  the  power  of  Sanctifying  Grace.  This 
is  the  symptom  and  character  of  a  gracious  soul,  that,  when  it  is 


61 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


most  inclinable  imto  sin;  yet  at  the  same  time,  it  is  most  averse 
from  it :  when  it  most  wisheth  the  accomplishment  of  sin  ;  yet,  even 
then,  it  strongly  wisheth  the  subduing  and  mortifying  of  that  sin. 
I  know  that  this  appears  a  riddle  and  a  strange  paradox  to  wicked 
men  ;  but  those,  who  have  any  true  sense  of  the  work  of  grace  upon 
their  own  hearts,  know  it  to  be  a  truth,  and  rejoice  in  the  experi- 
ences that  they  have  of  it. 

(4)  Restraining  and  Sanctifying  Grace  differ,  in  the  Motives  and 
Arguments,  that  they  make  use  of  for  the  resisting  of  sin. 

There  are  two  general  topics  or  common-places,  whence  all  argu- 
ments against  sin  are  drawn  ;  and  those  are  the  Law  and  the  Gos- 
pel :  both  of  these  administer  such  weapons,  as,  if  rightly  used,  are 
very  effectual  for  the  beating  down  of  sin.  And,  commonly,  Re- 
straining Grace  useth  those  only,  that  are  borrowed  from  the  Law  : 
it  urges  the  command :  it  thunders  the  curse :  it  brandishes  the 
sword  of  justice  :  and  makes  reports  of  nothing  but  hell  and  eternal 
damnation  ;  and  such  like  arguments,  that  scare  men  from  the  com- 
mitting of  their  sins,  though  still  they  love  them.  Now  Sanctify- 
ing Grace,  though  it  also  makes  a  most  profitable  use  of  these  very 
arguments  ;  yet  it  chiefly  useth  more  mild  and  more  ingenuous  mo- 
tives, drawn  from  the  love  of  God,  from  the  death  of  Christ,  from 
the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  these,  though  they  strike 
softer,  yet  they  wound  deeper. 

Now,  hereby  also,  you  may  give  a  guess,  whether  your  abstain- 
ing from  sin,  be  merely  from  Restraining  or  from  Sanctifying  Grace. 
Observe  what  weapons  you  use.  What  considerations  do  over-awe 
your  hearts  ?  are  they  such,  as  are  drawn  only  from  the  Law,  and 
the  sad  reflections  of  the  end  and  issue  of  sin ;  that  it  brings  shame, 
and  death,  and  hell  ?  must  you  run  down  to  hell,  every  time  a  temp- 
tation comes,  to  fetch  arguments  thence  to  oppose  against  your  cor- 
ruptions ?  can  you  no  where  else  quench  the  fiery  darts  of  the  Devil, 
unless  it  be  in  that  lake  of  fire  ?  if  this  be  all  (though  this  too  is 
well)  yet  know,  if  it  be  all,  this  is  no  more  than  what  Restraint  and 
Common  Grace  may  perform  :  it  is  the  proper  character  of  Restrain- 
ing Grace,  to  keep  men  back  from  the  commission  of  sin  only  by 
dread  and  fear  of  punishment.  But  Sanctifying  Grace  especially 
betakes  itself  to  Gospel  Arguments ;  and  considers  how  disingenu- 
ous it  is  to  sin  against  a  reconciled  and  a  Gracious  Father,  against 
a  crucified  and  a  bleeding  Saviour,  against  a  patient  and  long-suffer- 
ing Spirit ;  and  heaps  up  many  such  like  ingenuous  arguments,  that 
work  kindly  upon  the  heart:  the  Christian  leads  every  temptation 
to  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  there  shows  it  his  Saviour  hanging  and 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


65 


bleeding  ;  "And  can  I  commit  this  sin,  that  hath  drawn  so  much 
blood  from  my  Saviour  to  expiate  it,  and  would  draw  so  much 
blood  from  my  conscience  to  perpetrate  it  ?  Did  he  die  to  free  me 
from  the  condemnation  of  it,  and  shall  I  wilfully  rush  into  the  com- 
mission of  it  ?  No,  O  Lord  :  thy  love  withholds  me  :  I  cannot  do 
this  thing  and  sin  against  so  rich,  so  free,  and  infinite  mercy  and 
goodness,  that  thou  daily  extendest  towards  me."  This  true  grace 
usually  teacheth  a  child  of  God  to  argue  against  his  sins  ;  and  this 
keeps  him  from  the  commission  of  those  sins,  that  others,  rising  up 
against  them  only  from  the  terrors  and  threatenings  of  the  Law  and 
other  such  dreadful  considerations,  fall  into  notwithstanding.  A 
wool-pack  sooner  damps  a  bullet,  than  a  stone- wall :  and,  truly,  soft 
arguments  taken  from  the  Gospel,  from  the  love  of  God,  from  the 
death  of  Christ,  from  the  patience  and  long-suffering  of  the  Spirit ; 
these  soft  arguments  sooner  damp  a  temptation  and  resist  a  corrup- 
tion, than  more  rigid  and  severe  ones  will  when  alone  used  by 
themselves. 

2.  Having  thus,  in  general,  showed  you  the  Difference  betwixt 
Sanctif)ring  and  Eestraining  Grace,  I  shall  now  descend  to  more 
•particular  considerations  of  those  Ways  and  Methods,  that  God  useth 
in  keeping  men  bade  from  sin,  by  his  Sjiecial  and  Sanctifying  Grace. 

And,  here,  I  shall  premise  this  :  That  whatever  sin  God  doth,  I 
mean  by  his  Sanctifying  Grace,  prevent  his  own  children  from  the 
commission  of,  he  doth  it  by  exciting  the  inward  principle  of  grace, 
to  the  actual  use  and  exercise  of  it. 

There  is  a  Twofold  Grace,  always  necessary  to  keep  the  best 
Christians  from  sin  :  Habitual  and  Exciting  Grace ;  and  God  makes 
use  of  the  one  to  quicken  and  stir  up  the  other :  he  makes  use  of 
exciting  grace  to  quicken  habitual  grace,  that  else  would  lie  slug- 
gish and  dormant  in  the  soul.  Habitual  Grace  denominates  the 
soul  alive  unto  God ;  but,  yet,  it  is  no  otherwise  alive  than  a  man 
in  a  swoon  is  :  it  is  Exciting  Grace,  that  alone  can  enable  it  to  per- 
form the  functions  and  offices  of  life.  In  the  deepest  winter,  there 
is  life  in  the  seed,  that  lies  buried  under  ground  ;  but,  yet,  tt  acts 
not  till  the  sun's  influence  draws  it  forth,  and  then  it  heaves  and 
shoves  away  the  earth  that  covered  it,  and  spreads  itself  into  the 
beauties  of  a  flower :  so  is  it  here :  Inherent,  Habitual  Grace  is  an 
immortal  seed ;  and  it  is  but  a  seed,  till  the  influences  of  the  ap- 
proaching and  Exciting  Grace  of  God  awaken  it,  and  chafe  its  be- 
numbed virtue ;  and  then  it  stirs  and  thrusts  away  all  that  dung 
and  filth  of  corruptions  under  which  it  lay  buried,  and  then  it  flows 
forth  into  Actual  Grace.    Habitual  and  Exciting  Grace  must  both 

Vol.  ii. — 5 


66 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


concur,  to  the  producing  of  Actual  Grace  ;  as  necessarily,  as  there 
must  be  the  concurrence  both  of  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  of  life  in 
the  seed,  to  produce  a  flower. 

Now  by  God's  Exciting  of  inherent,  Habitual  Grace  in  the  soul, 
he  keeps  men  from  sinning  Two  ways.  By  Prevention  and  by 
Suppression  of  Sin. 

(1)  Hereby  he  prevents  and  excludes  those  sins,  that,  were  we 
not  employed  in  the  exercise  of  grace,  we  should  commit. 

When  the  soul  is  constantly  employed  in  holy  and  spiritual 
affairs,  sin  hath  then  neither  room  nor  opportunity  to  put  forth  it- 
self. It  is  kept  out  from  the  thoughts,  when  they  are  bruised  in 
holy  meditation:  it  is  kept  out  from  the  affections,  when  they  are 
set  upon  heavenly  objects  :  it  is  kept  out  from  the  life  and  conversa- 
tion, when  the  duties  both  of  the  general  and  particular  calling  are 
duly  performed  in  their  respective  seasons.  The  Apostle  exhorts 
us,  in  Eph.  iv.  27,  not  to  give  place  to  the  Devil:  truly,  when  God's 
Exciting  Grace  quickens  our  Inherent  Grace  into  continual  exer- 
cise, when  every  faculty  is  filled  with  holy  actings  and  every  season 
Avith  holy  duties,  the  Devil  can  have  no  place  to  tempt,  nor  cor- 
ruption to  stir.  It  is  the  best  security  God  can  give  from  the  com- 
mission of  sin,  to  quicken  to  the  performance  of  duty.  When  we 
pray,  or  meditate,  or  attend  upon  public  ordinances,  we  ought  to 
bless  God  for  his  Exciting  Grace,  whereby  we  have  not  only  per- 
formed a  duty,  but  also  escaped  some  foul  and  notorious  sin,  that 
we  might  have  committed  had  we  not  been  so  holily  employed  : 
we,  who  are  here  now  present  before  the  Lord  this  day,  had  we 
neglected  this  present  opportunity,  who  of  us  knows,  what  horrid 
temptations  and  foul  sins  we  might  have  been  exposed  to  in  our 
own  houses,  which  in  the  house  of  God  we  have  avoided  ?  David, 
when  he  walks  idly  upon  the  roof  of  his  house,  lies  open  to  the 
snares  of  the  Devil,  and  sins  foully  :  had  he  then  been  at  his  Harp  or 
Psalms,  he  might  thereby  have  driven  the  evil  spirit  from  himself, 
as  formerly  he  did  from  his  master  Saul.  Punning  streams  pre- 
serve themselves  pure  and  clean,  when  standing  pools  soon  grow 
corrupt  and  noisome,  and  venomous  creatures  breed  in  them :  so  is 
it  with  the  heart :  whilst  God's  exciting  and  quickening  grace  puts 
it  upon  continual  act,  it  is  preserved  from  corruption ;  but,  when 
once  it  grows  sluggish,  and  doth  not  freely  flow  forth  into  the  act- 
ings of  grace  and  performance  of  duties,  the  spawn  of  all  manner 
of  sin  breeds  there,  and  filthy  lusts  crawl  to  and  fro  in  it  without 
any  disturbance :  and,  therefore,  we  should  continually  pray,  that 
God  would  vouchsafe  us  the  quickening  influence  of  his  Spirit ; 


DISCOURSES 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


07. 


that  lie  would  fill  our  sails  with  that  wind,  that  blows  where  it  listeth: 
Arise,  0  north  wind;  and  come,  thou  south  wind:  and  blow  upon  our 
gardens,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow  forth  ;  for  if  the  spices  do 
not,  the  stench  will. 

(2)  As  God,  by  his  Exciting  Grace,  hindereth  those  sins,  that 
might  arise  in  the  heart ;  so  he  also  suppresseth  those  sins,  that  do 
arise. 

There  is  the  greatest  contrariety  imaginable,  betwixt  Inherent 
Sin  and  Inherent  Grace  :  when  the  one  is  vigorous,  the  other  lan- 
guishes ;  when  the  one  is  acted,  the  other  grows  dull  and  sluggish. 
Now  both  these  opposite  principles  have  their  seat  and  abode  in  the 
same  heart ;  and  both  of  them  are  in  continual  expectation  of.  ex- 
citing influence  to  call  them  forth  into  act.  Indwelling  Corruption 
is  usually  roused  up  by  temptation ;  when  it  stirs  in  the  heart,  and 
is  ready  to  break  forth  in  the  life  ;  Habitual  Grace,  though  it  looks 
on,  yet  is  of  itself  so  feeble  that  it  can  make  no  opposition,  till  a 
kindly  influence  from  the  Spirit  of  God  calls  out  some  particular 
grace,  that  is  directly  contrary  to  that  sin  that  stirs;  and  this  resists 
and  subdues  it.  This  method  God  used  in  keeping  the  Apostle 
from  sinning:  2  Cor.  xii.  He  was  there  under  a  sharp  and  pungent 
temptation,  that  is  there  therefore  called  a  thorn  in  the  flesh :  v.  7. 
Satan  buffets,  and  the  Apostle  prays :  and  God  answers,  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee:  "My  grace  is  sufficient;  not  thy  grace:  that  grace, 
that  is  in  thee,  is  but  weak  and  helpless,  yea  a  very  nothing,  if  I 
withdraw  my  influence  from  it;  but  that  quickening  grace,  that 
flows  from  me,  that  alone  is  sufficient  to  remove  the  temptation  and 
to  prevent  the  sin."  Now,  while  God's  Exciting  Grace  worked  upon 
the  Apostle's  Inherent  Grace,  this  temptation,  this  thorn  in  the  flesh 
only  made  him  more  watchful  and  more  industrious  against  it :  but, 
if  God  should  have  suspended  this  his  influence,  this  thorn  in  the 
flesh  would  immediately,  notwithstanding  all  his  grace,  sadly  have 
wounded  his  conscience,  by  the  commission  of  some  great  and  foul 
sin.  Now,  as  all  manner  of  sin  lies  couched  in  that  body  of  sin, 
that  we  bear  about  with  us;  so  all  manner  of  grace  lies  couched  in 
that  principle  of  grace,  that  God  implants  in  his  own  children. 
Now,  when  the  Devil  by  his  temptations  calls  forth  some  particular 
gin,  God  also  at  the  same  time  by  his  Exciting  Grace  calls  forth  a 
particular  grace,  to  hinder  the  commission  of  that  sin :  thus,  when 
they  are  tempted  to  pride,  God  calls  forth  humility  to  prick  that 
swelling,  puffing  bladder :  when  they  are  tempted  to  wrath  and 
passion,  he  stirs  up  meekness;  when  to  murmuring  and  repining 
against  the  dispensations  of  God,  he  puts  patience  upon  its  perfect 


68 


DISCOURSES 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


work.  Briefly,  there  is  bo  sin  whatever,  that  the  Devil  can  by  his 
temptation  stir  up  in  the  heart,  but  God  also  can  stir  up  a  contrary 
grace  to  it,  to  quell  and  master  it.  This  is  the  method  of  God's 
Exciting  Grace  in  the  preventing  of  sin,  that  when  the  Devil  calls 
forth  a  particular  corruption  out  of  the  stock  of  corruption,  God 
calls  forth  a  particular  grace,  contrary  to  it,  from  the  stock  of  grace. 

But  yet  there  are  some  particular  graces,  that  are  more  especially 
employed  about  this  service,  and  which  God  doth  most  frequently 
exercise,  and  set  on  work  to  keep  his  children  from  the  commis- 
sion qf  sin. 

[1]  God  hinders  the  commission  of  sin,  by  keeping  up  the  lively 
and  vigorous  actings  of  faith. 

Indeed  if  faith  fail,  all  other  graces  must  fail,  by  consequence. 
Faith  is  the  soul's  steward,  that  fetcheth  in  supplies  of  grace  from 
Christ,  in  whom  is  the  treasure  of  it ;  and  distributes  them  to  all 
the  other  graces  of  the  soul.  Therefore,  when  Christ  tells  St.  Peter, 
Luke  xxii.  31,  that  Satan  had  desired  to  sift  him  by  his  temptations, 
lest  he  should  be  thereby  discouraged  and  dejected,  presently  he 
adds,  in  v.  32,  But  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not :  and 
wherefore  his  faith,  rather  than  any  other  grace,  but  because  other 
graces  must  take  their  lot  with  faith,  and  must  be  strong  or  weak, 
victorious  or  languishing,  as  faith  is.  And  therefore  it  is  called 
the  shield  of  faith:  Eph.  vi.  16 :  now  the  office  of  a  shield  is,  to  de- 
fend, not  only  the  body,  but  the  rest  of  the  armour  also ;  and  so 
doth  faith,  when  it  is  dexterously  managed  :  it  keeps  both  the  soul, 
and  its  graces  also,  from  the  attempts  of  the  Devil.  I  might  be  large 
here,  in  showing  you  how  faith  preserves  from  sin :  as,  by  deriving 
virtue  and  strength  from  the  death  and  blood  of  Christ  ;  by  plead- 
ing God's  engagements  and  promises  to  tread  Satan  under  our  feet : 
by  urging  and  importuning  Christ  to  fulfil  in  us  the  end  of  his 
coming  into  the  world,  which  was  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  Devil ; 
and  many  such  ways  I  m'ght  name,  by  which  faith  prevents  sin, 
and  destroys  it. 

But,  waving  them,  I  shall  only  mention  Two  particulars,  wherein 
this  energy  of  faith,  in  keeping  men  from  sin,  is  the  most  conspicuous. 

1st.  Eaith  preserves  from  sin,  by  bringing  in  and  presenting  to 
the  soul  eternal  Rewards  and  Punishments. 

And  that  is  the  peculiar  office  of  Faith.  These,  indeed,  are 
future  unto  sense,  but  they  are  present  unto'  faith  :  for  faith  is  the 
substance  of  things  not  seen:  Heb.  xi.  1.  It  gives  them  a  being, 
before  they  are ;  and  what  we  hope  for  or  fear,  as  to  come,  bv 
faith  it  is  enjoyed  or  felt,  as  already  present.    What  a  mighty  ad- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


69 


vantage  is  this,  to  preserve  men  from  sinning!  Would  sinners 
treat  with  the  Devil,  or  hearken  to  a  temptation,  if  they  should  now 
see  the  whole  world  on  flame,  angels  hastening  them  to  judgment 
hi  1  Christ  upon  his  throne?  here,  Heaven,  to  receive  and  crown 
them;  there,  Hell,  with  all  its  horrors,  to  torment  them?  Would 
any  of  you  dare  to  sin,  if  all  this  were  before  your  eyes  ?  Believe  it, 
when  faith  acts  lively,  all  this  is  as  truly  present  to  the  soul,  as  it 
is  certain  it  shall  once  be  ;  and,  therefore,  no  more  than  we  would  com- 
mit a  sin  if  sentence  were  now  passing  upon  us,  either  of  absolution 
or  of  eternal  damnation,  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God  ;  no  more  shall 
we  sin,  while  faith  sets  these  things  evidently  before  our  eyes,  and 
makes  them  as  real  to  us  as  they  are  sure. 

2dly.  Faith  preserves  from  sinning,  by  representing  that  God 
who  must  hereafter  be  our  Judge,  to  be  now  our  Spectator  and 
Observer. 

It  is  only  an  eye  of  faith,  that  can  discover  things  future  as  present, 
and  things  spiritual  as  real.  God  is  a  spiritual  being,  and  there- 
fore is  invisible  to  the  dull  eyes  of  flesh  ;  but  the  quick  eye  of  faith 
can  see  him  who  is  invisible  ;  as  it  was  said  of  Moses,  Heb.  xi.  27. 
It  fixeth  its  eye  upon  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God,  and  alls  the  soul 
with  awful  thoughts  of  God's  omnipresence  and  omniscience  ;  that 
all  things  are  naked  and  bare  before  him,  in  whose  company  we  are 
wherever  we  are,  and  with  whom  we  have  to  do  whatever  we  are 
doing.  Now  consider  with  yourselves  :  would  you  commit  such 
or  such  a  sin,  to  which  possibly  you  are  tempted,  if  some  grave  person- 
were  in  the  room  with  you,  whom  you  did  much  respect  ;  And, 
what !  shall  the  presence  of  a  mortal  man  keep  you  from  sinning, 
and  shall  not  the  presence  of  the  Great  God  much  more  ?  Shall  we 
dare  to  sin,  when  God's  eye  is  fixed  upon  us  ;  when  he  views  not 
only  our  outward  actions,  but  also  our  inward  thoughts,  more  clearly 
than  we  can  see  the  faces  one  of  another  ?  It  was  the  wise  counsel, 
that  a  heathen-man  gave  to  a  scholar  of  his,  That  if  he  would  pre- 
serve himself  from  doing  anything  that  was  indecent,  he  should 
suppose  some  sober  and  reverend  man  present  with  him  ;  and  this 
would  keep  him  from  doing  that,  which  he  would  be  ashamed  to 
do  before  him.  Truly,  we  need  not  make  any  such  supposition  : 
the  Great  and  Holy  God  is  present  with  us,  in  reality ;  and  the  eye 
of  faith  discovers  him  so  to  be :  he  is  always  looking  on  us  ;  yea, 
always  looking  into  us:  and,  certainly,  this,  to  one  that  can  exer- 
cise the  discerning  eye  of  faith,  will  be  a  more  effectual  means  to 
keep  a  man  from  sin,  than  if  all  the  eyes  of  men  and  angels  were 
upon  him. 


70 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


[2]  As  the  exercise  of  faith,  so  the  sprightly  and  vigorous  exer- 
cise of  Divine  Love,  is  an  excellent  preservative  against  sin. 

Love  will  not  willingly  do  any  thing,  that  may  offend  and  grieve 
the  object  loved.  Love  is  an  assimilating  affection :  it  is  the  very 
cement,  that  joins  God  and  the  soul  together  in  the  same  spirit,  and 
makes  them  to  be  of  one  heart  and  of  one  mind  :  it  is  the  loadstone 
of  the  soul,  that  toucheth  all  other  affections,  and  makes  them  stand 
heaven-ward.  When  once  God  hath  wrought  the  love  of  himself 
in  our  hearts,  this  will  constrain  us  to  love  what  he  loves,  and  to 
hate  what  he  hates.  Sin  is  the  only  thing,  that  God  hates ;  and 
those,  that  love  him,  will  not,  cannot  but  hate  sin :  their  love  to 
God  will  constrain  them  to  do  it :  Ps.  xcvii.  10,  Ye,  that  love  the 
Lord,  hate  evil.  And,  certainly,  the  hatred  of  evil  is  the  best  se- 
curity against  the  committing  of  it :  will  any  one  take  a  toad  or  a 
serpent  into  his  bosom,  to  lodge  it  there  ?  Truly,  as  utterly  im- 
possible it  is,  while  the  Exciting  Grace  of  God  stirs  up  and  quick- 
ens our  Love  to  him,  that  we  should  ever  embrace  a  vile  lust  and 
lodge  it  in  our  hearts ;  since  our  sight  of  the  beauty  of  holiness 
hath  made  it  ugly,  and  our  love  to  God  hath  made  it  hateful. 

[3]  To  mention  no  more,  a  Holy  Fear  and  Caution  lest  we 
should  sin  is  a  most  excellent  preservative  against  sin. 

None  are  so  safe,  as  those,  that  are  least  secure.  Fear  is  the  best 
preservative  of  grace.  Whereas  those,  that  are  rash  and  venturous 
and  confident  of  their  own  strength,  run  themselves  into  many 
•temptations,  and  come  off  with  wounded  and  smarting  consciences. 
Stand  in  awe,  says  the  Psalmist,  and  sin  not :  Ps.  iv.  4.  The  timor- 
ous and  trembling  Christian  stands  firmest,  because  such  an  one  is 
apt,  upon  every  occasion,  to  suspect  his  own  strength,  and  to  call 
in  God's.  And,  indeed,  when  we  consider  the  treachery  of  our  own 
hearts  and  the  subtlety  of  the  Devil,  this  holy  fear  and  jealousy  is 
no  more  than  is  needful ;  and  it  is  less  than  sufficient.  A  man, 
that  is  to  wade  through  a  deep  river,  will  first  try  his  footing,  be- 
fore he  takes  his  step :  we  are  to  wade  through  the  depths  of  Satan, 
as  the  Apostle  calls  them :  and,  certainly,  it  is  but  a  requisite  cau- 
tion, first  to  try  our  ground,  before  we  venture  upon  it ;  to  look 
aboiit,  and  consider  whether  such  and  such  an  action  be  grounded 
upon  a  command  and  secured  to  us  by  a  promise ;  whether,  if  we 
do  it,  we  shall  not  lay  ourselves  open  to  such  and  such  tempta- 
tions ;  or,  if  we  do  lie  open  to  them,  whether  or  not  we  are  in  God's 
way,  and  may  expect  his  protection  and  preservation.  Truly,  such 
circumspection  as  this  is  will  prove  our  best  security :  and,  though 
we  are  not  able,  by  all  our  own  strength  and  diligence,  to  preserve 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  71 

ourselves;  yet,  when  God  sees  us  so  industriously  solicitous  to  avoid 
sin,  he  will  then  come  in  by  his  almighty  grace  that  helps  not  the 
slothful,  but  the  laborious,  and  he  will  keep  us  from  those  sins  that 
we  cannot  keep  ourselves  from. 
3.  Now  for  the  Application  of  this. 

(1)  If  it  be  so,  that  it  is  the  Almighty  Power  of  God  only,  that 
can  keep  us  from  sin,  this  may  then  be  convictive  of  that  error, 
that  now-a-days  is  very  rife  in  the  world,  that  ascribes  our  preserva- 
tion in  our  standing,  not  so  much  to  the  Almighty  Grace  of  God, 
as  to  the  Liberty  and  Freedom  of  our  own  Wills. 

Truly,  this  is  an  opinion,  that  proceeds  much  from  the  pride  and 
stomach  of  such,  who  are  loth  to  be  too  much  beholden  to  the 
grace  of  God  for  their  salvation.  It  is  true,  no  man  sins,  nor  does 
any  man  abstain  from  sin,  but  it  is  with  his  will ;  but  yet,  still  there 
is  an  almighty  influence  from  God  :  an  influence  of  Common  Pro- 
vidence to  the  wicked,  without  which  they  could  not  so  much  as 
will ;  and  an  influence  of  Special  Grace  to  the  godly,  without  which 
they  could  not  abstain  from  sin  ;  It  is  God,  saith  the  Apostle,  that 
worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  own  good  pleasure.  It  is 
not,  whether  or  not  the  will  be  free  in  abstaining  from  sin  :  that,  is 
acknowledged  :  but,  whether  the  motion  of  the  will  be  principally 
and  primarily  from  God  or  from  itself ;  and  this,  the  Apostle 
concludes  to  be  from  God.  From  him  it  is,  that  we  both  will  and 
do  :  he  gives  the  first  beginning  :  he  adds  the  progress :  and  he  con- 
cludes. He  first  begets  grace :  then,  he  increases  it :  and,  at  last, 
he  crowns  it.    All  is  from  God. 

(2)  This  may  instruct  us,  to  Whom  we  ought  to  ascribe  the 
praise  and  the  glory  of  our  preservation  from  those  foul  and  horrid 
sins,  that  we  see  others  daily  fall  into. 

Not  unto  us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name,  be  all  the  praise 
and  glory.  We  have  natures,  as  sinful  as  the  worst  of  men  ever 
had  ;  and,  that  such  sinful  natures  should  not  produce  as  wicked 
lives,  whence  proceeds  this,  but  only  from  the  miracle  of  God's 
grace  ?  for  it  is  a  miracle,  that,  when  the  fountain  is  as  bitter,  when 
our  hearts  are  as  bad  as  the  hearts  of  others,  yet  the  streams  should 
not  be  so.  Whence  is  it,  since  we  have  the  same  corrupt  hearts 
with  Cain  and  Judas  and  all  the  wicked  rabble  in  the  world,  whence 
is  it,  that  we  have  not  committed  the  same  impieties  with  them,  or 
worse  than  they  have  done?  Why,  God  hath  either  restrained 
or  sanctified  us.  But  Sanctifying  Grace  is  not  enough :  for, 
whence  is  it,  that  we  have  not  been  drunken,  with  Noah ;  adul- 
terers or  murderers,  with  David;  abjurers  of  Christ,  with  Peter? 


72 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


are  we  more  holy  than  they,  or  are  we  more  sanctified  than  they  ? 
No :  it  is  only  our  gracious  God's  vouchsafing  to  us  a  constant  in- 
fluence of  Exciting  Grace,  that  hath  thus  kept  us  from  those  sins, 
into  which  he  suffers  wicked  men  to  fall ;  and,  not  only  them,  but 
sometimes  his  own  dear  children  too.  It  is  not  a  difference  in  our 
natures,  it  is  not  a  difference  from  Inherent  Grace  within  us,  that 
makes  this  difference  in  our  lives ;  but  it  is  only  a  difference  from 
the  unaccountable  Exciting,  influencing  Grace  of  God :  there  lies 
the  difference.  Well  then,  let  not  the  strong  man  glory  in  his  strength  ; 
but  let  him,  that  glorieth,  glory  in  the  Lord,  for  he  is  our  strength  and 
our  deliverer  ;  What  have  we,  that  we  have  not  received';  and  if  we 
have  received,  why  do  we  boast  as  though  we  had  not  received?  It  is 
not  what  we  have  of  ourselves ;  but  it  is  what  we  have  received 
from  God,  and  what  we  do  daily  receive  in  a  way  of  special  influ- 
ence, that  makes  us  to  differ  from  the  vilest  and  most  profligate 
sinners  in  the  world  :  and,  therefore,  let  us  ascribe  the  glory  of  all 
to  the  Almighty  Grace  of  God. 

(3)  To  shut  up  all,  If  our  preservation  from  sin  be  from  God,  be- 
ware then  how  you  provoke  him  to  withdraw  and  suspend  the  in- 
fluence of  his  grace,  whereby  you  have  been  preserved,  and  still  are. 

Indeed,  if  we  belong  to  him,  he  will  never  so  far  depart  from  us, 
as  utterly  to  forsake  us :  but,  yet,  he  may  so  far  depart  from  us,  as 
that  we  may  have  no  comfortable  sense  of  his  presence,  nor  any 
visible  supports  from  his  grace.  We  may  be  left  a  naked  and  des- 
titute prey  to  every  temptation ;  and  fall  into  the  commission  of 
those  sins,  out  of  which  we  may  never  be  able  to  recover  ourselves 
to  our  former  strength,  comfort,  and  stability.  We  may  fall,  to  the 
breaking  of  our  bones :  and  we  may  rise  again,  possibly  ;  but  it 
will  be  to  the  breaking  of  our  hearts. 

So  much  for  this  time,  and  for  this  subject. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


73 


V. 

THE    DREADFUL  NESS    OF    GOD'S    WRATH  AGAINST 

SINNERS. 

•  For  we  know  him  that  hath  said,  Vengeance  hehngeth  unto  me,  I 
will  recompense,  saith  the  Lord.  And  again,  The  Lord  shall  judge  his 
people.  It  is  a  fearful  thing,  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God. 
Heb.  x.  30,  31. 

There  are  two  principal  attributes  of  God,  which  the  Scripture 
propounds  to  us,  as  the  most  powerful  and  efficacious  motives  to 
restrain  us  from  sin  :  and  they  are  his  Mercy  and  his  Justice. 

Mercy,  though  it  be  a  soft,  yet  it  is  a  strong  argument,  to  en- 
courage us  to  purity  and  holiness.  And,  therefore,  says  the  Apos- 
tle, Rom.  ii.  4  ;  The  goodness  of  God  leadeth  us  to  repentance.  And, 
certainly,  that  mercy,  that  expresseth  itself  so  ready  to  pardon  sin, 
cannot  but  lay  a  mighty  obligation  upon  the  ingenuity  of  a  Chris- 
tian spirit,  to  abstain  from  the  commission  of  it.  He,  that  can  en- 
courage himself  in  wickedness,  upon  the  consideration  of  the  infi- 
nite free-grace  of  God,  doth  but  spurn  those  very  bowels  that  yearn 
towards  him,  and  strike  at  God  with  his  own  golden  sceptre :  yea 
he  tears  abroad  those  wounds,  which  were  at  first  opened  for  him ; 
and  casts  the  blood  of  his  Saviour  back  again  in  his  face. 

But,  because  ingenuity  is  perished  from  off  the  earth,  and  men 
are  generally  more  apt  to  be  wrought  upon  by  arguments  drawn 
from  fear  than  love,  therefore  the  Scripture  propounds  to  us  the 
consideration  of  the  dreadful  Justice  of  God,  arrayed  in  all  the 
terrible  circumstances  of  it ;  that,  if  mercy  cannot  allure  us,  justice 
at  least  might  affright  us  from  our  sins.  And,  as  those,  who  are 
to  travel  through  wddernesses  and  deserts,  carry  fire  with  them  to 
terrify  wild  and  ravenous  beasts,,  and  to  secure  themselves  from 
their  assaults  ;  so  doth  the  Great  God,  who  hath  to  deal  with  brutish 
men,  men  more  savage  than  wild  beasts :  he  kindles  a  fire  about 
him,  and  appears  to  them  all  in  flames  and  fury ;  that  so  he  may 
fright  them  from  their  bold  attempts,  who  otherwise  would  be  ready 
to  run  upon  his  neck  and  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  buckler.  Job  xv.  26. 

And,  therefore,  in  the  four  preceding  verses,  we  find  the  Apos- 
tle threatening  most  tremendous  judgments  against  all  that  should 
wilfully  transgress,  after  they  had  received  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  He  tells  us,  v.  26,  that  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
their  sins:  nothing  to  expiate  their  guilt ;  but  that  they  themselves 
must  fall  a  burnt-sacrifice  to  the  offended  justice  of  God  ;  consumed 
with  that  fiery  indignation,  that  shall  certainly  seize  and  prey  upon 
them  for  ever.    And,  in  v.  28,  29,  he  sets  forth  the  exceeding  dread- 


74 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


fulness  of  their  judgment,  by  a  comparison  between  those  that  vio- 
lated the  Law  of  Moses,  and  those  that  renounce  and  annul  the  Law 
of  Christ.  He,  that  despised  Moses1  law,  who  himself  was  but  a  ser- 
vant, and  whose  laws  consisted  of  inferior  and  less  spiritual  ordi- 
nances ;  yet  a  despiser  and  transgressor  of  these  was  to  die  without 
mercy  :  certainly,  much  sorer  judgments  await  those,  who  reject  the 
laws  of  Christ ;  and  trample  him,  who  is  the  Son  and  Lord  of  the 
House,  under  foot ;  -accounting  his  blood  unholy  and  profane,  re- 
nouncing his  merits,  and  blaspheming  the  Holy  Spirit  by  which 
our  Saviour  acted :  such  as  these,  says  the  Apostle,  shall  eternally 
perish  with  less  mercy,  than  those  that  died  without  mercy. 

Where,  by  the  way,  observe  the  strange  emphasis,  that  the  Apostle 
lays  upon  this  dreadful  comminatiou.  He  tells  us  that  they  shall 
be  sorer  punished,  than  those,  that  are  punished  without  mercy :  to 
let  us  know,  that,  as  there  are  transcendant  glories,  such  as  eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  can  it  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to  con- 
ceive, reserved  in  the  highest  heavens  for  those  that  love  God  ;  so, 
also,  are  there  woes  and  torments,  such  as  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  nor  can  it  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  how  great 
and  insupportable  they  are,  prepared  in  hell  for  those  that  hate 
him.  They  shall  die  with  less  mercy,  than  those,  that  die  without 
mercy. 

Now  that  we  might  not  wonder  at  such  a  paradox  as  this,  the 
Apostle  gives  the  reason  of  it  in  my  text :  For  we  know  him,  that 
hath  said,  Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me.  It  is  the  vengeance  of  God, 
and  a  falling  into  the  hands  of  God  :  and,  therefore,  it  is  no  wonder 
if  their  punishments  shall  be  beyond  all  extremity.  They  fall 
under  the  power  and  wrath  of  an  Infinite  God;  which,  when  we 
have  heaped  superlatives  upon  superlatives,  yet  still  we  must  ex- 
press defectively :  and  all,  that  we  can  conceive  of  it,  falls  vastly 
short  of  reaching  but  a  faint  and  languishing  resemblance  thereof. 
It  is  a  state  so  full  of  perfect  misery,  that  Misery  itself  is  too  easy 
a  name  to  give  it:  yea,  whatsoever  we  can  speak  most  appositely 
of  it,  is  but  diminishing  it ;  for,  because  it  is  the  Avrath  and  vengeance 
of  an  Infinite  God,  it  can  no  more  be  known  by  us,  than  God  him- 
self. Plunge  your  thoughts  as  deep  into  it  as  you  can,  yet  still 
there  remains  an  infinite  ab}Tss,  which  you  can  never  fathom. 

Oh,  that  the  consideration  of  this  wrath  might  cause  us  all  to 
tremble  before  this  Great  and  Terrible  God !  that  we  might  so  fear 
it,  as  never  to  feel  it ;  and  be  persuaded  to  fall  down  at  his  feet, 
that  we  may  never  fall  into  his  hands ! 

And,  that  we  may  be  thus  affected,  I  have  chosen  this  Text  to 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


75 


set  forth  the  greatness  and  dread  fulness  of  that  wrath  and  ven- 
geance, which  the  Eighteous  God  will  execute  upon  all  stubborn  and 
disobedient  wretches.  A  Text,  that  speaks  to  us,  as  God  did  to  the 
Israelites  from  Mount  Sinai,  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire  and  black- 
ness, darkness  and  tempest,  in  the  voice  of  a  trumpet. 

And,  truly,  we  have  all  need  to  have  such  rousing  truths  fre- 
quently inculcated  upon  us  ;  for  the  best  of  us  are  lethargical :  and 
though,  sometimes,  when  our  consciences  are  pinched  hard  by  a 
severe  and  searching  truth,  we  start  up  and  look  abroad ;  yet,  as 
soon  as  the  present  impression  is  over,  we  suddenly  close  our  eyes, 
and  fall  asleep  again  in  sin  and  security.  A  strange  dullness  and 
stupor  hath  seized  us ;  that  we  can  no  longer  keep  waking,  than 
we  are  shaken. 

And,  therefore,  as  we  use  to  apply  fire  and  burning  coals  to 
lethargic  persons  to  awaken  them  :  so  we  have  need  to  heap  coals 
of  fire  upon  men's  heads  ;  to  speak  with  fiery  tongues,  and  thunder 
woe  and  wrath  and  judgments  against  them,  that  we  may  rouse  the 
secure,  stupid  world. 

In  the  words,  we  have  these  Two  Parts  observable. 

An  Appropriation  of  Vengeance  unto  God :  Vengeance  belongeth 
unto  me.  I  will  recompense,  sailh  the  Lord. 

The  Dreadfulness  of  that  Vengeance  inferred,  from  the  consid- 
eration of  the  Author  and  Inflicter  of  it :  It  is  a  fearful  thing,  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Living  God. 

I.  I  begin  with  the  first  of  these,  GOD'S  APPROPRIATING 
AND  CHALLENGING  VENGEANCE  UNTO  HIMSELF.  Ven- 
geance belongeth  unto  me,  I  will  recompense,  sailh  the  Lord. 

Which  passage  the  Apostle  cites  out  of  Deut.  xxxii.  3§,  36.  To 
me  belongeth  vengeance,  and  recompense.  And,  the  Lord  shall  judge 
his  people.  It  is  his  great  and  royal  prerogative,  that  he  doth  some- 
times make  use  of  in  inflicting  judgments  upon  the  wicked,  in  this 
world;  but,  most  especially,  in  the  world  to  come:  and,  to  this  fu- 
ture vengeance,  the  words  ought  particularly  to  be  applied. 

From  this  consideration,  That  Vengeance  in  a  peculiar  manner 
belongs  unto  the  Great  God,  we  may  observe, 

That  GOD  HIMSELF  WILL  BE  THE  IMMEDIATE  INFLICTER  OF  THE 
PUNISHMENTS  OF  THE  DAMNED. 

It  is  therefore  here,  likewise,  called  a  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
Living  God,  which  denotes  his  immediate  efficiency  in  their  tor- 
ments. 

It  is  true,  God  doth  use  several  instruments  of  torture  in  hell. 
There  are  the  worm,  that  never  dies ;  and  the  fire,  that  never  goes 


76 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


out :  which  I  suppose  to  be  not  only  a  metaphorical,  but  possibly 
a  material  fire ;  elevated  to  such  a  degree  of  subtlety,  as  that  it 
shall,  at  once,  torture  the  soul  and  not  consume  the  body.  And 
this  fire  the  devils,  who  are  their  executioners,  will  be  still  very 
officiously  raking  about  them  ;  using  all  their  malicious  art  to  in- 
crease their  eternal  misery. 

But,  yet,  these  things  are  but  small  appendages,  and  only  the 
slighter  circumstances  of  their  torments.  The  most  exact  and  in- 
tolerable part  of  their  torture,  they  shall  feel  inflicted  upon  them 
from  another  fire ;  an  intelligent,  everlasting,  and  therefore  an  un- 
quenchable fire:  and  that  is  God  himself;  for  so  he  is  said  to  be, 
Heb.  xii.  29,  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 

And,  though  we  ordinarily  speak  only  of  Hell  Fire ;  yet  not  only 
Hell,  but  Heaven  itself  is  full  of  this  fire. 

Consult  that  place  Isa.  xxxiii.  14,  Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with 
the  devouring  fire?  who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burn- 
ings ?  Would  not  one  think,  at  the  very  first  sound  of  the  words, 
that  the  Prophet  speaks  only  of  such  as  should  be  damned ;  of 
such  as  should  be  cast  into  hell,  to  remain  there  in  everlasting  fire 
and  burnings :  and  demands  of  them,  who  among  them  could  en- 
dure this  ?  No :  but  it  appears  plainly,  that  this  fire  and  burning 
is  in  heaven  itself;  and  the  Prophet,  by  putting  this  question,  Who 
shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire,  and  everlasting  burnings?  asks 
who  shall  be  saved,  and  not  who  shall  be  destroyed.  And,  there- 
fore, in  the  15th  verse,  he  tells  us,  that  he  shall  do  it,  who  walketh 
uprightly,  and  speakelh  uprightly ;  that  despiseth  the  gain  of  oppres- 
sions, that  shaketh  his  hands  from  holding  of  bribes,  that  stopp^eih  his 
ears  frommhearing  of  blood,  and  shutleth  his  eyes  from  seeing  of  evil. 
Such  an  one  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire :  that  is,  he  shall 
for  ever  dwell  and  remain  with  God  in  heaven. 

So  that  we  see  God  is  a  fire,  both  to  the  wicked,  and  to  the 
godly.  To  the  wicked  he  is  a  penetrating  and  torturing  fire  ;  and 
they  are  combustible  matter  for  the  wrath  and  vengeance  of  God 
to  prey  upon :  but  to  the  godly,  he  is  a  purifying  and  cherishing  fire 
only.  And,  as  lightning  doth  not  only  cleanse  and  refine  the  air, 
but  rend  trees  and  rocks  in  pieces,  dissolve  metals,  and  break  through 
whatsoever  opposeth  it  in  its  passage :  so  this  Great  and  Almighty 
Fire,  only  refresheth  and  comforteth  the  godly  ;  whereas  it  breaks 
and  tears  the  wicked  in  pieces,  and  melts  them  down  like  wax  be- 
fore the  scorching  heat  of  it. 

And,  though  I  deny  not  but  there  may  be  somewhat  like  that 
which  we  commonly  apprehend  when  we  speak  of  hell,  some  un- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


77 


quenchable  flames  prepared  by  the  -wisdom  and  power  of  God  for 
the  eternal  torment  of  those  wretches  that  shall  be  cast  therein ; 
yet,  withal,  I  think  that  their  most  exquisite  torments  shall  be  from 
that  Fire  that  is  God  himself. 

For,  if  we  observe  it,  it  is  said  to  be  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  Devil  and  his  angels :  Mat.  xxv.  14.  Now  the  devils  are  spiritual 
substances,  and  flames  of  fire  themselves :  He  maketh  his  angels 
spirits ;  and  his  ministers,  that  is  his  ministering  spirits,  whether 
good  or  evil,  whether  the  ministers  of  his  wrath  and  vengeance  or 
the  ministers  of  his  mercy,  he  maketh  them  flames  of  fire :  Ps.  civ. 
4.  They  are  such  piercing  and  subtle  flames,  that  lightning  itself 
is  but  gross  and  dull  compared  to  them. 

Yet  here  is  a  Fire,  that  shall  torture  Fire  itself ;  a  Fire,  that  shall 
burn  those  Flames  of  Fire :  and  that  is  God ;  who,  being  a  spirit 
and  the  God  of  Spirits,  can  easily  pierce  and  insinuate  into  the 
very  centre  of  their  beings. 

So  that  the  damned  in  hell  shall  for  ever  find  themselves  burnt  up 
with  a  double  fire :  a  material  fire,  strited  and  adapted  to  impress  pain 
and  torment  upon  the  body,  yet  without  wasting  and  consuming  it ; 
and  an  invisible,  intellectual  fire,  that  shall  prey  upon  the  soul,  and 
fill  it  with  unspeakable  anguish  and  horror,  and  this  is  no  other 
than  God  himself. 

And,  in  this,  there  is  a  true  parallel  between  heaven  and  hell. 
For,  as  in  heaven,  though  there  are  many  created  excellencies 
and  glories,  which  contribute  to  the  beatitude  of  the  saints ;  yet 
their  most  substantial  happiness  is  derived  from  their  immediate 
fruition  of  God :  so,  likewise,  in  hell,  though  there  be  many  created, 
and,  if  I  may  so  call  them,  many  invented  tortures  ;  yet  the  highest 
and  most  intolerable  misery  of  the  damned,  is  from  the  immediate 
infliction  and  infusion  of  the  divine  wrath  into  them,  which  no 
creature  doth  or  can  convey  to  them  in  such  a  manner  and  measure 
as  they  there  feel  it,  but  God  himself  pours  the  full  vials  of  it  into 
their  souls.  And,  therefore,  as  the  saints  are  called  vessels  of 
mercy  ;  so  the  wicked  are  called  vessels  of  wrath,  fitted  for  destruction : 
Rom.  ix.  22  :  vessels,  into  which  God  will  pour  of  his  vengeance, 
and  which  he  will  fill  brimful  with  his  wrath  and  fury,  for  ever. 

The  Apostle,  2  Thess.  i.  9,  speaking  of  wicked  men,  tells  us, 
that  they  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pre 
sence  of  the  Lord  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.  Where  we  must 
not  think  that  this  phrase,  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  denotes  only 
that  part  of  their  punishment,  which  we  call  psena  Darnni,  or  "  the 
punishment  of  Loss  :"  but  rather  that  it  denotes  the  efficient  cause, 


78 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


of  their  psena  Sensus,  or  "  the  punishment  of  Sense  :"  not  that  their 
punishment  shall  only  be,  to  be  for  ever  banished  from  his  presence  ; 
but  that  this  presence  shall  be  active  in  inflicting  punishment  upon 
them.  And  we  may  well  read  it  thus  :  They  shall  be  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction,  by  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  by  the  glory 
of  his  power ;  for,  as  God's  glorious  power  is  effective  of  their  destruc- 
tion ;  so  also  is  his  presence  of  that  consuming  and  tormenting  fire. 

And,  thus  much,  briefly,  for  the  First  thing  observable  in  the 
Text ;  namely,  God's  Appropriating  Vengeance  unto  himself :  Ven- 
geance belongeth  unto  me,  and  it  is  a  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
Living  God. 

II.  I  come  now  to  the  Second  thing  observable  in  the  words : 
and  that  is  the  DREADFULNESS  OF  THIS  VENGEANCE,  in- 
ferred from  the  consideration  of  the  Author  and  Inflicter  of  it :  for, 
because  it  is  Divine  Vengeance,  and  a  falling  into  the  Hands  of 
the  Living  God,  therefore  it  must  needs  be  very  terrible. 

And,  here,  I  shall, 

i.  Take  notice  of  those  expressions  that  my  text  affords, 
TO  set  forth  the  terror  of  this  wrath:  and,  then,  consider  other 
demonstrations  of  it. 

1.  Consider,  that  all  other  Vengeance  is  as  nothing,  in  comparison 
of  that,  which  God  takes  on  a  damned  soul. 

You  may  possibly  have  heard  of  strange  and  horrid  revenges, 
that  some  cruel  men  have  carved  out  unto  themselves ;  putting 
those,  that  have  offended  them,  to  such  tortures,  as  were  altogether 
unfit  for  men  either  to  inflict  or  suffer.  All  histories  abound  with 
such  barbarities.  I  am  loth  to  offend  your  ears  so  much  as  to  re- 
count them.  Let  us  only  take  an  estimate,  by  the  dreadful  revenge, 
that  David  took  on  the  Ammonites  :  2  Samuel  xii.  31 ;  where  it  is 

said,  He  put  them  under  saivs,  and  under  harroivs  of  iron  and  made 

them  pass  through  the  brick-kiln:  and  all  this  severity,  if  not  to  say 
cruelty,  was  to  revenge  the  insolent  affront  done  to  his  ambassa- 
dors. It  is,  doubtless,  no  small  torture  to  be  burnt  alive  ;  for  fire 
is  a  searching  thing,  and  eats  deep  into  the  senses:  but,  yet,  this 
kind  of  death  was  a  quick  and  merciful  dispatch,  in  comparison  of 
the  others.  Think  what  it  is  to  be  stretched  along ;  and  to  have 
the  sharp  spikes  of  a  harrow  tear  up  your  flesh,  and  draw  out  your 
bowels  and  bones  after  them  :  or,  what  it  is  to  be  sawn  asunder  in 
the  midst ;  and  to  have,  those  small  teeth  eat  their  way  slowly 
through  you,  while  they  jar  against  your  bones,  and  pull  out  your 
nerves  and  sinews  thread  by  thread.  How  many  deaths,  think  you, 
were  these  poor  miserable  creatures  compelled  to  suffer,  before 
they  were  permitted  to  die  I 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


79 


Yet,  alas !  these,  and  all  the  witty  tortures  that  ever  were  in- 
vented by  the  greatest  masters  of  cruelty,  are  nothing,  in  compari- 
son of  the  vengeance  that  God  will  take  upon  sinners  in  hell.  And, 
therefore,  he  says,  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  recompense :  as  if  he 
should  say,  "Alas!  all,  that  you  can  do  one  to  another,  signifies 
nothing:  it  is  not  to  be  called,  nor  accounted  Vengeance:  that  is 
too  great  a  name  for  such  poor  effects." 

,  It  is  a  prerogative,  that  God  challengeth  to  himself,  to  be  the 
Avenger:  and  whatever  creatures  meddle  with,  if  they  have  not  a 
commission  from  him,  it  is  their  sin  :  and  therefore  private  persons 
whom  he  hath  not  invested  with  any  such  authority,  ought  not  to 
take  upon  them  to  avenge  their  own  cause ;  or,  if  they  have  a  com- 
mission, yet  all  their  execution  of  Vengeance  is  feeble  and  weak. 

We  find  in  Ecclesiastical  History,  that  the  holy  martyrs  have 
often  mocked  at,  all  the  cruel  tortures  of  their  enraged  persecutors. 
And  God  hath  either  taken  from  them  all  sense  of  pain ;  or  else, 
given  them  such  strong  consolations,  that  they  have  triumphed  and 
exulted  in  all  the  extremity  of  them.  How  have  they  hugged  the 
stake,  at  which  they  were  to  be  burnt !  courted  the  beasts,  that  were 
to  devour  them  !  and  been  stretched  upon  the  rack,  with  as  much 
content,  as  formerly  they  have  stretched  themselves  upon  their 
beds  ;  and  not  so  much  suffered,  as  enjoyed  their  deaths  !  God  hath 
so  mercifully  taken  off  the  edge  and  keenness  of  their  torments,  to 
show  that  vengeance  is  his  right  and  due ;  and  that  they  are  but 
contemptible  things,  that  one  man  can  inflict  upon  another,  scarce 
worthy  to  be  called  "Vengeance. 

And,  besides,  let  it  be  never  so  sharp  and  cutting,  yet  it  cannot 
be  long  durable.  The  more  intolerable  any  torments  are,  the  sooner 
do  they  work  our  escape  from  them.  And,  though  spite  and  mal- 
ice may  wish  the  perpetuity  of  our  pain ;  yet  it  is  not  possible  for 
mortal  men  to  prosecute  an  immortal  revenge :  the  death,  either 
of  them  or  of  ourselves,  will  put  a  period  to  our  sufferings.  And 
what  a  small  matter  is  it,  to  undergo  pain  for  a  few  days  only ! 
This  is  not  worthy  to  be  called  Vengeance ;  nor  is  it  like  that, 
which  the  Great  God  will  inflict :  which  is  both  insupportable  and 
eternal.    And,  therefore, 

2.  The  Apostle  calls  it  a  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Living  God. 
And  this  denotes  to  us  the  Perpetuity  and  Eternity  of  this  Vengeance. 

God  for  ever  lives,  to  inflict  it;  and  sinners  shall  for  ever  live, 
to  suffer  it :  for  they  fall  into  his  hands.  God  hath,  as  it  were, 
leased  out  a  life  to  every  wicked  man :  he  hath  his  term  of  years 
set  him,  wherein  he  lives  to  himself ;  enjoying  his  lusts,  and  the 


80 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


pleasures  and  profits  of  this  present  world ;  and,  all  tins  while, 
Vengeance  intermeddles  but  little  with  him.  But,  when  his  life  is 
expired  and  his  years  run  out,  he  then  falls  into  the  hands  of  the 
great  Lord  of  all,  and  becomes  the  possession  of  his  Vengeance  and 
Justice  for  ever. 

And,  then,  he  is  the  Living  God;  and  such  wicked  wretches  must 
for  ever  live,  to  endure  the  most  dreadful  execution  of  his  power 
and  wrath.  Were  there  any  term  or  period  set  to  their  torments, 
should  they  when  they  have  endured  them  thousands  of  thousands 
of  years  afterwards  be  annihilated,  the  expectation  of  this  release, 
at  the  last,  would  give  them  some  support :  yea,  it  would  be  some  so- 
lace to  them  in  their  sufferings,  to  think  that,  at  last,  they  should  be 
freed  from  them.  But  this  is  the  accent  of  their  misery,  and  that 
which  makes  them  altogether  desperate,  that  it  is  for  ever:  for 
ever,  they  must  lie  and  wallow  in  those  flames,  that  shall  never  be 
quenched  ;  and  shall  always  be  bit  and  stung  with  that  worm,  that 
shall  never  die.  They  are  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Living  God, 
who  will  never  let  them  go  as  long  as  he  lives,  that  is,  never  to  all 
eternity.  He  is  a  consuming  fire,  but  yet  spends  not  any  part  of 
his  fuel :  he  consumes,  without  diminishing  them ;  and  destroys, 
but  yet  still  perpetuates  their  being.  "A  wise  and  intelligent  fire," 
as  Minutius  calls  him,  "  that  devours "  the  damned,  but  yet  still 
"repairs"  them;  and,  by  "tormenting,"  still  "nourishes"  them  for 
future  torments :  Sajnens  ilk  ignis,  writ  et  reficit,  carpit  et  nutrit. 
And,  when  they  have  lain  burning  in  this  fire  all  the  ages  that 
arithmetic  can  sum  up,  millions  after  thousands,  and  thousands  of 
millions ;  yet,  still,  it  is  but  the  beginning  of  their  sorrows. 

Oh,  think  for  yourselves,  how  long  and  tedious  a  little  time  seems 
to  you,  when  you  are  in  pain ;  you  complain  then,  that  time  hath 
leaden  feet ;  and  wish  the  days  and  hours  would  roll  away  faster 
with  you  :  and  you  never  find  them  so  slow  paced,  as  when  they 
pass  over  a  sick  bed.  Oh,  then,  what  will  it  be,  when  you  shall  lie 
sweltering  under  the  dread  wrath  and  vengeance  of  the  Living  God? 
The  intolerableness  of  your  pain  and  torment  will  make  every  day 
seem  an  age,  and  every  year  as  long  as  eternity ;  and  yet  you  must 
lie  there  an  eternity  of  those  long  years. 

Moth  inks  this  consideration  of  Eternal  Torments  should  astonish 
the  heart,  and  sink  the  spirits  of  every  wicked  wretch:  for,  though 
they  were  not  to  be  so  excessively  sharp  as  they  are  ;  yet  the  Eter- 
nity of  them  is  that,  which  should  make  them  altogether  intoler- 
able. There  is  scarce  any  pain  so  small,  but  it  would  make  us  des- 
perate, were  we  assured  it  would  never  wear  off,  that  we  should 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


81 


never  obtain  any  ease  or  freedom  from  it :  whatever  pain  we  suffer, 
our  usual  encouragement  unto  patience  is,  that  shortly  it  will  be 
over :  but,  in  hell,  there  is  no  period  fixed  to  the  torments :  they 
are  all  eternal ;  and,  therefore,  whatsoever  they  are  for  the  degree 
and  measure  of  them,  yet  are  they  utterly  intolerable,  at  least  for 
their  duration  and  continuance.  Couldst  thou  shove  away  millions 
of  years  with  a  wish,  yet  all  this  would  avail  nothing :  for  there 
are  as  many  years  in  eternity  as  there  are  moments,  and  as  many 
millions  of  years  as  there  are  years ;  that  is,  it  is  an  infinite  and 
boundless  duration :  and,  when  thou  hast  struck  thy  thoughts  as 
deep  into  it  as  thou  canst ;  yet,  still,  thou  art  but  at  the  top  of  the 
heap,  and  it  is  still  a  whole  eternity  to  the  bottom. 

3.  Consider,  also,  that  the  Wrath  and  Vengeance  of  God  is  most 
dreadful,  not  only  from  the  eternal  continuance  and  duration  there- 
of, but  also  from  the  excessive  Anguish  and  Smart  of  those  Torments 
that  he  inflicts. 

Nothing,  that  we  have  ever  felt  or  can  feel  in  this  present  life, 
can  come  into  any  comparison  with  them  :  and  therefore  the  Text 
calls  it,  a  falling  into  the  hands  of  God.  Here,  on  earth,  God's  hand 
doth  sometimes  fall  upon  us ;  and  it  falls  very  heavy  too,  and  lays 
upon  us  sore  and  weighty  burdens :  but  these  are  nothing  consid- 
erable, to  our  falling  into  the  hands  of  God.  There  is  as  much  dif- 
ference, between  his  wrath  and  displeasure  falling  upon  us,  and  our 
falling  upon  it,  as  there  is,  between  our  having  a  few  drops  of  a 
shower  falling  upon  us,  and  our  falling  into  a  river,  or  into  the  sea, 
and  being  overwhelmed  with  the  great  waters  thereof:  and,  yet, 
how  dreadful  is  it,  when  God's  hand  only  falls  upon  us !  It  was  a 
sad  complaint  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  xxxii.  4,  that  God's  hand  lay 
heavy  upon  him :  and,  Ps.  xxxviii.  2,  that  God's  hand  pressed  him  sore. 

Grievous  burdens  and  sore  pressures  may  be  laid  upon  us  bv 
this  hand  of  God  ;  and  that,  both  as  to  outward  afflictions,  and  in- 
ward troubles. 

(1)  As  to  Outward  Afflictions,  how  dreadfully  doth  God  stretch 
out  his  hand  against  some  !  making  wide  and  terrible  breaches  up- 
on them  :  some,  in  their  estates  ;  some,  in  their  relations ;  and  some, 
in  their  bodily  health  and  strength.  Have  you  never  been  about 
the  sick  beds  of  those,  that  have  roared  out  through  the  extremity 
of  their  pains ;  when  every  limb  hath  been  upon  the  rack,  and 
God  hath  filled  them  with  a  complication  of  loathsome,  torment- 
ing, and  incurable  diseases?  And,  yet,  all  this  is  but  a  falling  of 
God's  hand  upon  them. 

(2)  As  to  Inward  Troubles,  we  see  how  God  cramps  some  men's 

Vol.  ii. — 6 


82 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


consciences,  breathes  fire  and  flames  into  their  very  souls,  and 
makes  deep  wounds  in  their  spirits ;  forcing  them,  through  the  ex- 
tremity of  their  anguish,  to  cry  out,  they  are  damned,  they  are 
damned.  Yea,  some  have  even  wished  that  they  were  in  hell : 
supposing  those  everlasting  torments  would  not  be  more  unsuffer- 
able,  than  what  they  here  felt. 

And,  indeed,  these  inward  troubles  are  far  more  grievous  than 
any  outward  can  be.  We  hear  Heman  crying  out,  that,  because 
of  these  terrors  of  the  Lord,  he  was  ready  to  die  from  his 
youth  up :  and,  whilst  he  suffered  this  wrath  of  God,  he  was  even 
distracted  with  it :  Ps.  lxxxviii.  15.  And  Job,  whose  patience  is 
celebrated  for  bearing  all  his  outward  afflictions,  his  loss  of  estate, 
of  his  children,  of  his*  health,  with  a  heroic  constancy,  (Ye  have 
heard,  says  St.  James,  of  the  patience  of  Job)  yet,  when  God  comes 
to  touch  his  spirit  with  his  wrath, then  we  hear  of  his  impatience: 
he  curseth  the  day  of  his  birth  ;  and  wisheth  that  God  would  de- 
stroy him,  that  he  would  let  loose  his  hand  and  cut  him  off:  Job.  vi.  9  : 
and  wherefore  are  these  passionate  requests?  why  he  tells  us,  v.  4. 
The  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof  drinketh 
up  my  spirit ;  the  terrors  of  God  do  set  themselves  in  array  against  me: 
and,  therefore,  though  he  could  patiently  bear  all  that  the  rage  and 
spite  of  the  Devil  could  do  against  him,  when  he  touched  his  wealth, 
when  he  touched  his  children,  yea  when  he  touched  his  body  ;  yet 
his  patience  could  no  longer  hold  out,  when  God  came  to  touch  his 
soul  and  conscience. 

(3)  And,  yet,  the  greatest  terrors  of  conscience,  whether  in  the 
children  of  God  to  their  reformation,  or  in  the  wicked  to  their  des- 
peration, are  still  but  light  and  small  touches  of  his  hand,  in  com- 
parison with  what  shall  be  expressed  hereafter  on  the  damned  in 
Hell.  For, 

[1]  To  the  godly,  all  these  afflictions  are  mixed  with  love  and 
mercy. 

They  are  brought  upon  them,  not  as  plagues;  but  as  medica- 
ments, to  do  them  good.  But,  in  hell,  all  is  wrath,  all  is  fury ; 
pure  wrath  and  judgment,  without  mercy.  And,  certainly,  if  those 
sufferings,  which  are  inflicted  in  love  and  allayed  with  mercy,  are 
yet  so  very  dreadful  to  the  people  of  God,  how  dreadful  will  the 
wrath  of  God  be  in  hell,  where  it  shall  be  pure  and  unmixed,  and  noth- 
ing put  into  that  cup  which  the  damned  are  there  to  drink  of,  but 
the  rankest  venom  that  can  be  squeezed  out  of  all  the  curses  that 
ever  God  hath  denounced  !  And,  then, 

[2]  To  the  wicked,  all  the  troubles  and  terrors,  which  they  here 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


83 


endure,  are  nothing,  in  comparison  with  what  they  must  eternally 
suffer  in  Hell. 

They  are  now  only  sprinkled  with  a  few  drops  of  God's  wrath ; 
but,  in  hell,  all  his  waves  shall  go  over  them  for  ever.  Here,  they 
do  but  sip  a  little  of  that  cup,  and  taste  a  little  of  the  froth  of  it ; 
and,  should  they  drink  deeper,  earth  could  not  hold  them,  but  they 
would  grow  drunk,  and  reel  and  stagger  into  hell :  but,  there,  they 
must  for  ever  drink  the  very  dregs  of  that  cup  of  trembling  and 
astonishment.  And  thou,  who  now  roarest  and  strugglest  like  a 
wild  bull  in  a  net,  when  God's  hand  is  only  upon  thee,  what  wilt 
thou  do,  when  thou  shalt  eternally  fall  into  his  mighty  hands  ? 
Thou  now  criest  out  of  the  intolerableness  of  thy  present  pain ;  but, 
alas  !  hadst  thou  but  felt  one  gripe  of  the  torments  of  the  damned 
in  hell,  thou  wouldst  choose  to  live  for  ever  here  on  earth  in  the 
most  exquisite  torture  that  could  be  devised,  choose  to  bear  the 
sharpest  paroxysms  of  the  stone  or  gout,  to  be  stretched  upon  the 
rack,  to  lie  broke  upon  the  wheel,  to  have  thy  flesh  plucked  off  by 
fiery  pincers ;  thou  wouldst  choose  to  suffer  all  these  to  all  eternity  ; 
yea,  and  choose  them  too  as  recreations  and  divertisements,  rather 
than  return  again  to  that  place  of  torment,  where,  not  only  the 
eternity,  but  the  smart  and  anguish  of  them,  is  infinite  and  uncon- 
ceivable. And,  as  one  day  in  the  joys  of  heaven  is  better  than  a 
thousand  days,  nay  than  a  thousand  years,  in  all  the  impure  and 
low  delights  of  earth  :  so,  one  day  in  the  torments  of  hell,  is  far 
worse  than  a  thousand  in  the  sharpest  miseries  we  can  possibly  en- 
dure in  this  life.  Here,  our  pains  usually  are  but  partial :  God 
aims  and  shoots  with  his  arrow  but  at  some  one  part  of  us  :  if  he 
wound  our  spirits ;  yet  this  invisible  shaft,  like  lightning,  passeth 
through,  without  making  a  breach  in  our  bodies,  or  in  our  estates ; 
we  have  still  our  health  and  our  plenty  left  us :  or,  if  he  strike  the 
body,  usually  it  is  but  in  one,  or  at  most  but  in  some  few  places, 
and  we  enjoy  ease  in  the  rest :  But,  in  hell,  God  doth,  as  it  were, 
wrap  the  whole  man  up  in  searcloth,  and  set  it  on  fire  round  about 
him,  so  that  he  is  tormented  in  every  part ;  neither  soul  nor  body 
escaping,  nor  any  power  or  faculty  of  the  one,  nor  any  part  or  mem- 
ber of  the  other.  When  we  fall  into  the  hands  of  God,  we  are  plung- 
ed into  an  ocean  of  wrath,  and  are  covered  all  over  with  his  fury 
and  indignation :  the  Understanding,  Will,  Conscience,  Affections, 
are  all  as  brimfull  of  torments  as  they  can  hold  :  for  what  can  be 
greater  anguish  to  the  Mind,  than  to  know  our  misery,  and  to  know 
it  to  be  remediless  ?  and  what  can  be  greater  anguish  to  the  Will 
and  Affections,  than  most  ardently  and  vehemently  to  desire  free- 


84 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


dom  from  those  torments,  but  yet  to  despair  of  ever  obtaining  it  ? 
and  what  can  fill  the  Conscience  with  greater  anguish,  than  to  re- 
flect, with  infinite  horror  and  regret,  that  it  was  only  sinners'  own 
folly  and  madness  that  brought  them  to  this  woeful  and  miserable 
condition  ?  how  will  they  be  ready  even  to  rend  and  tear  them- 
selves in  pieces,  their  consciences  curse  their  wills,  and  their  wills 
curse  their  affections,  and  their  affections  the  objects  that  enticed 
them  to  the  commission  of  those  sins,  the  revenges  of  which  they 
must  now  eternally  suffer  !  And  as  for  the  Bodies  of  these  damned 
souls,  they  shall,  after  the  Kesurrection  and  dreadful  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, become  all  fire,  like  a  live  coal :  fire  shall  be  imbibed  into 
the  very  substance  of  them,  and  they  not  have  so  much  as  a  drop 
of  water  afforded  them  to  cool  the  tip  of  their  tongues :  Luke  xvi.  24. 

And  this  is  a  Third  Consideration  of  the  dreadfnlness  of  ever- 
lasting vengeance :  it  is  a  falling  into  God's  hands. 

4.  Consider,  it  is  a  falling  into  the.  hands  of  the  Living  God  him- 
self, and  not  of  any  Creature. 

Indeed,  we  read  in  2  Sam.  xxiv.  14,  that  David  chose  rather  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  than  into  the  hands  of  men,  It  is 
true,  when  there  are  true  repentance  and  hopes  of  obtaining  mercy, 
this  is  far  more  eligible :  for  the  chastisements  of  the  Lord  are  full 
of  mercy  ;  but  the  tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel.  But,  where 
all  hopes  and  expectation  of  mercy  are  excluded,  as  they  are  in 
hell ;  certainly,  there,  it  is  infinitely  more  dreadful  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  a  sin-revenging  God,  than  into  the  hands  of  all  the  crea- 
tures in  heaven,  or  earth,  yea  or  hell  itself. 

One  would  have  thought  it  bad  been  terrible  enough,  if  the  Apos- 
tle had  said,  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Devils."  And  so  indeed  it  were  ;  if  we  consider,  either  their  power, 
or  their  malice.  Certainly,  they  can  easily  find  out  such  torment- 
ing ingredients,  and  apply  them  also  to  such  tender  parts,  that  it 
would  transcend  the  patience  of  any  man  on  earth  quietly  to  bear 
but  what  one  devil  can  inflict.  Do  we  not  often  see,  in  the  illusions 
of  black  and  sooty  melancholy ;  what  strange  fears  and  terrors  they 
can  imprint  upon  the  fancy ;  what  horror  and  despair  they  can 
work  in  the  conscience ;  so  as  to  make  men  weary  of  their  lives, 
and  many  times  persuade  them  to  destroy  themselves,  only  to  know 
the  worst  of  what  they  must  suffer  ?  And  all  this  he  can  do  out  of 
his  own  kingdom !  What  then  can  he  do,  when  he  hath  got  sinners 
into  his  own  territories,  and  under  his  own  dominion  !  "What  exact 
tortures  can  he  inflict  upon  them  there  !  such,  indeed,  as  we  cannot 
tell  what  they  are  ;  and  may  it  please  God  we  never  may ! 

And,  yet,  the  Devil  is  but  a  fellow-creature :  but  wicked  men  are 


DISCOUKSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


85 


to  fall  into  the  hands,  not  of  a  creature,  but  of  the  Great  Creator  ; 
into  the  hands  of  God  himself,  whose  power  is  infinitely  beyond 
the  devils',  so  that  he  is  the  tormenter  even  of  them. 

Think  then  with  thyself,  0  Sinner,  that,  if  God  binds  and  scourges 
and  torments  the  very  devils,  who  yet  do  so  insufferably  torment 
the  damned;  how  infinitely  intolerable  then  is  that  wrath,  which 
God  himself  shall  inflict  upon  them  !  Consider  with  thyself,  if  thou 
canst  not  bear  those  pains  and  torments,  which  the  devils  inflict ; 
and  if  the  devils  cannot  bear  those  pains  and  torments,  which  God 
inflicts  upon  them  ;  how  wilt  thou  then,  0  Sinner,  be  able  to  bear 
the  immediate  wrath,  fury,  and  vengeance  of  the  Great  God  himself? 

Nay,  let  me  go.  yet  a  great  deal  lower;  and  suppose  that  God 
should  make  use  of  common  and  ordinary  creatures,  for  the  pun- 
ishment of  wicked  men  :  who  is  there,  that  could  bear  even  this  ? 

If  God  should  only  keep  a  man  living  for  ever  in  the  midst  of  a 
furnace  of  gross  and  earthly  fire,  how  dreadful  would  this  be  !  If 
but  a  spark  of  fire  fall  upon  any  part  of  the  body,  consider  what  an 
acute  pain  it  will  cause :  much  more,  if  thy  whole  man  should  be 
all  over  on  a  light  flame,  and  thou  for  ever  kept  alive  to  feel  the 
piercing  torment  of  it.  And,  yet,  what  is  our  dull,  unactive  fire  : 
in  comparison  of  that  pure,  intelligent  fire  ? 

Or,  suppose  God,  who  knows  the  several  stings  that  are  in  all 
his  creatures,  should  take  out  of  them  the  most  sharp  ingredients  ; 
and,  from  them  all,  make  up  a  most  tormenting  composition :  if  he 
should  take  poison  and  venom  out  of  one,  and  fire  and  scorching 
out  of  another,  and  smart  and  stinging  out  of  a  third,  and  the  quint- 
essence of  bitterness  out  of  a  fourth ;  and,  by  his  infinite  skill, 
heighten  all  these  to  a  preternatural  acrimony  :  if  now  God  should 
apply  this  composition,  thus  fatally  mixed  and  blended  together 
unto  any  of  us,  what  an  intolerable  anguish  would  it  cause  in  us  ! 

And,  if  Creatures  can  cause  such  tortures,  what  a  dreadful  thing  then 
is  it  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God  himself !  For,  when  God  conveys 
his  wrath  to  us  by  creatures,  it  must  needs  lose  infinitely  in  the 
very  conveyance.  When  God  takes  up  one  creature  to  strike 
another,  it  is  but  as  if  a  giant  should  take  up  a  straw  or  feather  to 
strike  a  man  with  ;  for,  though  he  be  never  so  strong,  yet  the  blow 
can  be  but  weak  because  of  the  weakness  of  the  instrument :  and 
yet,  alas !  how  terrible  are  even  such  weak  blows  to  us  !  What  will 
it  then  be,  when  God  shall  immediately  crush  us  by  the  unrebated 
strokes  of  his  own  Almighty  Arm  ;  and  shall  express  the  power  of 
his  wrath,  and  the  glory  of  his  justice  and  severity,  in  our  eternal 
destruction. 


66  DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


And  this  is  the  Fourth  Demonstration  of  the  dreadfulness  of  di- 
vine vengeance. 

5.  Consider,  that  the  Apostle  calls  this  wrath,  which  the  Living 
God  will  inflict  upon  sinners  by  the  name  of  Vengeance.  Venge- 
ance is  mine,  I  will  recompense  it. 

Now  vengeance,  when  it  is  whet  and  sharpened  by  wrath,  will 
enter  deep,  and  cut  the  soul  to  the  very  quick. 

God  acts  a  twofold  part,  in  the  punishment  of  sinners. 

(1)  Of  a  Judge. 

In  relation  to  which,  their  eternal  torments  are  sometimes  called 
Condemnation  :  so,  1  Tim.  iii.  6,  we  have  mention  made  of  the  con- 
demnation of  the  devil;  that  is,  that  state  of  woe  and  wrath,  to  which 
the  Devil  is  for  ever  sentenced.  And,  Damnation  :  Matt,  xxiii.  33, 
how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell?  And,  sometimes,  it  is 
termed  Judgment:  Heb.  x.  27;  A  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judg- 
ment and  fiery  indignation:  and,  in  Jude  15,  to  execute  judgment  upon 
all  the  ungodly ;  which  denotes  that  their  punishment  shall  be  in- 
flicted upon  them  from  God,  as  he  is  a  Just  and  Eighteous  Judge. 

(2)  God  is  an  Avenger,  as  well  as  a  judge. 

He  is  a  party  concerned  ;  as  having  been  wronged,  affronted,  and 
injured  by  their  sins.  And,  in  relation  to  this,  the  punishments, 
that  God  will  inflict  upon  them,  are  called  Wrath  and  Fury,  smok- 
ing Anger  and  Jealousy  :  Deut.  xxix.  20,  the  anger  of  the  Lord  and 
his  jealousy  shall  smoke  against  that  man.  Also,  Fiery  Indignation: 
Heb.  x.  27.    All  which  we  find  amassed  and  heaped  together, 

Zeph.  iii.  8.    My  determination,  saith  God,  is,  to  gather  the  nations  

'  to  pour  upon  them  mine  indignation,  even  all  my  fierce  anger:  for  all 
the  earth  shall  be  devoured  with  the  fire  of  my  jealousy.  All  these  ex- 
pressions signify  to  us,  the  terribleness  of  that  vengeance,  which 
God  will  take  :  for,  when  the  wrath  of  man  only  stirs  him  up  to 
revenge  an  injury,  he  will  be  sure  to  do  it  to  the  very  utmost  ex- 
tremity of  all  his  power :  and,  if  the  revenge  of  a  poor  weak  man 
be  so  dreadful  a  thing ;  how  insupportable  will  be  the  vengeance 
of  the  Great  God,  who  assumes  it  to  himself  as  part  of  his  royalty! 
Vengeance  is  mine.  See  that  terrible  place,  Nahum  i.  2,  God  is 
jealous,  and  the  Lord  revengeth:  the  Lord  revengeth,  and  is  furious: 
the  Lord  will  take  vengeance  on  his  adversaries,  and  he  reserveth  wrath 
for  his  enemies.  God  reserveth  wrath  for  sinners,  and  keeps  it  up 
in  store ;  even  that  wrath,  which  they  themselves  have  treasured 
up  against  the  day  of  wrdth. 

This  Revenging  Wrath  of  God  hath  these  Two  things  in  it,  that 
justly  make  it  dreadful. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


87 


[1]  In  that,  Ecvenge  always  aims  at  Satisfaction ;  and  seeks  to 
repair  injuries  received,  by  inflicting  punishment  on  the  offender. 

This  gives  ease  to  the  party  grieved :  and,  if  this  revenge  be  com- 
mensurate to  the  greatness  of  the  offence,  he  rests  satisfied  in  it. 
And,  therefore,  God,  speaking  of  himself  according  to  the  passions 
and  affections  of  men,  solaces  himself  In  the  thoughts  of  that  ven- 
geance, which  he  would  take  upon  sinners :  Isa.  i.  24,  Ah,  I  will 
ease  me  of  mine  adversaries,  I  will  avenge  me  of  mine  enemies. 

And,  oh  think  how  dreadful  that  revenge  must  needs  be,  that 
shall  ease  the  heart  of  God;  and  give  him  satisfaction,  for  all  the 
heinous  provocations,  that  sinners  have  committed  against  him. 

For,  consider, 

1st.  How  great  and  manifold  our  sins  and  offences  have  been : 
and  every  act  of  sin,  yea  the  least  that  ever  we  committed,  is  an 
infinite  debt ;  and  carries  in  it  an  infinite  guilt,  because  committed 
against  an  Infinite  Majesty. 

For  all  offences  take  their  measures,  not  only  from  the  matter  of 
the  act,  but  from  the  person  against  whom  they  are  committed :  as 
a  reviling,  injurious  word  against  our  equals,  will  but  bear  an  ac- 
tion at  law ;  but,  against  the  prince,  it  is  high  treason,  and  punish- 
able with  death.  So,  here,  the  least  offence  against  the  Infinite 
Majesty  of  the  Great  God,  becomes  itself  infinite :  the  guilt  of  it  is 
far  beyond  whatsoever  we  can  possibly  conceive.  And,  yet,  what 
infinite  numbers  of  these  infinite  sins  have  we  committed  !  The 
Psalmist  tells  us,  they  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  our  head:  Ps.  xl.  12. 
Yea,  we  may  well  take  in  all  the  sands  of  the  sea-shore,  to  cast 
them  up  by.  Our  Thoughts  are  incessantly  in  motion :  they  keep 
pace  with  the  moments,  and  are  continually  twinkling ;  and,  yet, 
every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  our  hearts  is  evil:  what  multi- 
tudes of  them  have  been  grossly  wicked  and  impious;  atheistical, 
blasphemous,  unclean,  worldly,  and  malicious !  and  the  best  of 
them  have  been  very  defective;  and  far  short  of  that  spirituality 
and  heavenliness,  that  ought  to  give  a  tincture  unto  them.  And, 
besides  the  sins  of  our  thoughts,  how  deep  have  our  Tongues  set 
us  on  the  score !  we  have  talked  ourselves  in  debt  to  the  justice  of 
God  ;  and,  with  our  own  breath,  have  been  blowing  up  our  ever- 
lasting and  unquenchable  fire.  And,  add  to  these,  the  numberless 
crowd  and  sum  of  our  sinful  Actions,  wherein  we  have  busily  em- 
ployed ourselves  to  provoke  the  Holy  and  Jealous  God  to  wrath  : 
and  we  shall  find  our  sins  to  be  doubly  infinite,  in  their  own  par- 
ticular guilt  and  demerit.  And,  now,  O  Sinner,  when  an  angry 
and  furious  God  shall  come  to  exact  from  thee  a  full  satisfaction  for 


83 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


all  these  injuries,  a  satisfaction  in  which  he  may  eternally  rest  and 
acquiesce,  such  as  may  repair  and  recompense  his  wronged  honour; 
think  sadly  with  thyself,  how  infinitely  dreadful  this  must  needs  be. 
Assure  thyself,  God  will  not  lose  by  thee :  but  will  fetch  his  glory 
out  of  thee,  and  take  such  a  revenge  upon  thee,  as  shall  as  much 
please  and  content  him,  as  his  Infinite  Mercy  doth  in  those,  whom 
he  saves  and  glorifies.  And  how  great  then  must  this  vengeance  be  ! 

2dly.  Consider,  how  dreadful  a  revenge  God  took  on  his  own 
Dear  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  he  came  to  satisfy  his  just- 
ice upon  him  for  our  sins.  His  wrath  fell  infinitely  heavy  upon 
him  :  and  the  pressure  of  it  was  so  intolerable,  that  it  squeezed  out 
drops  of  clotted  blood  from  him,  in  the  garden ;  and  that  sad  cry 
on  the  Cross,  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  And,  yet, 

(1st)  Our  Lord  Christ  was  supported  under  all  his  sufferings  by 
the  Ineffable  Union  of  the  Deity. 

He  had  Infinite  Power  for  him,  as  well  as  against  him :  infinite 
power  to  bear  him  up  as  well  as  to  crush  him :  in  Christ's  suffer- 
ings, the  power  of  God  seemed,  as  it  were,  to  encounter  with  itself ; 
and  to  run  contrary  to  itself,  in  the  same  channel.  And,  as  he  had 
the  support  of  infinite  power  in  his  sufferings ;  so,  likewise,  had  he 
in  the  greatest  of  his  agonies  the  Ministry  of  Angels,  to  comfort 
him,  and  to  refresh  the  droopings  and  faintings  of  his  human  na- 
ture. And, 

(2dly)  The  Infinite  Dignity  of  Christ's  Person,  being  God  as  well 
as  man,  might  well  compound  for  the  rigour  of  his  punishments ; 
and  stamp  such  a  value  upon  his  humiliation,  that  less  degrees  of 
suffering  from  him  might  be  fully  satisfactory.  For,  indeed,  it  can- 
not be  but  an  infinite  punishment,  for  an  Infinite  Person  to  be 
punished. 

But,  thou,  that  art  but  a  vile  contemptible  creature,  hast  nothing 
in  thy  nature  wherewith  to  satisfy  the  dread  justice  of  God,  but 
only  the  eternal  destruction  and  perdition  of  it.  Thou  hast  no 
worth  nor  dignity,  the  consideration  whereof  might  persuade  the 
Almighty  to  mitigate  the  least  of  his  wrath  and  fury  towards  thee : 
and,  when  it  falls  in  all  its  weight  and  force  upon  thee,  thou  hast 
nothing  to  uphold  or  support  thee.  It  is  true,  the  almighty  power 
of  God  shall  continue  thee  in  thy  being :  but  thou  wilt  for  ever 
curse  and  blaspheme  that  support,  that  shall  be  given  thee  only  to 
perpetuate  thy  torments  ;  and,  ten  thousand  times,  wish  that  God 
would  destroy  thee  once  for  all,  and  that  thou  mightest  for  ever 
shrink  away  into  nothing.  But  that,  alas  !  poor  miserable  wretch, 
will  not  be  granted  thee :  no ;  thou  shalt  not  have  so  much  as  the 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


89 


relief  and  comfort  of  dying,  nor  escape  the  vengeance  of  God  by 
annihilation ;  but  his  power  will  for  ever  so  support  thee,  as  for 
ever  to  torment  thee ;  which  is  only  such  a  support  as  a  man  re- 
ceives on  the  rack  or  on  the  wheel ;  supported,  so  as  they  cannot 
come  off:  the  very  engine  of  their  torture  upholds  them.  And,  as 
for  any  help  or  relief  which  the  Ministry  of  Angels  will  afford  thee, 
think  what  solace  it  will  bring  thee,  when  God  shall  set  on  whole 
legions  of  infernal  ghosts,  black  and  hideous  spirits,  as  the  execu- 
tioners of  his  wrath ;  who  shall  for  ever  triumph  in  thy  woes  and 
add  to  them,  hurl  firebrands  at  thee,  heap  fuel  about  thee,  and  fully 
satiate  their  malice  upon  thee,  as  God  satisfies  his  justice. 

And  this  is  one  consideration  of  the  dreadfulness  of  this  ven- 
geance :  in  that  it  aims  at  and  exacts  satisfaction  for  sin,  which 
will  be  infinitely  intolerable  ;  because  our  sins  are  infinite,  both  in 
number  and  heinousness ;  and  because  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  to 
satisfy  not  for  his  own  but  for  the  sins  of  others,  though  he  were 
upheld  by  the  divine  nature  and  possibly  underwent  not  such  acri- 
mony of  wrath  as  the  damned  do,  yet  his  sufferings  were  unspeak- 
able and  unknown  sorrows  :  and  how  much  sorer  then  shall  wicked 
men  bear  for  their  own  sins,  when  justice  shall  come  to  reckon  with 
them,  and  to  exact  from  them  to  the  very  utmost  farthing  of  all 
that  they  owe ! 

[2]  Consider,  that  Eevenging- "Wrath  stirs  up  all  that  is  in  God 
against  a  sinner. 

Wrath,  when  it  is  whet  and  set  on  by  revenge,  redoubless  a  man's 
force  ;  and  makes  him  perform  things,  that  he  could  not  do  in  his 
cold  blood  :  it  fires  all  a  man's  spirits ;  and  calls  them  forth  to  ex- 
press their  utmost  efforts.  So,  this  Eevenging  Wrath  of  God  draws 
forth  all  the  force  and  activity  of  his  attributes,  and  sets  them 
against  a  sinner :  and  how  dreadful  then  must  that  execution  needs 
be !  We  see  what  great  works  God  can  perform,  when  he  is  not 
stirred  up  thereunto  by  his  wrath  and  indignation  :  he  speaks  a 
whole  world  into  being,  and  speaks  it  with  a  cold  and  calm  breath  i 
certainly,  it  was  no  small  piece  of  work,  to  spread  out  the  heavens 
and  lay  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  and  to  work  all  those  wonders 
of  creation  and  providence  which  we  daily  behold ;  but,  yet,  all 
these  things  God  did,  if  I  may  so  speak,  without  any  emotion.  But, 
when  he  comes  to  take  vengeance  upon  sinners,  he  is  then  en  flamed  : 
all,  that  is  in  God,  is,  as  it  were,  on  fire  :  Jealousy,  says  Solomon,  is 
the  rage  of  a  man,  Prov.  vi.  34:  now,  when  God's  jealousy  shall  be 
stirred  in  him,  think  how  impetuously  it  will  break  forth  in  the 
fearful  effects  of  it :  Isa.  xlii.  13  ;  The  Lord  shall  stir  up  jealousy  like 


90 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIX. 


a  mem  of  war :  lie  shall  cry ;  yea,  roar :  he  shall  prevail  against  his  ene- 
mies. If  the  calm  and  sedate  works  of  God  are  so  great  and  won- 
derful, how  great  then  will  his  vengeance  be ;  when  anger,  fury, 
and  indignation  shall  excite  and  whet  his  power  to  show  the  very 
utmost  of  what  it  can  do  I  and,  therefore,  though  God  had  inflicted 
dreadful  plagues  upon  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  and  had  shown 
mighty  effects  of  his  power  and  vengeance,  yet  we  find  that  the 
Church  blesseth  him,  that  he  turned  away  his  anger,  and  did  not  stir 
up  all  his  wrath:  Ps.  Ixxviii.  38.  But,  in  hell,  God  stirs  up  all  his 
wrath  :  every  thing  is  set  and  bent  against  the  damned  :  and  as,  to 
the  saints  in  heaven,  every  attribute  of  God  concurs  to  make  him 
merciful  and  gracious  to  them ;  so,  to  the  wicked  in  hell,  all  the 
perfections  of  God  conspire  either  to  stir  up  and  kindle  his  wrath, 
or  else  to  assist  him  in  the  execution  of  it  upon  them :  the  infinite 
"Wisdom  of  God  contrives  their  punishments ;  and  which  way  to 
lay  them  on,  so  that  they  shall  be  most  sharp  and  poignant :  the 
Power  of  God  rouses  itself  against  them ;  and  proffers  all  its  suc- 
cours and  assistance  unto  vengeance :  the  Eternity  and  Unchange- 
ableness  of  God  come  in  as  a  dreadful  addition  ;  and  make  that 
wrath,  which  of  itself  is  unsupportable,  to  be  also  everlasting  :  yea, 
that  sweet  and  mild  attribute  of  God,  his  Mercy,  the  only  refuge 
and  the  only  comfort  of  miserable  mankind,  yet  even  this  turns 
against  them  too  ;  and  because  they  despised  it  when  it  shone  forth 
in  patience  and  forbearance,  will  not  now  regard  them  when  they 
stand  in  need  of  its  rescue  and  deliverance  :  so  that  all,  that  is  in 
God,  arms  itself  to  take  vengeance  on  sinners.  And  oh,  think  how 
sore  and  fearful  that  vengeance  will  be,  when  God  shall  put  forth 
all  that  is  in  himself  for  the  executing  of  his  wrath  upon  impeni- 
tent sinners ! 

And  thus  I  have  done  with  the  Demonstrations  of  the  Dreadful-  - 
ness  of  God's  AVrath  taken  from  the  Words  in  the  Text,  Vengeance 
is  mine,  I  will  recompense  it.    It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Living  God. 

ii.  Let  us  now  consider  SOME  OTHER  DEMONSTRATIONS  OF  THE 
GREATNESS  OF  THIS  WRATH.  And, 

1.  It  appears  to  be  exceeding  dreadful,  in  that  it  is  set  forth  to  us 
in  Scripture  by  all  those  things,  which  are  most  terrible  to  human  nature. 

God  maketh  use  of  many  metaphorical  expressions  of  things  most 
grievous  to  our  senses,  that  from  them  we  may  take  a  hint  to  con- 
ceive how  intolerable  his  wrath  is  in  itself. 

It  is  called  a  prison:  1  Peter  iii.  19,  where  mention  is  made  of 
the  spirits  in  prison :  that  is,  the  souls  of  those  men,  to  whom  the 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  91 

Spirit  of  Christ  in  Noah  went,  and  preached  in  the  days  of  their 
mortal  life;  but  which,  for  their  disobedience,  are  shut  up  under 
the  wrath  of  God  in  hell.  And,  certainly,  hell  is  a  prison,  large 
enough  to  hold  all  the  world :  Ps.  ix.  17  ;  The  wicked  shall  be  turned 
into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.  A  prison  it  is,  where 
the  Devil  and  wicked  Spirits  are  shackled  with  chains  of  massy 
and  substantial  darkness :  2  Peter  ii.  4,  they  are,  says  the  Apostle, 
reserved  in  chains  of  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 
And  they  are  there  kept  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness  ;  there 
being  not  one  cranny  in  this  great  prison,  to  let  in  the  least  ray  or 
glimpse  of  light. 

It  is  called  a  place  of  torment :  Luke  xvi.  28.  It  is  a  region  of 
woe  and  misery :  wherein  horror,  despair,  and  torture  for  ever  dwell ; 
and  are  in  their  most  proper  seat  and  habitation. 

It  is  called,  a  drowning  of  men  in  destruction  and  perdition : 
1  Tim.  vi.  9.  One  would  think,  that,  to  be  drowned,  might  signify 
death  enough  of  itself;  but,  to  be  drowned  in  perdition  and  destruc- 
tion, signifies  moreover  the  fatalness  and  the  depth  of  that  death, 
into  which  they  are  plunged. 

It  is  called,  a  being  cast,  bound  hand  and  foot,  into  outer  darkness : 
Matt.  xxii.  13  :  a  being  thrown  into  a  furnace  of  fire,  to  be  burnt 
alive :  Matt.  xiii.  42,  50. 

It  is  called  a  lake  of  fire:  Rev.  xx.  15,  into  which  wicked  men 
shall  be  plunged  all  over  ;  where  they  shall  lie  wallowing  and  roll- 
ing among  millions  of  damned  spirits,  in  those  infernal  flames.  And 
this  lake  is  continually  fed  with  a  sulphurous  stream  of  brimstone : 
Rev.  xix.  20.  And  this  fire  and  brimstone  is  that,  which  never 
shall  be  quenched :  Matt.  iii.  12  ;  He  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with 
unquenchable  fire. 

And,  lastly,  to  name  no  more,  it  is  called  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  Devil  and  his  angels:  Matt.  xxv.  41.  And  now  we  are  arrived 
at  the  highest  pitch  of  what  sense  can  feel,  or  imagination  conceive. 

Or,  if  it  be  possible,  that,  in  your  deepest  thoughts,  you  can  con- 
ceive any  thing  more  dreadful  than  this,  you  may  call  it  a  sea  of 
molten  brimstone,  set  all  on  fire,  and  continually  spewing  out  sooty 
dark  flames :  wherein  endless  multitudes  of  sinful  wretches  must 
lie  tumbling  to  all  eternity  ;  burned  up  with  the  fierceness  of  a 
tormenting  and  devouring  fire ;  scourged  with  scorpions ;  stung  with 
fiery  serpents ;  howling  and  roaring  incessantly,  and  none  to  pity, 
much  less  to  relieve  and  help  them;  grinding  and  gnashing  their 
teeth,  through  the  extremity  of  their  anguish  and  torture. 

If  now  you  can  fancy  any  thing  more  terrible  and  dreadful  than 


I 


92  DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 

this,  hell  is  that ;  yea,  and  much  more  :  for  these  things  are  meta- 
phorical ;  and,  though  I  cannot  deny  but  some  of  these  may  be  pro- 
perly and  literally  true,  yet  the  literal  sense  of  these  metaphors 
does  but  faintly  and  weakly  show  us,  what  is  the  least  part  of  those 
everlasting  torments. 

2.  Another  Demonstration  of  the  Dreadfulness  of  this  Vengeance 
is  this,  that  it  is  a  Wrath,  that  shall  come  up  unto  and  equal  all  our 
Fears. 

You  know  what  an  inventive  and  ingenious  thing  fear  is :  what 
horrid  shapes  it  can  fancy  to  itself,  out  of  every  thing.  Put  but  an 
active  fancy  into  an  affright,  and  presently  the  whole  world  will  be 
filled  with  strange  monsters 'and  hideous  apparitions.  The  very 
shaking  of  a  leaf  will  sometimes  rout  all  the  forces  and  resolutions 
of  men.  And,  usually,  it  is  this  wild  passion,  that  doth  enhance 
all  other  dangers  ;  and  makes  them  seem  greater  and  more  dreadful, 
Shan  indeed  they  are. 

But,  now,  here,  it  is  impossible  for  a  wicked  man  to  fear  more, 
than  he  shall  certainly  suffer.  Let  his  imaginations  be  hung  round 
with  all  the  dismal  shapes,  that  ever  frighted  men  out  of  their  wits ; 
let  his  fancy  dip  its  pencil  in  the  deepest  melancholy,  that  ever  any 
soul  was  besmeared  with,  and  then  strive  to  pourtray  and  express 
the  most  terrible  things,  that  it  can  judge  to  be  the  objects  of  fear, 
or  the  instruments  of  torment :  yet  the  wrath  of  the  Great  God 
vastly  exceeds  all,  that  fear  itself  can  possibly  represent. 

See  that  strange  expression,  Ps.  xc.  11 ;  Who  knoweth  the  power 
of  thine  anger  ?  even  according  to  thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath:  that  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  fear  men  have  of  thee,  as  dreadful  and  as  terrible  as 
they  can  possibly  apprehend  thy  wrath  to  be,  so  it  is,  and  much 
more.  Let  the  heart  of  man  stretch  itself  to  the  utmost  bounds  of 
imagination,  and  call  in  to  its  aid  all  the  things  that  ever  it  hath 
heard  or  seen  to  be  dreadful ;  let  it  (as  that  painter,  who,  to  make 
a  beautiful  piece,  borrowed  several  of  the  best  features  from  several 
beautiful  persons)  borrow  all  the  dreadful,  all  the  direful  representa- 
tions, that  ever  it  met  with,  to  make  up  one  most  terrible  idea :  yet 
the  wrath  of  God  shall  still  exceed  it.  He  can  execute  more  wrath 
upon  us,  than  we  can  fear. 

Some  wicked  men,  in  this  life,  have  had  a  spark  of  this  wrath  of 
God  fall  upon  their  consciences ;  when  they  lay  roaring  out,  under 
despair,  and  fearful  expectations  of  the  fiery  indignation  of  God  to 
consume  and  devour  them.  But,  alas  !  this  is  nothing,  to  what  they 
shall  hereafter  feel.  God  now  doth  but  open  to  them  a  small  chink 
and  crevice  into  hell :  he  now  doth  but  suffer  a  few  small  drops  of 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  93 

his  wrath  to  fall  upon  them.  And,  if  this  be  so  sore  and  smart, 
that  their  fears  could  never  think  of  any  thing  more  dreadful  than 
what  they  now  suffer ;  oh,  what  will  it  be  then,  when  he  shall  over- 
whelm them  with  a  whole  deluge  of  his  wrath,  and  cause  all  his  waves 
to  go  over  them  ?  Fear  him,  says  our  Saviour,  which  is  able  to  de- 
stroy both  soul  and  body  in  hell:  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him:  Matt, 
x.  28.  Luke  xii.  5.  And,  yet,  when  we  have  feared  according  to 
the  utmost  extent  of  our  narrow  hearts ;  still,  his  infinite  power  and 
wrath  is  infinitely  more  fearful  than  we  can  fear  it. 

3.  Consider  the  principal  and  immediate  subject  of  this  wrath  of 
God;  and,  that  is,  the  Soul. 

And  this  adds  much  to  the  dreadfulness  of  it.  The  acutest  tor- 
ments, that  the  body  is  capable  of,  are  but  dull  and  fiat  things,  in 
comparison  of  what  the  soul  can  feel.  Now  when  God  shall  im- 
mediately, with  his  own  hand,  lash  the  soul,  that  refined  and  spir- 
itual part  of  man,  the  principle  of  all  life  and  sensation ;  and  shall 
draw  blood  from  it  at  every  stripe ;  how  intolerable  may  we  con- 
ceive those  pains  and  tortures  to  be !  To  shoot  poisoned  darts  into 
a  man's  marrow,  to  rip  up  his  bowels  with  a  sword  red  hot ;  all 
this  is  as  nothing  to  it.  Think  what  it  is,  to  have  a  drop  of  scald- 
ing oil  or  melted  lead  fall  upon  the  apple  of  your  eyes,  that  should 
make  them  boil  and  burn  till  they  fall  out  of  your  heads :  such 
torment,  nay  infinitely  more  than  such,  is  it,  to  have  the  burning 
wrath  of  God  fall  upon  the  soul.  We  find  that  spirits,  which  aro 
infinitely  inferior  unto  God,  can  make  strange  impressions  upon  the 
souls  of  men :  and  shall  not  the  Great  God,  much  more,  who  is 
the  Father  of  Spirits  ?  yes :  he  can  torture  them  by  his  essential 
wrath.  And  that  God,  who,  as  the  prophet  Nahum  speaks,  (ch.  i. 
5,  6,)  can  melt  mountains,  and  make  hills  and  rocks  flow  down  at 
his  presence,  can  melt  the  souls  of  the  damned,  like  lumps  of  wax : 
for,  in  his  displeasure,  he  doth  sometimes  do  it  to  the  best  of  men, 
even  in  this  life :  Ps.  xxii.  14,  My  heart  is  melted  like  wax  in  the 
midst  of  my  bowels. 

4.  The  Dreadfulness  of  this  Wrath  of  God  may  be  demonstrated 
by  this,  that  the  punishment  of  the  damned,  is  reserved  by  God  as  his 
Last  Work. 

It  is  a  work,  which  he  will  set  himself  about,  when  all  the  rest 
of  his  works  are  done.  When  he  hath  folded  up  the  world,  and 
laid  it  aside  as  a  thing  of  no  further  use  ;  then  will  God  set  him- 
self to  this  great  work,  and  pour  out  all  the  treasures  of  his  wrath 
upon  damned  wretches :  as  if  God  would  so  wholly  mind  this  busi- 
ness, that  he  would  lay  all  other  affairs  aside,  that  he  might  be  in- 


94 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


tent  only  upon  this,  having  no  other  thing  to  interrupt  him.  Think, 
then,  how  full  of  dread  and  terror  this  must  needs  be,  when  God 
will,  as  it  were,  employ  all  his  eternity  about  this ;  and  have  no 
other  thing  to  take  him  off,  from  doing  it  with  all  his  might. 

God  hath  reserved  two  works,  and  but  two,  for  the  other  world : 
one,  is  the  Salvation  of  the  Elect ;  and,  the  other  is,  the  Damnation 
of  Reprobates. 

Now  it  is  remarkable,  that  God's  last  works  do  always  exceed 
his  former.  And,  therefore,  we  find  in  the  Creation  of  the  World, 
God  still  proceeded  on,  from  more  imperfect  kinds  of  creatures,  to 
those,  that  were  more  perfect ;  until  he  had  fully  built  and  finished, 
yea  carved  and  as  it  were  painted  this  great  house  of  the  universe: 
and,  then,  he  brings  man  into  it,  as  his  last  work ;  as  the  crown 
and  perfection  of  the  rest.  So  God  likewise  acted,  in  the  manner 
of  Revealing  his  Will  unto  mankind :  first,  he  spake  to  them  by 
dreams  and  visions ;  but,  in  the  last  days,  as  the  Apostle  expresseth 
it,  he  hath  spoken  unto  us  hy  his  Son.  So,  also,  in  the  Dispensation 
of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  and  Exhibition  of  the  Messiah :  first,  he 
he  was  made  known  only  by  promise  to  the  fathers  ;  then,  in  types 
and  obscure  resemblances  to  the  Jews :  but,  in  the  latter  days,  him- 
self came  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  wrought 
out  a  complete  redemption  for  us.  So,  usually,  the  last  works  of 
God  are  more  complete,  perfect  and  excellent  than  the  former. 

Now  God's  punishing- work  is  his  last  work ;  and,  therefore,  it 
shall  exceed  in  greatness  all  that  ever  went  before  it.  In  his  first 
work,  the  creation  of  the  world,  he  demonstrated  his  infinite  power, 
wisdom,  and  godhead ;  but,  in  the  destruction  of  sinners,  which  is 
his  last  work,  he  will  manifest  more  of  power  and  wisdom,  than  he 
did  in  his  creating  them  :  and  how  fearful  a  destruction  then  must 
this  needs  be  I 

God  hath  variety  of  works,  that  he  is  carrying  on  in  this  world ; 
and,  if  his  glory  doth  not  perfectly  appear  in  one,  he  may  manifest 
it  in  another.  But,  when  he  shall  confine  himself  only  to  two,  as 
he  will  in  the  world  to  come,  the  saving  of  the  godly  and  the 
damning  of  the  wicked,  and  this  without  any  variety  or  change ; 
certainly,  then  these  shall  be  performed  to  the  very  utmost  of  what 
God  can  do :  for,  as  he  will  save  the  saints  to  the  very  utmost ;  so, 
likewise,  will  he  damn  and  destroy  sinners  to  the  very  utmost. 

5.  Another  Demonstration  of  the  Dreadfulness  of  this  Wrath 
shall  be  drawn  from  this  consideration,  that  God  will  for  ever  inflict 
it  for  the  Glorifying  of  his  Power  on  the  damned. 

Rom.  ix.  22.  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to  make 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


95 


his  power  known:  and,  2  Thess.  i.  9.  They  shall  he  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power. 

Now,  certainly,  if  God  will  inflict  eternal  punishments  upon  them 
to  show  forth  his  power,  their  punishments  must  needs  be  infinitely 
great.  For, 

(1)  All  those  works,  wherein  God  shows  forth  his  power,  are  great 
and  stupendous. 

Consider  what  power  it  was,  for  God  to  lay  the  beams  of  the 
world,  and  to  erect  so  stately  a  fabric  as  heaven  and  earth.  The 
Apostle  therefore  tells  us,  that  by  the,  creation  of  the  world,  is  under- 
stood the  eternal  power  of  God  :  Rom.  i.  20.  When  God  showed  his 
power  in  creating,  oh  what  a  great  and  stupendous  work  did  he 
produce !  and,  therefore,  certainly,  when  God  shall  likewise  show 
his  power  in  destroying,  the  punishments  he  will  inflict  will  be 
wonderful  and  stupendous. 

(2)  Consider,  God  can  easily  destroy  a  creature  without  showing 
any  great  power ;  or  putting  forth  his  almighty  arm  and  strength 
to  do  it. 

If  he  only  withdraw  his  power,  by  which  he  upholds  all  tilings 
in  their  beings,  we  should  quickly  fall  all  abroad  into  nothing  :  so 
easy  is  it  for  God  to  destroy  the  well-being  of  all  his  creatures. 
But,  if  God  will  express  the  greatness  and  infiniteness  of  his  power 
in  destroying  sinners,  whom  yet  he  can  destroy  without  putting 
forth  his  power,  yea  only  by  withdrawing  and  withholding  it ;  oh 
how  fearful  must  this  destruction  needs  be  !  Alas,  we  are  crushed 
before  the  moth  ;  and  must  needs  perish,  if  God  do  but  suspend  the 
influence  of  his  power  from  us;  how  dreadfully  then  will  lie  de- 
stroy, when  he  shall  lay  forth  his  infinite  power  to  do  it,  who  can 
easily  do  it  without  power  ! 

And  thus  I  have  laid  down  some  Demonstrations  of  the  Dread- 
fulness  of  the  Wrath  and  Vengeanee  of  God  ;  five  of  them  drawn 
from  Words  of  the  Text,  and  five  drawn  from  Other  Considerations. 

III.  I  shall  now  shut  up,  with  two  or  three  words  of  APPLICA- 
TION. 

i.  Be  persuaded  to  believe,  that  there  is  a  dreadful  wrath 

TO  COME. 

I  know  well,  you  all  profess  that  you  believe,  that,  as  there  are 
inconceivable  rewards  of  glory  reserved  in  heaven  for  the  saints,  so 
there  are  inexhaustible  treasures  of  wrath  reserved  and  laid  up  in  hell 
for  all  ungodly  and  impenitent  sinners :  but,  oh,  how  few  are  there, 
that  do  really  and  cordially  believe  these  things!  Men's  own  lives 


90 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


may  be  evident  convictions  to  themselves,  of  their  atheism  and  in- 
fidelity :  for  all  that  dissoluteness,  which  we  see  abroad  in  the  world, 
proceeds  much  from  hence,  that  men  are  not  persuaded  that  these 
dreadful  terrors  of  the  Lord  which  have  now  been  set  before  us, 
are  anything  but  an  honest  artifice.  They  look  upon  them,  as 
things  only  invented,  to  scare  the  world  into  good  order,  and  to 
awe  men  into  some  compass  of  civility  and  honesty :  they  think 
all  those  tremendous  threatenings,  that  God  hath  denounced  in 
his  Law  to  be  things  intended  rather  to  fright  men,  than  to  do  exe- 
cution upon  them.  And,  whereas  one  of  the  most  effectual  motives 
to  piety  and  a  holy  life,  is,  to  be  persuaded  of  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord ;  these  are  not  yet  persuaded,  that  there  any  such  terrors.  But, 
assure  yourselves,  these  are  not  the  extravagant  dreams  of  melan- 
choly fancies,  nor  the  politic  impostures  of  men  that  design  to 
amuse  the  world  with  frightful  stories ;  but  they  are  sad  and  seri- 
ous truths :  such,  as,  however  you  may  now  slight  and  contemn 
them,  yet  shall  you  be  woefully  convinced  of  by  your  own  experi- 
ence ;  when,  after  a  few  years,  or  possibly  a  few  days,  you  shall  be 
sunk  down  into  that  place  of  torment,  that  gulph  and  abyss  of  misery, 
where  the  Great  God  shall  for  ever  express  the  art  and  the  power 
of  his  vengeance,  in  your  everlasting  destruction. 

ii.  This  speaks  abundance  of  comfort  to  all  those,  whose 

SINS  ARE  PARDONED,  AND  WHO  ARE  DELIVERED  FROM  THE  WRATH 
TO  COME. 

Look  what  spring-tides  of  joy  would  rise  in  the  heart  of  a  poor 
condemned  malefactor,  who  every  moment  expects  the  stroke  of 
justice  to  cut  him  off,  to  have  a  pardon  interpose  and  rescue  him 
from  death  ;  such,  yea  far  greater,  should  be  thy  joy,  who  art  freed 
merely  by  a  gracious  pardon,  from  a  condemnation  infinitely  greater 
and  worse  than  death  itself.  When  we  look  into  hell,  and  consider 
the  wrath  that  the  damned  there  lie  under,  oh,  to  behold  them  there 
restlessly  rolling  to  and  fro  in  chains  and  flames  ;  to  hear  them  ex- 
claim against  their  own  folly  and  madness,  and  to  curse  themselves 
and  their  associates  as  the  causes  of  their  heavy  and  doleful  torments; 
how  should  we  rejoice,  that,  though  we  have  been  guilty  of  many 
great  and  heinous  sins,  and  have  ten  thousand  times  deserved  hell 
and  everlasting  burnings,  yet  our  good  and  gracious  God  hath  freely  ■ 
pardoned  us  our  debts,  and  freed  us  from  the  same  merited  pun- 
ishments. 

iii.  This  also  should  excite  us  to  magnify  the  love  of  our 

LORD  JESUS  CHRIST  TOWARDS  US. 

"Who,  though  he  knew  what  the  dreadful  wrath  of  God  was,  how 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


97 


sore  and  heavy  it  would  lie  upon  his  soul :  yet,  such  was  his  infi- 
nite compassion  towards  us,  that  he  willingly  submitted  himself  to 
be  in  our  stead ;  took  upon  him  our  nature,  that  he  might  take 
upon  him  our  guilt ;  and  first  made  himself  wretched,  that  he  might 
be  made  accursed.  He  drank  off  the  whole  bitter  cup  of  his  Fa- 
ther's wrath,  at  one  bitter  draught ;  received  the  whole  sting  of 
death  into  his  "body,  at  once;  fell  and  died  under  the  revenges  of 
divine  justice,  only  that  we  might  be  delivered  from  the  wrath  that 
we  had  deserved,  but  could  not  bear.  0  Christian,  let  thy  heart  be 
enlarged  with  great  love  and  thankfulness  to  thy  Blessed  Redeem- 
er :  and,  as  he  thought  nothing  too  much  to  suffer  for  thee,  return 
him  this  expression  of  thy  thankfulness,  to  think  nothing  too  much 
nor  too  hard  to  do  or  to  suffer  for  him. 

iv.  YOU,  THAT  GO  ON  IN  SIN,  CONSIDER  WHAT  A  GOD  YOU  HAVE 
TO  DEAL  WITHAL. 

You  have  not  to  do  with  creatures,  but  with  God  himself.  And 
do  you  not  fear  that  uncreated  fire,  that  will  wrap  you  up  in  flames 
of  his  essential  wrath,  and  burn  you  for  ever  ?  Consider  that  dread- 
ful expostulation,  that  God  makes,  Ezek.  xxii.  14;  Can  thy  heart 
endure,  or  can  thy  hands  he  strong,  in  the  days  that  I  shall  deal  with 
thee,  saith  the  Lord  ?  The  very  weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than 
man.  God  can  breathe,  he  can  look  a  man  to  death :  Job  iv.  9; 
By  the  blast  of  God  they  perish,  and  by  the  breath  of  his  nostrils  are 
they  consumed.  TTiey  perish  at  the  rebuke  of  thy  countenance:  Ps.  Ixxx. 
16.  Oh,  then,  tremble  to  think  what  a  load  of  wrath  his  heavy 
hand  can  lay  upon  thee  :  that  hand,  which  spans  the  heavens  ;  and, 
in  the  hollow  of  which,  he  holds  the  sea :  Isa.  xl.  12.  What  pun- 
ishment will  this  great  hand  of  God,  in  which  his  great  strength  lies, 
inflict,  when  it  shall  fall  upon  thee  in  the  full  power  of  its  might ! 
And  tell  me  now,  O  Sinner,  wouldst  thou  willingly  fall  into  the 
hands  of  this  God,  who  is  thus  able  to  crush  thee  to  pieces,  yea  to 
nothing?  Oh,  how  shall  any  of  us  then  dare,  who  are  but  poor  weak 
potsherds  of  the  earth,  to  dash  ourselves  against  this  Rock  of  Ages? 
Indeed,  we  can  neither  resist  his  power,  nor  escape  his  hand  :  and, 
therefore,  since  we  must  necessarily  sooner  or  later  fall  into  the 
hands  of  God,  let  us,  by  true  repentance  and  an  humble  acknow^ 
ledgment  of  our  sins  and  vileness,  throw  ourselves  into  his  merci- 
ful hands ;  and,  then,  to  our  unspeakable  comfort,  we  shall  find  that 
he  will  extend  his  arm  of  mercy  to  support  us  and  not  his  hand  of 
justice  to  crush  and  break  us. 

Vol.  ii. — 7 


93 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


VI. 

OF    PARDON    AND    FORGIVENESS    OF  SIN. 

I,  even  I,  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  oivn 
sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins.    Isaiah  xliii.  25. 

In  the  foregoing  verses,  we  have  a  heavy  accusation  drawn  np 
against  the  people  of  the  Jews  :  in  which  they  stand  charged  both 
with  sins  of  omission  and  of  commission. 

By  the  one,  they  showed  themselves  weary  of  God ;  and,  by  the 
other,  God  became  weary  of  them. 

"  TJtou  hast  not  called  upon  me  nor  brought  me  thy  burnt-offer- 
ings, nor  honoured  me  with  thy  sacrifices  but  thou  hast  been  weary 

of  me,  0  Israel:  as  it  is  in  22d  and  23d  verses.  Thou  thoughtest 
my  commands  grievous,  and  my  service  burdensome:  and  though, 
as  thou  art  my  sworn  servant,  I  might  compel  thee  to  work ;  yet  I 
have  borne  with  thy  sloth,  and  suffered  my  work  to  lie  undone. 
I  have  not  caused  thee  to  serve  until  offerings,  nor  wearied  thee  with  in- 
cense :  as  it  is  in  the  23d  verse.  Nay,  as  if  rejecting  my  service 
had  not  been  indignity  enough,  thou  hast  even  brought  me  into  a 
kind  of  servitude  ;  even  me,  thy  Lord  and  Master :  thou  hast  wea- 
ried my  patience ;  thou  hast  loaded  my  omnipotency :  Thou  hast 
made  me  serve  with  thy  sins;  thou  hast  wearied  me  with  thine  in- 
iquities:" verse  24. 

And  what  could  we  now,  in  reason,  expect  should  be  the  close 
of  so  heavy  an  accusation,  but  only  as  heavy  a  doom  and  sentence? 
"  Thou  hast  brought  me  no  sacrifices:  therefore  I  will  make  thee  a 
sacrifice  to  my  wrath.  Thou  hast  not  called  upon  me;  and,  when 
thou  dost  call,  I  will  not  answer.  Thou  hast  wearied  me  with  thy 
sins:  and  I  will  weary  thee  writh  my  plagues." 

But  there  is  no  such  expected  severity  follows  hereupon :  but, 
I,  even  I,  am  he,  that  bhtteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins.  The  like  parallel  place  we  have 
concerning  Ephraim  :  Isa.  lvii.  17,  18.  He  went  on  frowardly  in  the 
way  of  his  own  heart:  "Well,  says  God,  /  have  seen  his  ways:  and, 
what !  with  the  froward,  shall  I  show  myself  froward  ?  no  :  but,  / 
have  seen  his  ways,  and  I  will  heal  him. 

Here  is  the  prerogative  of  free  grace ;  to  infer  pardon  there, 
w:here  the  guilty  themselves  can  infer  only  their  own  execution  and 
punishment.  It  is  the  guise  of  mercy,  to  make  strange  and  abrupt 
inferences  from  sin  to  pardon. 

The  words  are  a  Gracious  Proclamation  of  Forgiveness  ;  or,  an 
Act  of  Pardon  passed  on  the  Sins  of  Men:  and  contain  in  them 
Three  things. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


99 


First.  Here  is  the  Person,  tbat  gives  out  this  pardon ;  and,  that 
is,  God  :  accented  here  by  a  vehement  ingemination,  I,  even  Lam  he. 

Secondly.  Here  is  the  Pardon  itself;  which,  for  the  greater  con- 
firmation of  our  faith  and  hope,  is  redoubled :  I,  even  I,  am  he,  that 
blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins. 

Thirdly.  Here  are  the  Motives,  or  the  impulsive  cause,  that  pre- 
vailed with  God,  thus  to  proclaim  pardon  unto  guilty  malefactors ; 
and,  that  is,  for  his  own  sake.  /  am  he,  that  bhtteth  out  thy  trans- 
gressions, for  mine  own  sake. 

First.  As  for  the  First  particular,  /,  even  L,  am  Jie  ;  we  may  ob- 
serve, That  God  seems  more  to  triumph  in  the  glory  of  his  par- 
doning grace  and  mercy,  that  he  doth  in  any  other  of  his  attributes. 

I,  even  I,  am  he.  Such  a  stately  preface  must  needs  usher  in 
somewhat,  wherein  God  and  his  honour  is  much  advanced.  Is  it 
therefore,  "  I  am  he,  that  spread  forth  the  heavens,  and  marshalled 
all  their  host ;  that  hung  up  the  earth  in  the  midst  of  the  air ;  that 
breathed  forth  all  the  creatures  upon  the  face  of  it ;  that  poured 
out  the  great  deeps,  and  measured  them  all  in  the  hollow  of  my 
hand ;  that  ride  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  and  make  the  clouds 
the  dust  of  my  feet  ?"  This,  though  it  might  awe  and  amaze  the 
hearts  of  men,  yet  God  counts  it  not  his  chiefest  glory ;  but,  I,  even 
I,  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  transgressions,  and  forgiveth  iniquities. 

So  we  find,  when  God  condescends  to  show  Moses  his  glory,  he 
proclaims,  not  the  Lord,  great  and  terrible,  that  formed  all  things 
by  the  word  of'his  mouth,  and  can  destroy  all  things  by  the  breath 
of  his  nostrils :  no ;  but  he  passeth  before  him  with  a  still  voice, 
and  proclaims  himself  to  be,  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth.....forgiv- 
ing  iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin. 

So  that,  when  God  would  be  seen  in  his  chiefest  state  and  glory, 
he  reveals  himself  to  be  a  sin-pardoning  God  ;  T,  even  I,  am  lie,  that 
blotteth  out  thy  transgressions. ...and  will  not  remember  thy  sins. 

Secondly.  As  for  the  Pardon  itself,  that  is  expressed  in  two  things: 
T  am  he,  that  blotteth  out....and  will  not  remember. 

Blotting  out  implies, 

First.  That  our  transgressions  are  written  down. 

And,  written  they  are,  in  a  twofold  book  :  the  one,  is  in  the  Book 
of  God's  Remembrance  ;  which  he  blots  out,  when  he  justifies  a  sin- 
ner :  the  other,  is  the  Book  of  our  own  Consciences  ;  which  he  blots 
out,  when  he  gives  us  peace  and  assurance.  And,  oftentimes,  these 
follow  one  upon  the  other  :  when  God  blots  his  Remembrance-Book 
in  heaven,  that  blot  diffuseth  and  spreadeth  itself  even  to  the  Book 


100 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


of  Conscience,  and  blots  out  all  that  is  written  there  also.  Man 
blots  bis  conscience  by  committing  sin,  but  God  blots  it  by  pardon- 
ing it :  he  lays  a  blot  of  Christ's  blood  upon  a  blot  of  our  guilt ;  and 
this  is  such  a  blot,  as  leaves  the  conscience  of  a  sinner  purer  and 
cleaner  than  it  found  it. 

Secondly.  Blotting  out  of  transgression  implies  a  legal  discharge 
of  the  debt. 

A  book,  that  is  once  blotted  and  crossed,  stands  void  in  law : 
whatever  the  sum  and  debts  were  before,  yet  the  crossing  of  the 
book  signifies  the  payment  of  the  debt.  So  is  it  here :  /will  blot 
out  thy  transgressions ;  that  is,  "I  will  acquit  thee  of  all  thy  debts :  I 
will  never  charge  them  upon  thee :  I  will  dash  them  all  out :  I  will 
not  leave  so  much  as  one  item,  not  one  sin  legible  against  thee." 
This  is  the  proper  meaning  of  this  expression  and  notion,  of  blot- 
ting out  transgression  and  sin. 

And  this  is  one  thing,  that  pardon  of  sin  is  expressed  by. 

It  follows,  in  the  next  words,  and.  I  will  not  remember  thy  sins. 
Not  that  there  is  truly  any  forgetfulness  in  God :  no  ;  his  memory 
retains  every  sin  which  we  have  committed,  surer  and  firmer  than 
if  all  our  sins  were  written  in  leaves  of  brass.  But  God  speaks 
here,  as  he  doth  elsewhere  frequently  in  Scripture,  by  a  gracious 
condescension,  and  after  the  manner  of  men  ;  and  it  is  to  be  inter- 
preted only  by  the  effects  :  I  will  not  remember  their  sins  ;  that  is, 
I  will  deal  so  mercifully  with  them,  as  if  indeed  I  did  not  remem- 
ber the  least  of  their  provocations  :  I  will  be  to  them  as  one,  that 
hath  utterly  forgotten  all  their  injuries."  So  that  this,  not  remem- 
bering of  sin,  denies  not  the  eminent  act  of  God's  knowledge,  but 
only  the  transient  act  of  his  justice ;  and  is  no  more  than  his  promis- 
ing not  to  punish  sin :  as  if  God  had  said,  "  I  will  not  be  avenged 
on  them,  nor  punish  them  for  their  sins." 

And  here  we  may  see  what  abundant  security  God  gives  his  peo- 
ple, that  they  shall  never  be  impleaded  for  those  sins,  which  once 
they  have  attained  the  pardon  of:  they  are  blotted  out  of  his  book 
of  remembrance.  And,  that  they  may  not  fear  he  will  accuse  them 
without  book,  he  tells  them,  that  they  are  utterly  forgotten ;  and 
shall  never  be  remembered  by  him,  against  them,  any  more. 

Thirdly.  Consider  the  Impulsive  Cause,  that  moves  God's  hand, 
as  it  were  to  blot  out  our  transgressions :  and,  that  is,  not  any  thing 
without  himself,  but,  says  God,  I  will  do  it  for  mine  own  sake. 

This  admits  of  a  twofold  sense,  efficient  and  final. 

First.  For  mine  own  sake :  that  is,  because  it  is  my  pleasure :  I 
will  do  it,  because  I  will  do  it. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


101 


And,  indeed,  this  is  the  royal  prerogative  of  God  alone,  to  render 
his  will  for  his  reason :  for,  because  his  will  is  altogether  sovereign 
and  independent,  that  must  needs  be  most  reasonable,  that  he  wills. 
If  any  should  question,  why  the  Lord  passed  by  fallen  angels,  and 
stooped  so  low  as  to  take  up  fallen  man ;  and,  why,  among  men,  he 
hath  rejected  many  wise  and  noble,  and  hath  chosen  those  that  are 
mean  and  contemptible  ;  why  he  hath  gathered  up  and  lodged  in 
his  own  bosom  those,  that  wallowed  in  the  filth  and  defilement  of 
the  worst  sins,  when  others  are  left  to  perish  under  far  less  guilt : 
the  most  reasonable  answer,  that  can  be  given  to  all,  is  this,  "  I 
have  done  it,  for  my  own  sake  :  I  have  done  it,  because  it  is  my  will 
and  pleasure  to  do  it :  even  the  same  reason,  that  God  gave  unto 
Moses  :  /  will  he  gracious,  because  /  will  be  gracious  ;  and  I  will  shew 
mercy,  because  I  will  shew  mercy :  Exod.  xxxiii.  19  ;  which  was  the 
same  answer,  that  our  Saviour  gave  to  himself:  Luke  x.  21 ;  Even 
so,  Father  ;  because  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight. 

/Secondly.  For  mine  own  sake:  we  may  take  in  a  final  sense :  that 
is,  "  I  will  do  it,  because  of  that  great  honour  and  glory,  that  will 
accrue  to  my  great  name  by  it." 

The  ultimate  and  chief  end  of  God  in  all  his  actions,  is  his  own 
glory.  God  bestows  pardon  and  salvation  upon  us,  chiefly  for  the 
manifestation  of  bis  own  glory ;  even  the  glory  of  his  mercy  and 
free  grace.  Our  salvation  is  therefore  accomplished,  that  it  might 
be  a  means  to  declare  to  the  world  how  merciful  and  gracious  God 
is  :  not  so  much  for  our  good,  as  for  his  glory  ;  not  for  our  sakes, 
but  for  his  own  sake.  Such  a  parallel  place  we  have  in  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  22,  "  I  do  not  this  for  your  sakes,  saith  the  Lord,  but  for  my 
holy  name's  sake,  which  ye  have  profaned  among  the  heathen.  I  will 
show  mercy  unto  you ;  not  so  much  that  you  may  be  delivered,  as 
that  my  holy  name,  that  you  have  profaned,  may  be  redeemed  from 
that  dishonour,  that  you  have  cast  upon  it,  and  may  be  glorified 
among  the  heathen." 

And,  thus,  we  have  the  full  interpretation  of  the  words ;  and,  from 
them,  I  shall  raise  and  prosecute  this  Observation. 

Doctrine.    That  the  grace  of  god,  whereby  he  blots  out  and 

FORGIVES  SIN,  IS  ABSOLUTELY  FREE  AND  INFINITELY  GLORIOUS. 

I,  even  I,  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins. 

I.  Though  this  doctrine  of  FREE  GRACE  hath  deserved  well 
of  all ;  as  being  the  best  tenure  of  our  present  enjoyment,  and  the 
best  prop  for  our  future  hopes :  yet  hath  it,  in  all  ages,  found  bitter 
enemies  ;  and,  of  old,  like  the  procurer  of  it,  been  crucified  between 
two  thieves,  the  Gnostics  and  the  Pelagian  Heretics. 


102 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


The  Pelagians  deprive  it  of  its  freedom,  and  enslave  it  to  the 
will  of  man ;  affirming,  that  God  therefore  pardons  and  saves  some, 
because  they  will,  by  the  power  of  their  own  nature,  work  faith  in 
themselves :  whereas,  the  truth  is,  therefore  God  works  faith  in 
them,  because  he  we  will  pardon  and  save  them.  Thus  they  make 
Free  Grace  a  handmaid,  to  wait  upon  the  motions  of  Free  Will. 
Now  this  is  greatly  derogatory  to  Free  Grace,  for  men  to  bottom 
their  faith  and  pardon  upon  the  arbitrariness  of  Free  Will ;  and 
not  upon  the  almighty  sovereign  grace  of  God,  that  first  moves  the 
will  to  believe,  and  then  pardons  it  upon  believing. 

As  these  depress  the  Free  Grace  of  God ;  so  there  are  others,  that 
ascribe  too  much  unto  it :  of  old,  Islebius,  in  Luther's  time  ;  who 
was  the  first  ringleader :  of  latter  days,  the  Antinomians.  And 
these  think  the  grace  of  God  is  so  free,  as  to  supersede  all  necessity 
of  working,  for  it  or  with  it ;  and  that  it  is  enough  for  us  to  sit  still 
and  admire  it,  and  so  to  be  hurried  away  to  heaven  in  a  dream. 
Nay,  some,  even  in  our  days,  have,  upon  this  principal,  arrived  to 
that  height  of  blasphemy,  as  to  affirm,  that  we  never  so  much  glorify 
Free  Grace,  as  when  we  make  work  for  it  by  stout  sinning. 

i.  Now  therefore,  that  we  may  avoid  both  these  extremes,  it  will 
be  very  necessary  to  state  aright,  how  the  grace  of  god  is  free, 
and  how  it  is  not  free. 

Now  there  are  many  sorts  of  freedom  :  a  freedom  from  natural 
necessity ;  a  freedom  from  violent  co-action,  and  from  engaging 
promises,  and  the  like :  but  these  are  not  pertinent  to  our  present 
business. 

When  Grace,  therefore,  is  said  to  be  Free,  it  must  be  taken  in  a 
Twofold  sense.  Free  from  any  Procurement.  Free  from  any 
limiting  Conditions.  And,  accordingly,  I  shall  propound  the  Reso- 
lution of  Two  Questions. 

Whether  the  Grace  of  God  be  so  Free,  as  to  exclude  all  merit 
and  desert.    And,  then, 

Whether  it  be  so  Free,  as  to  require  no  conditions. 

1.  Whether  the  Grace  of  God  be  so  Free,  as  to  exclude  all  merit  and 
desert. 

In  answer  unto  this  Question,  I  shall  lay  down  Three  Propositions. 

(1)  That  the  pardoning  grace  of  God  is  not  so  freely  vouchsafed 
to  man,  as  to  exclude  all  merit  and  desert  on  Christ's  part. 

There  is  not  the  least  sin  pardoned  unto  any,  but  it  first  cost  the 
price  of  blood,  even  the  precious  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  is 
this  blood,  that  crosseth  God's  debt-book  ;  and  blotteth  out  all  those 
items,  that  we  stand  indebted  to  him  for.  As  Christ  now  sues  out 
our  pardon,  by  his  intercession  in  heaven ;  so  he  bought  out  our 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


103 


pardon,  by  his  sufferings  on  the  cross  :  for,  without  shedding  of  blood 
there  is  no  remission :  Heb.  ix.  22.  And,  This  is  my  blood,  says  our 
Saviour  himself  which  is  shed  ....for  the  remission  of  sins:  Matt, 
xxvi.  28.  And,  we  are  not  our  own,  but  we  are  bought  with  a  'price  ; 
even  with  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without 
blemish  and  without  spot :  as  the  two  great  Apostles  speak  :  1  Cor. 
vi.  19,  20.  1  Pet.  i.  19.  Some  have  made  bold,  and  possibly  with 
no  bad  intention,  to  call  Jesus  Christ  the  greatest  sinner  in  the 
world  ;  because  the  sins  of  all  God's  people  met  in  him,  and  were 
imputed  to  him  :  they  were  his,  by  a  voluntary  susception  and  un- 
dertaking. And,  if  the  foregoing  expression  may  be  allowed,  there 
is  one  in  heaven,  the  highest  in  glory,  whose  sins  were  never  par- 
doned ;  for  our  Lord  Christ  paid  down  the  utmost  farthing  that 
either  the  law  or  justice  of  God  could  exact,  as  a  satisfaction  for 
those  sins  that  he  voluntarily  took  upon  himself :  and,  therefore,  by 
Law  and  Justice,  and  not  by  Free  Grace,  he  hath  taken  possession 
of  heaven  for  himself,  and  is  there  preparing  mansions  for  us.  In 
respect  of  Christ,  we  receive  nothing  of  Free  Grace,  or  of  Free 
Gift ;  but  all  is  by  purchase  :  and,  as  we  ourselves  are  bought  with 
a  price ;  so  is  every  thing  we  enjoy :  even  common  and  vulgar 
mercies  come  flowing  in  upon  us  in  streams  of  blood :  our  lives,  and 
all  the  comforts  of  them,  much  more  our  future  life,  and  all  the 
means  tending  to  it,  are  paid  for  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  So  that 
the  Grace  of  God  is  not  so  Free,  as  to  exclude  all  merit  on  Christ's 
part ;  who  hath  purchased  all  we  enjoy  or  hope  for,  by  paying  a 
full  and  equitable  price  to  the  justice  of  God. 

(2)  The  infinite  Grace  of  God,  in  giving  Christ  to  us  and  his 
blood  for  us,  through  which  we  have  pardon  merited,  is  absolutely 
free ;  and  falls  not  under  any  merit,  either  of  ours  or  of  his. 

[1]  It  falls  not  under  any  merit  of  ours. 

For,  certainly,  could  we  have  merited  Christ  out  of  heaven,  we 
might  as  well  have  merited  heaven  without  Christ.  When  God,  in 
his  infinite  Wisdom,  foresaw  how  we  would  reject  and  despise  his 
Son  ;  first  spill  his  blood,  and  then  trample  upon  it ;  he  did  not  ac- 
count this  demeanour  of  ours  to  be  meritorious  of  so  great  a  gift. 

[2]  Which  is  yet  more  to  the  glory  of  God's  Free  Grace,  he  be- 
stowed Christ  upon  us ;  not  only..without  any  merit  of  ours,  but 
without  any  merit  of  his  also. 

It  is  Free  Grace,  that  pardons,  that  sanctifies,  that  saves  us;  yet 
all  this  Christ  purchased  for  us  by  a  full  price.  God  will  have  a 
price  paid  down  for  all  other  things  of  a  less  value  ;  that  so  he 
might  hereby  set  forth  his  own  bounty,  in  parting  with  his  own 
Son  for  us  without  price. 


104 


DISCOURSES    CONCERN  IN  G  SIN. 


(3)  Pardon  and  grace,  obtained  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  in 
respect  of  any  merit  of  ours  is  altogether  free  and  undeserved. 

We  cannot  of  ourselves  scarce  so  much  as  ask  forgiveness; 
much  less,  therefore,  can  we  do  any  thing  that  may  deserve  it.  All, 
that  we  can  do,  is  either  sinful  or  holy  ;  if  what  we  do  be  sinful,  it 
only  increaseth  our  debts  :  if  it  be  holy,  it  must  proceed  from  God's 
Free  Grace,  that  enables  us  to  do  it;  and,  certainly,  it  is  Free  Grace 
to  pardon  us  upon  the  doing  of  that,  which  Free  Grace  only  enables 
us  to  do.  Far  be  it  from  us  to  affirm,  as  the  Papists  do,  that  good 
works  are  meritorious  of  pardon  :  what  are  our  prayers,  our  sighs, 
our  tears  ?  yea,  what  are  our  lives  and  our  blood  itself,  should  we 
shed  it  for  Christ  ?  All  this  cannot  make  one  blot  in  God's  remem- 
brance-book :  yea,  it  were  fitter  and  more  becoming  the  infinite 
bounty  of  God  to  give  pardon  and  heaven  freely,  than  to  set  them 
to  sale  for  such  inconsiderable  things  as  these  are :  heaven  needed 
not  to  have  been  so  needlessly  prodigal  and  lavishing,  as  to  have 
sent  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world,  to  lead  a  miserable  life 
and  die  a  cursed  death,  had  it  been  possible  for  man  to  have  bought 
off  his  own  guilt  and  to  have  quitted  scores  with  God,  by  a  lower 
price  than  what  Christ  himself  could  do  or  suffer. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  resolution  of  the  First  Question :  God's 
pardoning  grace,  though  it  be  purchased,  in  respect  to  Christ ;  yet 
is  it  absolutely  free,  in  respect  to  any  merit  of  ours. 

2.  The  Second  Question  is,  Whether  the  Grace  of  God  be  so  Free, 
as  to  require  no  conditions  on  our  part. 

Of  gifts,  some  are  bestowed  absolutely,  without  any  terms  of 
agreement ;  and  some  are  conditional,  upon  the  performance  of  such 
stipulations  and  conditions,  without  which  they  shall  not  be  bestowed. 

Of  which  sort,  is  this  Grace  of  God  ?  I  answer, 

(1)  The  Sanctifying  and  Regenerating  Grace  of  God,  whereby 
the  great  change  is  wrought  upon  our  hearts  in  our  first  conver- 
sion and  turning  unto  God,  is  given  absolutely,  and  depends  not 
upon  the  performance  of  any  conditions. 

Indeed  we  are  commanded  to  make  nse  of  means,  for  the  getting 
true  and  saving  grace  wrought  in  us ;  but  these  means  are  not  con- 
ditions for  the  obtaining  of  that  grace :  for  the  nature  of  conditions 
is  such,  that  the  benefits  which  depend  upon  them  are  never  be- 
stowed, but  where  the  conditions  are  first  performed  :  and  therefore 
we  call  faith  and  repentance  conditions  of  eternal  life,  because  eter- 
nal life  is  never  conferred  upon  any,  who  did  not  first  believe  and 
repent.  But,  certain  it  is,  God  hath  converted  some  without  the 
use  of  ordinary  means  ;  as  St.  Paxil,  and  the  Thief  on  the  Cross. 
Therefore,  though  we  are  commanded  to  use  the  means :  yet  the 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


105 


use  of  means  and  ordinances  cannot  be  called  conditions  of  our 
regeneration.  And,  indeed,  if  any  thing  could  be  supposed  a  con- 
dition of  obtaining  grace,  it  must  either  be  a  work  of  nature,  or  a 
work  of  grace :  now  a  work  of  grace  it  cannot  be,  till-  grace  be 
wrought;  and  to  go  about  to  make  a  work  of  nature  a. condition 
of  grace,  is  to  revive  that  old  error  of  the  Pelagians,  for  which  they 
stand  anathematized  in  Count  Pallestine  many  years  since.  Sancti- 
fying Grace  is  given  freely,  excepted  from  any  conditions,  though 
not  excepted  from  the  use  of  means. 

(2)  Justifying  and  Pardoning  Grace,  though  it  be  free,  yet  is  it 
limited  to  the  performance  of  certain  conditions,  Avithout  which  God 
never  bestows  it  upon  any  ;  and  they  are  two,  Faith  and  Eepentance. 

And  these  graces  God  bestows  upon  whom  he  pleaseth,  without  any 
foregoing  conditions.  Faith  in  Christ  is  the  freest  gift,  that  ever 
God  bestowed  upon  any  ;  except  that  Christ,  on  whom  we  believe. 
But  pardon  of  sin  is  restrained  to  faith  and  repentance,  as  the  con- 
ditions of  it ;  nor  is  it  ever  obtained  without  them.  These  two  things 
the  Scripture  doth  abundantly  confirm  to  us :  Whosoever  believeth  on 

him  shall  obtain  remission  of  sins ;  Acts  x.  43  :  Repent  that  your 

sins  may  may  be  bloted  out;  Acts  iii.  19:  Whosoever  believeth  on  him: 
there  Faith  is  made  the  condition  of  pardon :  Repent. ...that  your  sins 
may  be  blotted  out;  there  Eepentance  is  made  the  condition  of  par- 
don. These  two  particulars  correspond  with  the  twofold  Covenant 
of  Grace,  which  God  made  with  man.  His  Absolute  Covenant,  where- 
in he  promiseth  the  first  converting  grace  :  this  covenant  is  indepen- 
dent of  any  conditions,  a  copy  of  which  we  have  in  Ezek.xxxvi.  26, 27, 
A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you.... 
and  I  will.....cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  leeep  my 
judgments,  and  do  them.  And  then  there  is  God's  Conditional 
Covenant  of  Grace,  wherein  he  promiseth  salvation  only  upon  the 
foregoing  conditions  of  faith  and  repentance :  this  we  have,  Mark 
xvi.  10,  He,  that  believeth  shall  be  saved. 

Thus  I  have  stated  the  great  question  concerning  the  Free  Grace 
of  God.  The  first  sanctifying  grace  of  God  is  so  free  as  to  exclude 
all  conditions;  but  the  justifying  and  pardoning  grace  of  God  is  limit- 
ed to  the  conditions  of  faith  and  repentance  :  and  both  sanctif\-ing 
and  justifying  grace  are  freely  bestowed,  without  any  merit  of  ours ; 
but  not  without  respect  to  the  merit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
hath  purchased  them  at  the  highest  rate,  even  with  his  own  most 
precious  blood. 

ii.  In  the  next  place,  I  shall  endeavour  to  set  before  you  some 

PARTICULARS,  WHEREIN  THE  GLORY  OF  GOD'S  FREE  GRACE  IN  PAR- 


106 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


doning  sin  may  be  more  illustrated  ;  that  it  may  appear  God 
assumes  to  himself  this,  as  the  greatest  honour,  to  be  a  sin-pardoning 
God.  And, 

1.  This  highly  commends  the  Freeness  of  Pardoning  Grace,  in 
that  God  decreed  to  bestow  it  without  any  request  or  entreaties  of  ours. 

INo  rhetoric  moved  him,  besides  the  yearnings  of  his  own  bow- 
els. This  was  a  gracious  resolution,  sprung  up  spontaneously  in 
the  heart  of  God,  from  all  eternity.  He  saw  thee  wallowing  in  thy 
blood,  long  before  thou  wert  in  thy  being :  and  this  time  was  a 
time  of  love  ;  even  a  time  before  all  times.  "What  friend  couldest 
thou  then  make  in  heaven  ?  What  intercessor  hadst  thou  then, 
when  there  was  nothing  but  God  ?  When  this  design  of  love  was 
laid,  there  were  neither  prayers,  nor  tongues  to  utter  them.  Yea, 
Christ  himself,  though  now  he  intercedes  for  the  application  of 
pardon,  did  not  then  intercede  for  the  decree  of  pardon :  he  could 
not  then  urge  his  blood  and  merits,  as  motives  for  God  to  take  up 
thoughts  of  forgiving  us ;  for,  had  not  God  done  so  before,  Christ 
had  never  shed  his  blood,  nor  wrought  out  salvation  for  us.  What 
arguments,  what  advocates  did  then  persuade  him  ?  Truly,  the 
only  argi*ment  was  our  misery  :  and  the  only  advocate  was  his  own 
mercy,  and  not  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  God  pardons  sin,  when  yet  he  is  infinitely  able  to  destroy  the 
sinner. 

And  this  greatly  advanceth  the  Eiches  and  Freeness  of  his  Grace. 
The  same  breath,  that  pronounceth  a  sinner  absolved,  might  have 
pronounced  him  damned.  The  angels,  that  fell,  could  not  stand 
before  the  power  and  force  of  his  wrath  ;  but,  like  a  mighty  tor- 
rent, it  swept  them  all  into  perdition :  how  much  less,  then,  could 
we  stand  before  him !  God  could  have  blown  away  every  sinner 
in  the  world,  as  so  much  loose  dust  into  hell.  It  had  been  easy 
for  his  powrer  and  justice,  if  he  had  so  pleased,  to  have  triumphed 
in  the  destruction  of  all  mankind,  but  only  that  he  intended  a 
higher  and  more  noble  victory ;  even  that  his  mercy  should  tri- 
umph and  prevail  over  his  justice,  in  the  pardoning  and  saving  of 
sinners. 

8.  God  pardons  sin.  though  he  might  gain  to  himself  a  great  renown; 
as  he  hath  on  the  damned. 

God  might  have  written  thy  name  in  hell,  as  he  hath  written 
theirs ;  and  might  have  set  thee  up  a  flaming  monument,  and  in- 
scribed on  thee  victory  and  conquest  to  the  glory  of  his  everlast- 
ing vengeance :  both  books  were  open  before  him,  both  the  Book 
of  Life  and  of  Death ;  and  the  contents  of  both  shall  be  rehearsed, 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


107 


to  his  infinite  glory,  at  the  Last  Day.  Now  what  was  it,  that  dic- 
tated thy  name  to  him  ?  that  guided  his  hand  to  write  thee  down 
rather  in  the  Book  of  Life,  than  in  the  Book  of  Death  ?  that  set 
thee  down  a  saint,  and  not  a  sinner  ?  pardoned,  and  not  condemned  ? 
what  moved  him  to  do  all  this  for  thee  ?  Truly,  the  only  answer 
that  God  gives,  and  which  is  the  only  answer  that  can  be  given,  is 
the  same,  which  Pilate  gives  concerning  our  Saviour,  What  I  have 
written,  I  have  written. 

4.  Consider  the  paucity  and  smallness  of  the  number  of  those,  that  are 
pardoned. 

Professors  of  Christianity  are  calculated,  by  some,  to  possess  not 
above  the  sixth  part  of  the  known  world ;  and  if,  among  them,  we 
make  a  proportionable  abatement  for  those  that  are  professed  idol- 
aters, for  the  grossly  ignorant,  for  the  profane,  and  for  the  hypo- 
critical ;  certainly,  there  will  be  but  a  small  flock  remaining  unto 
Jesus  Christ :  here  and  there  one  picked  and  culled  out  of  the  mul- 
titudes of  the  world ;  like  the  olive-berries,  of  which  the  Prophet 
Jeremiah  speaks,  left  on  the  top  of  the  uppermost  branches,  when 
the  Devil  hath  shaken  down  all  the  rest  into  hell.  Now  is  it  not 
infinite  mercy,  that  thou  shouldest  be  found  among  these  gleanings 
after  harvest  ?  that  thou  shouldest  be  one  of  these  few  ?  God  might 
have  left  thee  to  perish  upon  the  same  reason  that  he  left  others  ; 
but  he  gathered  thee  out  of  all  nations,  kindreds,  and  languages  of 
the  earth,  to  make  thee  a  Vessel  of  Mercy  for  himself.  Indeed, 
thou  canst  never  enough  admire  the  peculiar  love  of  God  to  thee 
herein,  till  the  Last  Day  ;  when  thou  shalt  see  the  small  number 
of  those  that  are  saved,  standing  on  the  right-hand  of  Christ,  com- 
pared with  the  vast  numbers  of  those  that  perish  standing  at  the 
left-hand  of  Christ,  and  seest  thyself  among  the  small  number  of 
those  that  are  saved. 

5.  This  also  commends  the  Freeness  of  Pardoning  Grace,  that, 
whereas  the  Fallen  Angels  themselves  were  absolutely  excepted  out  of 
God's  Act  of  Indemnity  and  Oblivion;  yet  Fallen  Man  is  again  re- 
stored unto  his  favour. 

Them,  God  hath  reserved  in  chains  of  darkness,  unto  the  judgment 
of  the  Great  Day :  us,  he  hath  brought  into  glorious  light  and  lib- 
erty. Our  sins  are  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  God's  remembrance : 
whereas,  their  names  are  blotted  out  of  the  muster-roll  of  God's 
heavenly  host. 

Now,  here,  there  are  Four  things,  that  do  greatly  advance  the 
glory  of  Free  Grace. 

Their  natures  were  more  excellent  than  ours. 


108  DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 

Their  Services  would  have  been  much  more  perfect  than  ours. 

Their  Sins  were  fewer  than  ours  were.  And, 

Their  Pardon  might  have  been  procured  at  as  cheap  a  rate,  and 
at  as  little  expense,  as  ours. 

And,  yet,  not  them,  but  us,  God  hath  chosen  to  be  vessels  of  his 
mercy. 

(1)  Their  Natures  were  more  excellent  than  ours. 

They  were  glorious  spirits  ;  the  top  and  cream  of  the  creation  : 
we,  clods  of  earth  ;  the  lees  and  dregs  of  nature :  our  souls,  the  only 
part  by  which  we  claim  kin  to  angels,  even  they  are  of  a  younger 
house,  and  of  a  more  ignoble  extract :  how  are  they  debased,  by 
being  eonfined  to  these  lumps  of  flesh,  which,  with  much  ado,  they 
make  a  shift  to  drag  with  them  up  and  down  the  earth ;  rather  as 
fetters  of  their  bondage,  than  instruments  of  their  service !  nay,  so 
low  sunk  are  we  in  this  slime  of  matter,  that  we  have  not  excel- 
lency enough  so  much  as  to  conceive  what  a  pure,  heavenly,  orient 
substance  a  spirit  is.  And,  yet,  such  as  we  are,  dust  and  filth,  hath 
God  gathered  up  into  his  own  bosom ;  though  he  hath  disbanded 
whole  legions  of  angels,  and  sent  them  down  into  hell.  In  these 
natures  of  ours,  hath  the  Son  of  God  revealed,  or  rather  hid  him- 
self: even  he,  who  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  thought 
it  no  scorn  to  become  lower  than  angels  :  He  took  not  on  him  the  na- 
ture of  angels ;  but  the  seed  of  Abraltam. 

(2)  Their  Services  would  have  been  more  perfect,  upon  their 
restoration,  than  ours  can  be. 

Indeed,  when  we  arrive  at  heaven,  our  services,  our  love,  our 
joy,  and  our  praises,  shall  then  attain  to  a  perfection  exclusive  of 
all  sinful  defects  :  but,  even  then,  must  we  give  place  to  the  angels  ; 
as  in  our  beings,  so  in  our  actings  also.  Had  God  restored  them 
and  given  them  a  pardon,  heaven  would  more  have  resounded  with 
the  shouts  and  hallelujahs  of  one  fallen  angel,  than  it  can  now  with 
a  whole  concert  of  glorified  saints :  they  would  have  burned  much 
more  ardently  in  love,  who  now  must  burn  much  more  fiercely  in 
torments  :  they  would  much  more  mightily  and  sweetly  have  sung 
forth  the  praises  of  God,  their  Eedeemer,  who  now  curse  and  blas- 
pheme him  more  bitterly ;  and  as  far  out-stripped  a  saint  in  the 
work  of  heaven,  as  they  shall  do  a  sinner  in  the  punishment  of 
hell.  And,  yet,  Free  Grace  passeth  by  them,  and  elects  and  chooses 
narrower  hearts  to  conceive,  and  feebler  tongues  to  utter,  the  praises 
of  their  Eedeemer ;  whose  praises  ought  therefore  to  be  the  more, 
because  he  chooses  not  them  that  may  give  him  the  most. 

(3)  Their  Sins  were  fewer  than  ours  are. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


109 


We  cannot  exactly  determine  what  their  sins  were :  only  the 
Apostle  gives  us  a  hint,  that  it  was  pride  which  gave  them  their 
fall :  1  Tim.  iii.  6  ;  Not  a  novice,  lest,  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  he, 
fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  Devil.  Whether  it  was  pride,  in 
that  they  affected  to  be  God,  or  in  that  they  scorned  to  be  guardians 
and  ministering  spirits  unto  man,  or  in  that  they  refused  to  become 
subject  unto  the  Son  of  God  who  was  shortly  to  become  man,  the 
Schools  boldly  enough  dispute,  but  no  man  can  determine :  but, 
whatever  it  was,  this  is  certain,  God  was  speedy  in  the  execution 
of  wrath  upon  them  ;  tumbling  them  all  down  headlong  into  hell, 
upon  their  first  rebellion.  The  time  of  their  standing  in  their  primi- 
tive state  is  conceived  to  be  very  short ;  for  their  creation,  though 
the  Socinians  hold  it  was  long  before,  must  fall  within  the  compass 
of  six  days ;  for,  in  that  space,  the  Scripture  tells  us,  God  made 
heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things  therein ;  and,  therefore,  within  the 
space  of  six  days,  he  created  the  angels  also  :  some  refer  their  cre- 
ation to  the  First  Day's  Work ;  others,  to  the  Fourth  Day  :  and  it 
is  probably  thought,  that  Adam's  continuance  in  innocency  was  not 
much  above  one  day ;  and  yet,  even  then,  there  were  fallen  angels 
to  tempt  him :  so  that  their  glorious  and  blessed  state  could  not, 
according  to  this  computation,  last  above  six  or  seven  days ;  such 
a  speedy  issue  did  God  make  with  them  upon  their  very  first  sin. 
But,  how  are  his  patience  and  forbearance  extended  towards  sinful 
man  !  he  drives  Adam  out  of  Paradise  ;  but  it  was  of  Free  Grace 
that  he  did  not  drive  him  into  Hell,  where  he  had  but  a  little  be- 
fore plunged  far  more  excellent  creatures  than  Adam  was :  his  pa- 
tience is  prolonged  to  impenitent,  unbelieving  sinners :  he  bears 
with  their  proud  affronts  ;  waits  their  returns  ;  and,  with  a  miracle 
of  mercy,  reprieves  them  for  a  much  longer  date,  than  he  did  the 
angels  themselves.  How  much  more  then  ought  Free  Grace  to  be 
extolled  by  us.  which  did  not  so  much  as  reprieve  the  angels  for 
one  sin  ;  and,  yet,  every  moment  grants  out  a  free  and  absolute  par- 
don to  his  servants,  not  for  one  sin,  but  for  reiterated  provocations ! 
they  could  not  obtain  respite,  and  we  obtain  pardon.  How  many 
leaves  in  God's  remembranoe-book  stand  written  thick  with  multi- 
tudes of  sins ;  and,  yet,  no  sooner  doth  God  write  down,  but  he  also 
wipes  out !  His  pen  and  his  spunge  keep  the  same  measure :  our 
sins  find  constant  employment  for  the  one,  and  God's  Free  Grace 
and  mercy  find  constant  employment  for  the  other. 

(4)  Add  to  this,  what  some  with  great  probability  affirm,  The 
same  price,  that  bought  out  our  Pardon,  might  have  procured 
theirs  also. 


110  DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


By  which  it  plainly  appears,  that  there  is  no  other  reason,  why 
our  estate  differs  from  theirs,  but  only  God's  Free,  sovereign  Grace. 
Upon  the  same  account,  God  might  have  damned  all  mankind  that 
he  damned  the  angels  for ;  and,  at  the  same  cost,  he  might  have 
saved  all  the  fallen  angels,  at  which  he  saved  some  of  mankind. 
The  merits  of  Christ  are  the  price  of  our  pardon  and  redemption ; 
and  these  have  in  them  an  infinite  worth,  and  an  all-sufficient  expi- 
ation :  not  for  our  sins  only  ;  but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world, 
both  men  and  devils :  the  streams  of  Christ's  blood  shed  on  the 
cross  for  us,  were  sufficient  to  quench  the  flames  of  hell,  and  utterly 
to  have  washed  away  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone :  hell  might 
have  been  depopulated,  and  those  black  mansions  left  void  without 
inhabitants  for  ever,  and  the  devils  and  men  might  have  been  com- 
mon sharers  in  that  same  common  salvation ;  for,  Christ  having  an 
infinite  dignity  in  his  person,  being  God  as  well  as  man,  his  blood 
the  blood  of  God,  his  sufferings  the  sufferings  and  humiliation  of  a 
God,  this  enhanced  his  merits  to  such  a  redundancy,  as  neither 
Fallen  Angels  nor  Fallen  Men,  were  their  sins  more  and  their 
miseries  greater,  were  ever  able  to  drain  out :  not  a  drop  more  of 
gall  and  wormwood  should  have  been  squeezed  into  the  cup  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  though  it  had  proved  a  cup  of  health  and  salva- 
tion to  them,  as  well  as  to  us.  And,  yet,  such  was  God's  dreadful 
severity,  that  he  excluded  the  angels  from  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
death,  though  he  had  been  at  no  more  expenses  to  save  them ;  the 
price  of  whose  pardon  and  redemption  would  have  been  the  same: 
and  yet  we,  such  are  the  infinite  riches  of  his  grace  and  mercy,  are 
redeemed  by  a  price  that  infinitely  exceeds  the  purchase !  Oh,  the 
freeness  and  riches  of  God's  grace,  that  he  should  thus  pass  by  the 
angels,  and  pitch  upon  and  choose  such  vile  wretched  creatures  as 
we  are! 

6.  Pardoning  Grace  is  Free;  whether  we  consider  the  Generality  of 
its  Designation,  or  the  Speciality  of  its  Application. 

(1)  It  is  Free,  in  its  General  Designation ;  in  that  God  hath  de- 
signed and  purposed,  to  forgive  the  sins  of  all  the  world,  if  they 
will  believe  and  repent. 

It  is  the  universality  of  grace,  that  mightily  exalts  its  freeness. 
Xow  what  can  be  more  universal,  than  that  proclamation  of  par- 
don, that  God  makes  to  poor  sinners,  in  Acts  x.  43,  Whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins?  The  whole  world  is 
under  this  conditional  promise  :  not  one  soul  of  man  excepted  :  be 
thy  sins  more  than  sands,  greater  than  mountains  ;  though  the  cry 
of  them  reacheth  up  to  heaven,  and  the  guilt  of  them  reacheth 
down  to  hell ;  yet  thou  hast  no  reason,  0  Sinner,  to  exclude  thy- 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


Ill 


self  from  pardon,  for  God  bath  not :  only  believe  and  repent.  But, 
as  general  as  this  pardon  is,  yet  is  there  somewhat  that  is  discrimi- 
nating in  it,  that  makes  it  more  illustrious ;  for  it  is  not  tendered 
to  devils  and  damned  spirits  :  Christ  is  not  appointed  to  be  a  Savi- 
our unto  them,  nor  is  his  blood  a  propitiation  for  their  sins  :  they 
are  not  under  any  covenant  of  grace,  nor  have  they  any  promise 
of  mercy,  no  not  so  much  as  conditional :  it  is  not  said  unto  them, 
"  Believe,  and  you  shall  be  rescued  from  the  everlasting  residue 
of  your  torments  ;  believe,  and  those  unquenchable  flames,  you  are 
now  burning  in,  shall  be  put  out:"  no;  God  requires  no  such  duty 
from  them,  neither  hath  he  made  any  such  promise  to  them ;  yea, 
should  it  be  supposed,  that  they  could  believe,  yet  this  their  faith 
would  not  at  all  avail  them,  because  God  hath  ordained  no  ransom 
for  them,  and  resolves  to  receive  no  other  satisfaction  to  his  justice 
than  their  personal  punishment.  But,  while  we  are  alive,  we  are 
all  the  objects  of  God's  Free,  pardoning  Grace.  And,  if  any  man, 
that  hears  the  sound  of  the  Gospel,  and  upon  what  terms  God  hath 
proclaimed  forgiveness  of  sin,  shall  notwithstanding  perish  in  his 
sins,  it  is  not  because  God  hath  excluded  him  from  pardon,  which 
he  doth,  seriously  and  with  vehement  importunity,  offer  and  urge 
upon  him  ;  but  because  he  excludes  himself,  by  his  own  impeni- 
tency  and  unbelief,  in  not  accepting  of  it. 

(2)  Pardoning  Grace  is  Free,  in  the  Special  Application  of  it. 

The  application  of  pardon  is  not  made  unto  any,  till  the  perform- 
ance of  those  conditions  upon  which  pardon  is  tendered  ;  and  they 
are  Faith  and  Repentance.  Now,  herein,  is  God's  Grace  infinitely 
Free,  who  first  fulfils  these  conditions  in  his  children,  that  so  he 
may  fulfil  his  gracious  promises  unto  them  of  life  and  pardon.  The 
Conditional  Covenant  of  Grace  promises  pardon  and  remission  of 
sins,  unto  all,  that  shall  believe  and  repent :  but,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  the  whole  world  might  perish  under  a  contracted  impo- 
tency,  whereby  they  could  not  believe  nor  repent,  did  not  the  Ab- 
solute Covenant  engage  God's  truth  to  work  faith  and  repentance 
in  the  hearts  of  his  people.  So  that  one  covenant  promiseth  par- 
don, if  we  believe  and  repent ;  and  the  other  covenant  bestows  this 
faith  and  repentance  upon  us  :  the  Conditional  Covenant  promiseth 
pardon  of  sin  and  salvation,  if  we  believe  and  repent;  and  the  Abso- 
lute Covenant  promiseth  faith  and  repentance  to  us,  to  enable  us  to  be- 
lieve and  repent.  And  what  could  God  do  more,  that  might  farther 
express  the  Freeness  of  his  Grace  to  us,  than  to  pardon,  upon  con- 
dition of  faith  and  repentance,  which  faith  and  repentance  he  works 
in  us  ?  This  is  to  pardon  us  as  freely,  as  if  he  had  pardoned  us 
without  any  faith  or  repentance  at  all. 


112 


DISCOURSES    COXCERN'I.VG  SIX. 


7.  God  sometimes  selects  out  the  Greatest  and  most  Xotorious  sinners, 
to  vouchsafe  grace  and  pardon  to  them ;  when  he  suffers  others  eternally 
to  perish  under  far  less  guilt. 

He  makes  a  difference  in  his  proceedings,  quite  contrary  to  the 
difference  which  he  finds  in  men's  demerits.  And  wherefore  is 
this,  but  only  to  show  forth  the  absolute  Freeness  of  his  Grace? 
Greater  debts  are  blotted  out,  when  smaller  stand  still  upon  the  ac- 
count, only  that  it  may  be  known,  that  God  is  free  to  do  what  he 
will  with  his  own ;  and  that  he  will  show  mercy  to  whom  he  will 
6how  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  pardons.  How  many  heathens, 
men  of  improved  natural  endowments  and  proportionable  virtues, 
yet,  not  having  faith  in  and  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are 
excluded  from  pardon  and  forgiveness,  whose  sins  rather  show 
them  to  be  Men,  than  not  to  be  Christians !  "Whereas  others,  un- 
der the  noon-tide  of  the  Gospel,  are  guilty  of  such  flagitious  crimes, 
that  show  them  to  be  monsters,  rather  than  men ;  and  yet  these, 
upon  their  faith  and  repentance,  obtain  pardon  and  remission  :  as 
if  it  were  with  God,  as  it  is  with  men ;  the  more  there  is  to  be  re- 
membered, the  sooner  he  forgets.  These  riches  of  pardoning  grace, 
St.  Paul  admires  and  adores,  when  he  tells  us,  concerning  himself, 
I  was  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and  injurious:  but  I  obtained 
mercy :  1  Tim.  i.  13. 

8.  God  decrees  to  pardon,  without  foresight  of  merit  or  worth  in  us. 
When  we  lay  before  him,  as  the  objects  of  his  rnercy,  Divine 

Love  did  not  foresee  any  attractive  comeliness  in  us,  but  made  it. 
When  we  were  cast  forth  to  the  loathing  of  our  persons,  yet  then  was 
it  a  time  of  love ;  and  even  then,  when  we  were  in  our  blood,  God 
said  to  us,  Live.  When  we  were  full  of  wounds,  bruises,  and  putri- 
fying  sores,  divine  love  condescended  to  bind  them  up  and  cure 
them.  Such  miserable  deformed  creatures  were  we !  and  could 
there  be  anything  amiable  in  such  an  object  as  this  ?  only,  hereby, 
God  puts  an  accent  on  the  riches  of  his  love ;  laying  it  out  upon 
such  as  were  not  worthy,  with  a  design  to  make  them  worth)-. 

9.  God  pardons,  not  only  though  he  saw  no  merit  in  us  ;  but,  which 
is  more  to  the  glory  of  his  Free  Grace,  though  he  foresaw  that  many  fu- 
ture wrongs  and  injuries  would  be  added  to  those  which  we  had  already 
done. 

He  foresaw  all  our  provocations  and  rebellions ;  how  Ave  would 
abuse  his  grace,  and  turn  it  into  wantonness :  he  saw  the  rebellions 
of  our  unregeneracy,  and  the  infirmities  of  our  converted  state. 
Yet,  though  he  foresaw  all  before  they  were,  he  resolved  not  to  see 
them  when  they  are :  Numb,  xxiii.  21 ;  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


113 


in  Jacob,  nor.....perverseness  in  Israel.  And  this,  though  it  ought  not 
to  encourage  us  in  sin ;  yet  it  may  be  a  support  and  comfort  to  us, 
when,  through  weakness  and  infirmity,  we  have  sinned ;  that  God, 
who  loved  us  and  decreed  to  pardon  us,  when  he  foresaw  how  sin- 
ful we  would  be,  will  not  certainly  now  cease  to  love  us  and  par- 
don us,  when  we  are  as  vile  and  sinful  as  he  foresaw  we  should  be. 

10.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  alone  we  are  pardoned,  is  freely 
given  to  us  by  the  Father. 

"What  price  could  we  have  offered,  to  have  brought  down  the  Son 
of  his  Eternal  Love  from  his  embraces  ?  What  was  there  in  us, 
to  draw  a  Saviour  out  of  heaven?  Were  we  so  amiable,  as  to  move 
him  to  divest  himself  of  his  glory,  and  to  eclipse  his  Deity  n  our 
mortal  bodies,  only  that  he  might  become  like  such  poor  worms  as 
we  are,  and  take  us  unto  himself?  Ask  no  more?  but  admire; 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  Here 
is  a  mystery,  that  the  whole  College  of  Angels  can  never  compre- 
hend !  What,  God  condemn  his  Son,  that  he  might  pardon  rebels ! 
The  Son  of  God  blot  his  Deity  in  our  flesh,  only  that  he  might  blot 
out  our  transgressions  with  his  blood  !  This  is  such  transcendent]}* 
Free  Grace  and  Love,  that  in  this  we  have  an  advantage  above 
the  angels  themselves ;  standing  higher  in  the  face  of  God,  upon 
this  account,  than  they  do. 

Now  compact  all  these  Ten  Particulars,  in  your  thoughts,  to- 
gether, wherein  the  freeness  of  pardoning  grace  most  illustriously 
appears ;  and  you  will  find  there  is  good  reason  for  God,  in  the 
text,  triumphantly  to  ascribe  to  himself,  I,  even  I,  am  he,  that  blot- 
teth  out  your  transgressions. 

iii.  The  application,  which  I  shall  make  of  this  truth,  I  shall 
only  briefly  mention. 

1.  Is  the  Pardoning  Grace  of  God  thus  Free  ?  Take  heed  then, 
that  you  do  not  abuse  nor  turn  it  into  wantonness. 

Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  because  God  so  freely  pardons  sin? 
God  forbid!  who  would  make  such  an  accursed  inference  as  this, 
that  ever  had  the  least  sense  or  touch  of  divine  love  upon  his  heart? 
Every  one  loves  to  have  his  ears  tickled,  with  this  soft,  sweet, 
downy  doctrine  of  God's  Free  Grace  and  Love ;  and,  when  they 
hear  it,  they  stretch  themselves  upon  it,  and  lull  themselves  fast 
asleep  in  sin:  but  what  says  the  Wise  Man,  Prov.  xxv.  27  ?  It  is 
not  good  to  eat  much  honey.  No :  there  is  no  such  dangerous  sur- 
feit, as  upon  the  sweet  and  luscious  truths  of  the  Gospel.  This 
honey  leaves  a  deadly  sting  in  men,  that  abuse  it  to  encourage 

Vol.  ii.— 8 


114  DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 

themselves  in  sin.  It  is  such  disingenuity,  to  argue  from  l'reeness 
of  pardon  to  freedom  in  sinning,  that,  I  dare  say,  No  heart  ever  had 
a  pardon  sealed  to  it  by  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  utterly 
abhors  it.  What !  therefore  to  provoke  God,  because  he  is  ready 
to  forgive !  What !  to  multiply  sin,  because  God  is  ready  to  par- 
don !  What  is  this,  but  to  spurn  at  those  bowels  of  mercy,  that 
yearn  towards  us  ;  and  even  to  strike  at  God  with  that  golden  scep- 
tre, that  he  holds  out  to  us,  as  a  token  of  love  and  peace  ?  Cer- 
tainly, they,  who  thus  argue  and  who  thus  act,  never  knew  what  a 
sweet  and  powerful  attractiveness  there  is,  in  the  sense  of  pardon- 
ing grace  and  love,  to  win  over  the  heart,  from  the  practice  of  those 
eins  that  God  hath  forgot  to  punish. 

2.  This  should  engage  us  to  love  that  God,  who  so  loved  us,  as  freely, 
for  his  own  sake,  to  forgive  us  such  vast  debts  and  such  multiplied  sins. 

This  is  the  import  of  that  speech  of  our  Saviour,  he  loveth  most, 
to  whom  most  is  forgiven.  And,  hence  it  is,  and  you  may  com- 
monly observe  it,  that  none  are  such  great  lovers  and  admirers  of 
Free  Grace,  as  those,  who,  before  conversion,  were  the  vilest  and 
most  flagitious  sinners. 

3.  Since  God  doth  so  freely  pardon  us,  let  it  teach  tis,  and  prevail 
with  us,  to  'pardon  and  forgive  the  offences  of  others. 

This  is  that,  which  the  Scripture  doth  urge,  as  the  most  natural 
inference  of  this  doctrine  of  God's  pardoning  grace.  Thus  the 
Apostle  :  Eph.  iv.  32  ;  Be  ye  kind  to  one  another;  tender-hearted,  for- 
giving me  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven  you. 
Say  not,  as  ignorant  people  are  wont  to  do,  "  I  will  forgive,  but  I 
will  never  forget ;"  for  God  doth  forgive  and  forget  too  :  I  will  blot 
out  your  transgressions,  and  I  will  remember  your  sins  no  more. 
Yoiir  sins  against  God  are  talents  ;  others'  offences  against  you  are 
but  pence  :  and  if,  for  every  trivial  provocation,  you  are  ready  to 
take  your  brother  by  the  throat,  and  wreak  your  wrath  and  ven- 
geance upon  him,  may  you  not  fear  lest  your  Lord  and  Master,  to 
whom  you  stand  deeply  indebted,  should  also  deal  so  with  you,  for 
far  great tr  crimes  than  others  can  be  guilty  of  against  you,  and  cast 
you  into  prison  until  you  have  paid  the  utmost  farthing  ;  especially 
considering  that  you  pray  for  the  forgiveness  of  your  own  sins,  as 
you  do  proportionally  forgive  the  sins  of  others  :  Forgive  us  our 
trespasses,  as  we  forgive  them  that  tresjMss  against  us. 

And,  thus,  I  have  opened  and  demonstrated  unto  you  the  former 
part  of  the  doctrine,  That  the  Grace  of  God,  whereby  he  blots  out 
and  forgives  sin,  is  absolutely  Free. 

II.  I  am  now,  in  the  next  place,  to  prove,  that  it  is  infinitely 
GLORIOUS 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  115 

This  I  shall  endeavour  to  do,  by  considering  pardon  of  sin,  in 
the  Nature  of  it,  in  the  Concomitants  of  it,  and  in  the  Effects  and 
Consequences  of  it :  from  all  which  it  will  appear,  both  how  great 
a  mercy  it  is  to  us,  and  how  great  a  glory  it  is  to  God,  that  he  blots 
out  and  forgets  sin.  And, 

i.  Let  us  consider  the  nature  of  pardon  of  sin :  what  it  is. 

And  this  we  cannot  better  discover,  than  by  looking  into  the 
Nature  of  Sin. 

Sin,  therefore,  as  the  Apostle  describes  it,  is  a  transgression  of  the 
Laic.  Now  to  the  validity  of  any  Law,  there  are  penalties, 
literally  expressed  or  tacitly  implied,  which  are  altogether  neces- 
sary. The  guilt  contracted  by  the  transgressing  of  the  Law,  is  noth- 
ing but  our  liableness  to  undergo  the  penalty  threatened  in  the  Law. 
And  this  guilt  is  twofold  :  the  one  intrinsical  and  necessary  ;  and 
that  is  the  desert  of  punishment,  which  sin  carries  always  in  it :  the 
other  is  extrinsical  and  adventitious,  by  which  sin  is  ordained  to 
be  punished.  These  two  things  are  in  every  sin.  Every  sin  de- 
serves death ;  and  God  hath,  in  his  Law,  ordained  and  threatened 
to  inflict  death  for  it. 

Now  it  being  clear,  that  Pardon  and  E emission  of  Sin  is  nothing 
but  the  removal  of  the  guilt  of  sin  ;  the  question  is,  Whether  it  re- 
moves that  guilt,  that  consists  in  the  desert  of  punishment ;  or  that, 
which  consists  in  the  voluntary  appointment  of  it  unto  punishment ; 
or  both. 

To  this,  I  answer,  Pardon  of  Sin  doth  not  remove  the  intrinsical 
desert  of  punishment ;  but  only  the  adventitious  appointment  and 
ordination  of  it  unto  punishment,  flowing  from  the  will  of  God,  who 
hath  in  his  own  Law,  threatened  to  punish  sin.  Eemission  doth 
not  make,  that  the  sins,  even  of  believers  themselves,  should  not 
deserve  death ;  for  a  liableness  to  the  penalty  of  the  Law,  in  thi3 
sense,  is  a  necessary  consequent  upon  the  transgression  of  the  Law  : 
but,  because  God,  in  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  hath  promised  not  to 
reward  his  penitent  servants  according  to  the  evil  of  their  doings, 
therefore  Pardoning  Grace  removes  this  guilt  of  sin  arising  from 
God's  ordination  of  it  unto  punishment,  As,  suppose  a  traitor 
should  accept  of  the  proffer  of  a  pardon,  the  guilt  of  his  treason 
ceaseth  not  in  the  inward  nature  of  it,  but  still  he  deserves  to  be 
punished ;  but  this  obnoxiousness  of  his,  through  the  prince's 
favour  and  appointment  is  taken  away,  and  so  that  guilt  ceaseth  : 
so  every  sin,  which  the  repenting  sinner  commits,  deserves  death ; 
but,  upon  his  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  this  liableness 
unto  death  ceaseth,  being  graciously  remitted  to  him  by  God. 


116 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


The  Scripture  sets  forth  this  Pardon  of  Sin,  in  very  sweet  and 
full  expressions.  It  is  called  a  covering  of  sin :  Ps.  xxxii.  1 ;  Blessed 
is  the  man,  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,  and  whose  sin  is  covered: 
though  our  covering  of  our  sins  is  no  security  from  the  inspection 
of  Gods  eye,  who  clearly  beholds  the  most  hidden  and  secret  things 
of  darkness ;  yet,  certainly,  those  sins,  that  God  himself  hath  cov- 
ered from  himself,  he  will  never  again  look  into,  so  as  to  punish 
for  them.  Nay,  yet  farther,  as  a  ground  of  comfort,  Pardon  of  Sin 
is  not  only  called  a  covering  of  our  sins  from  God's  sight,  but  a 
covering  of  God's  face  and  sight  from  them  :  so  we  have  it,  Ps.  li. 
9  ;  Side  thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot  out  all  mine  iniquities.  It 
is  a  casting  of  our  sins  behind  God's  back,  as  a  thing  that  shall 
never  more  be  regarded  or  looked  upon :  so  it  is  expressed  to  us, 
Isa.  xxxviii.  17.  Thou  hast,  in  love  to  my  soul,  says  good  Heze- 
kiah,  when  a  message  of  death  was  brought  to  him  by  the  prophet, 
cast  all  my  sins  behind  thy  back.  It  is  a  casting  of  them  into  the 
depth  of  the  sea ;  from  whence  they  shall  never  more  arise,  either 
in  this  world  to  terrify  our  consciences,  or  in  the  world  to  come  to 
condemn  our  souls  :  so  we  have  it  in  Micah  vii.  19,  /  will  cast  all 
their  iniquities,  says  God,  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.  It  is  a  scatter- 
ing of  them,  as  a  thick  cloud :  so  it  is  called,  Isa.  xliv.  22  ;  I  will 
scatter  their  sins  as  a  cloud,  and  their  iniquities  as  a  thick  cloud. 
And,  in  the  Text,  it  is  called  a  blotting  out  and  a  forgetting  of  sin : 
/,  even  I,  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins:  a  blotting  out,  to  show,  that  God 
will  never  read  his  debt-book  against  us ;  and,  a  forgetting  it,  that 
we  may  not  fear,  that  God  will  accuse  us  without-book. 

These,  and  such  like  expressions,  with  which  the  Scripture  doth 
abound,  do  very  much  illustrate  the  mercy  of  God,  in  pardoning 
of  sin ;  and  I  shall  unfold  it  in  these  following  particulars. 

1.  Pardon  and  remission  of  sin,  is  no  act  of  ours,  but  an  act  of 
Gods  only. 

It  is  nothing  done,  by  us,  or  in  us ;  but  an  act  of  God's  Free 
Grace  merely,  without  us :  and  therefore  God  ascribes  it  wholly 
unto  himself:  I,  even  I,  am  he.  And  when  our  Saviour  cured  the 
paralytic,  the  Scribes  stormed  at  him  as  a  blasphemer:  Thou  bias- 
phemest,  say  they  to  him,  not  knowing  him  to  be  God :  for  who, 
say  they,  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only  ? 

But,  be  it  an  act  of  God's  only,  and  not  ours,  and  an  act  wholly 
without  us,  what  comfort  is  there  in  this  ? 

Much :  and  that,  upon  these  grounds ;  because  God's  acts  within 
us  are  always  imperfect  in  this  life,  but  God's  acts  without  us  are 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


117 


always  perfect  and  consummate.  Sanctification  is  a  work  of  God's 
grace  within  us :  now  this  work,  because  it  meets  with  much  op- 
position in  every  faculty,  from  inherent  sin  which  spreads  itself 
over  the  whole  soul,  is  therefore  always  in  this  life  kept  low  and 
weak.  But  Pardon  of  Sin,  is  an  act  without  us,  in  the  breast  of 
God  himself,  where  it  meets  with  no  opposition  or  allay :  nor  doth 
it  increase  by  small  degrees ;  but  is,  at  once,  as  perfect  and  entire, 
as  ever  it  shall  be. 

I  do  not  mean,  as  some  have  thought  and  taught,  that  God,  at 
once,  pardons  all  the  sins  of  true  believers ;  as  well  those  they  do 
or  shall  commit,  as  those  they  have  already  committed :  but,  only, 
that  what  sins  God  pardons,  he  doth  not  pardon  gradually.  There 
is  nothing  left  of  guilt  upon  the  soul,  when  God  pardons  it ;  but 
there  is  something  left  of  filth  upon  the  soul,  when  God  sanctifies  it. 

And,  therefore,  as  it  is  the  grief  of  God's  children,  that  their  in- 
herent holiness  is  so  imperfect  here,  that  they  are  so  assaulted  with 
temptations,  so  dogged  by  corruption,  so  oppressed  and  almost  sti- 
fled to  death  by  a  body  of  sin  that  lies  heavy  upon  them  ;  yet  this, 
on  the  other  side,  may  be  for  their  comfort  and  encouragement, 
that  God's  pardoning  grace  is  not  as  his  sanctifying  grace  is,  nor  is 
it  granted  to  them  by  the  same  stint  and  measure.  A  sin,  truly 
repented  of,  is  not  pardoned  to  us  by  halves ;  half  the  guilt  remit- 
ted, and  half  retained  :  as  the  Papists  fancy,  to  establish  their  doc- 
trine of  purgatory :  but  it  is  as  fully  pardoned  as  it  shall  be  in 
heaven  itself.    And  hence  it  follows, 

(1)  Though  the  guilt  of  sin  be  removed  ;  yet  it  is  not  our  repent- 
ance that  removes  it. 

For  then,  as  no  man's  repentance  is  absolutely  perfect,  so  no 
man's  sins  should  be  fully  pardoned  ;  but  still  there  would  be  re- 
mainders of  guilt  left  upon  the  conscience,  as  there  is  still  a  mix- 
ture of  impenitency  in  the  best  Christians.  But  pardon  and  remis- 
sion is  not  mingled  with  guilt,  as  grace  is  with  sin ;  because  it  is 
an  act  of  mercy  wrought,  not  in  our  breasts,  but  arising  in  God's 
only,  where  it  meets  with  nothing  to  allay  or  abate  it,  and  it  is  in- 
finitely more  perfect  than  our  repentance  can  be. 

(2)  Hence  we  may  infer,  That  our  pardon  is  infinitely  more  sure, 
than  our  assurance  of  it  in  our  own  consciences  can  be  satisfactory. 

For  the  sense  of  pardon  is  a  work  of  God's  Spirit  within  us, 
which  commonly  is  mixed  with  some  hesitations,  misgivings,  doubts, 
and  fears :  and,  therefore,  though  our  comforts  be  never  so  strong, 
though  it  be  spring-tide  with  us,  yet  our  ground  for  comfort  is  still 
much  more.    Oh  what  rich  and  abundant  grace  is  this  in  God  to- 


118 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


wards  us,  that  exceeds  both  our  grace  and  our  comfort !  and,  there- 
fore, though,  0  Christian,  thy  sanctification  be  the  best  evidence 
of  thy  justification  and  pardon ;  yet  is  it  not  the  best  measure  of 
it :  for  thou  art  justified  and  thou  art  pardoned,  much  more  than 
thou  art  sanctified.  Sanctifying  grace  in  thee,  indeed,  is  in  its  first 
rudiments  and  inchoation ;  but  pardoning  grace  in  thy  God  is 
consummate  and  perfect.    And  that  is  the  first  thing. 

2.  Remission  of  sin  makes  sin  to  he,  as  if  it  had  never  been  committed. 
Things,  that  are  forgotten,  are  no  more  to  us,  than  if  they  had 

never  had  a  being.  Now  God  tells  us,  that  he  forgets  our  sins : 
TJieir  sins  and  their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more. 

Nor  is  there  any  long  tract  of  time  required,  to  wear  the  idea  of 
them  out  of  his  memory  ;  as  is  necessary  among  men,  to  make  them 
forget  the  wrongs  and  injuries  done  to  them  by  their  fellow-crea- 
tures :  for  God  forgets  the  sins  of  his  children,  as  soon  as  they  are 
repented  of;  yea,  sometimes  sooner  than  our  consciences  do :  for, 
many  times,  a  Christian,  after  a  heart-breaking  repentance  for  some 
great  sin,  lies  under  the  upbraidings  of  conscience,  when  God  hath 
forgiven  it ;  yea,  and  forgotten  it  also.  God's  officer  is  not  so  ready 
to  acquit  them,  as  God  himself  is.  He  forgets,  as  though  no  pro- 
vocation or  offence  had  ever  been  committed.  He  retaineth  not  his 
anger  for  ever,  says  the  Prophet :  Micah  vii.  18  ;  not  for  ever ;  but, 
so  soon  as  ever  we  grow  displeased  with  ourselves,  he  begins  to  be 
well-pleased  with  us :  no  sooner  do  sorrow  and  grief  overspread 
our  faces,  but  favours  and  smiles  clear  up  his  face  to  us. 

See  this  gracious  disposition  of  God,  in  Jer.  xxxi.  19,  20.  Eph- 
raim  is  there  brought  in  bewailing  his  sin :  Surely,  says  he,  after 
that  I  was  turned,  1  repented ;  and,  after  that  I  was  instructed,  I  smote 
upon  my  thigh:  I  was  ashamed,  yea,  even  confounded,  because  I  did 
bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth.  Now,  what  doth  God,  but  presently 
embrace  him,  with  most  tender  and  most  melting  expressions  of 
love,  as  if  he  had  never  been  angry,  nor  had  any  cause  for  it  ?  Is 
Ephraim  my  dear  son?  is  he  a  pleasant  child?  for  since  I  spake 
against  him,  I  do  earnestly  remember  Mm  still:  therefore  my  bowels  are 
troubled  for  him:  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord. 

And,  therefore,  O  Christian,  thou,  who  now  perhaps  criest  out  in 
the  bitterness  of  thy  soul,  "  Oh,  that  I  had  never  committed  this  or 
that  sin  against  God !  Oh,  that  I  had  never  offended  him  in  this 
or  that  manner  1"  why  thou  hast  thy  wish,  0  Sinner,  herein :  for 
God,  when  he  pardons  sin,  makes  it  as  if  it  had  never  been  com- 
mitted against  him. 

3.  rience  it  follows,  That,  upon  remission  of  sin,  God  no  longer  ac- 
counts of  us  as  sinners,  but  as  just  and  righteous. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


119 


It  is  true,  after  a  pardon  is  received,  we  still  retain  sinful  natures : 
still,  original  corruption  is  in  us,  and  will  never  totally  be  dislodged 
out  of  us,  in  this  life :  but,  when  God  pardons  us,  he  looks  not  up- 
on us,  as  sinners,  but  as  just  and  righteous.  A  malefactor,  that  is 
discharged  by  satisfying  the  Law  or  by  the  prince's  favour  to  him, 
is  no  more  looked  upon  as  a  malefactor  ;  but  as  just  and  righteous, 
as  if  he  had  never  offended  the  law  at  all.  So  is  it  here :  we  are 
both  ways  discharged  from  our  guilt ;  by  satisfaction  unto  the  pen- 
alty of  the  Law,  in  Christ,  our  Surety ;  and  by  the  free  grace  and 
mercy  of  God,  who  hath  made  and  sealed  to  us  a  gracious  act  of 
pardon  in  Christ's  blood:  and,  therefore,  we  stand  upright  in  Law; 
and  are  as  just  and  righteous  in  God's  sight,  as  if  we  had  never 
sinned  against  him. 

Oh,  how  great  consolation  is  here,  unto  the  children  of  God! 
They  account  themselves  great  sinners,  yea,  the  greatest  and  worst 
of  sinners ;  but  God  accounts  them  just  and  righteous.  They  keep 
their  sins  in  remembrance,  as  David  speaks,  My  sin  is  ever  before 
me  ;  when  God  hath  not  only  forgiven,  but  forgotten  them.  They 
write  and  speak  bitter  things  against  themselves;  when  God  is 
writing  out  their  pardon,  and  setting  his  seal  unto  it. 

4.  Pardoning  grace-can  as  easily  triumph,  in  the  remitting  of  great 
and  many  sins,  as  of  few  and  small  sins. 

What  a  great  blot  upon  the  heavens  is  a  thick  cloud,  and  yet  the 
beams  of  the  sun  can  pierce  through  that,  and  scatter  it  easily.  God 
will  blot  out  our  transgressions  as  a  thick  cloud;  so  himself  tells 
us,  by  the  Prophet :  Isa.  xliv.  22 ;  I  will  blot  out  thy  transgressions, 
as  a  chud ;  and  thine  iniquities  as  a  thick  cloud.  A  great  debt  may 
as  easily  be  blotted  out,  as  a  small  one.  Ten  thousand  talents  is  a 
great  sum  ;  yet  it  is  as  easily  and  freely  forgi  ven,  by  the  Great  God, 
as  a  few  pence.  God  proclaims  himself,  to  be  a  God  pardoning 
iniquity,  transgression,  and  sin  ;  that  is,  sins  of  all  sorts  and  sizes. 
The  greatest  sins,  repented  of,  are  no  more  without  the  extent  of 
divine  grace  and  mercy  ;  than  the  least  sins,  unrepented  of,  are 
without  the  cognizance  of  divine  justice.  Isa.  i.  18:  Though  your 
sins  be  as  scarlet,  yet  shall  they  become  as  white  as  snow;  though 
they  be  red  as  crimson,  yet  they  shall  be  as  wool. 

And  can  there  then  be  found  a  desparing  soul  in  the  world,  when 
the  Great  God  hath  thus  magnified  his  grace  and  mercy  above  all 
his  works  ;  yea,  and  above  all  ours  also  ?  Say  not  then,  O  Sinner, 
"My  sins  are  greater  than  can  be  forgiven:"  this  is  to  stint  and 
limit  the  grace  of  God,  which  he  hath  made  boundless  and  infinite ; 
and  thou  mayest,  with  as  much  truth  and  reason,  say,  thou  art 


120 


DISCOURSES    COXCEEXIXfl  SIX. 


greater  than  God,  as  that  thy  sins  are  greater  than  his  meixyy.  Of 
all  things  in  the  world,  take  heed  that  thou  be  not  injurious  to  this 
rich  grace,  to  this  free  love  and  mercy,  that  pardons  thee  even  for 
its  own  sake.  God  pardons  thee  for  himself,  for  his  own  sake ; 
and  dost  thou  fear,  0  penitent  believing  soul,  that  ever  he  will 
condemn  thee  for  thy  sins  ?  no  ;  but  as  much  as  God  and  his  mercy 
are  greater  than  our  sins,  so  much  more  reason  will  he  find  in  him- 
self to  pardon  the  repenting  believing  sinner,  than  he  can  find  rea- 
son in  his  sins  to  condemn  him. 

Thus  we  see  what  cause  of  comfort  there  is  in  this  Pardoning 
Grace  of  God.  And  thus  also  we  have  considered  Pardon  of  Sin 
in  its  own  Nature. 

ii.  "We  shall  now  consider  Pardon  of  Sin  in  its  concomitants 
and  ADJUNCTS. 

And  so  we  shall  take  a  view  of  those  things,  which  do  insepara- 
bly accompany  it :  and  thereby  also  we  may  see,  how  great  and 
unspeakable  a  mercy  it  is. 

It  is  a  mercy,  that  is  never  bestowed  upon  the  soul  singly  and 
alone  ;  but  ever  more  comes  environed  with  whole  troops  of  asso- 
ciate-blessings. As, 

1.  Pardon  of  Sin  is  always  enjoined  with  'the  Acceptation  of  our 
Persons. 

Indeed  these  two  are  the  twin  parts  of  our  Justification :  and, 
therefore,  we  have  them  coupled  together,  Eph.  i.  6,  7  ;  He  hath 
made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved:  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  The  whole  m}rstery  of  our 
Justification  stands  in  these  two  things,  Kemission  and  Acceptation. 
Remission  takes  away  our  liableness  unto  death,  and  Acceptation 
gives  us  a  right  and  title  unto  life  :  for,  to  be  accepted  of  God  in 
Christ,  is  no  other,  than  for  God,  through  the  righteousness  and 
obedience  of  Christ  imputed  to  us,  to  own  and  acknowledge  us,  as 
having  a  right  and  title  unto  heaven.  And,  therefore,  we  have 
mention  made  of  Pardon  and  an  Inheritance  together,  as  the  full 
sum  of  our  Justification  :  Acts  xxvi.  18  ;  That  they  may  receive  for- 
giveness of  sins,  and  an  irJieritance  among  those  that  are  sanctified. 
It  is  not,  therefore,  O  Soul,  a  bare  negative  mercy,  that  God  intends 
thee,  in  the  pardon  of  thy  sins :  it  is  not  merely  the  removing  of 
the  curse  and  the  wrath,  that  thy  sins  have  deserved ;  though  that 
alone  can  never  be  sufficiently  admired :  but  the  same  hand,  that 
plucks  thee  out  of  hell  by  pardoning  grace  and  mercy,  lifts  thee  up 
to  heaven  by  what  it  gives  thee  together  with  thy  pardon,  even  a 
right  and  title  to  the  glorious  inheritance  of  the  saints  above. 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


121 


2.  Another  concomitant  is  this  :  Whomsoever  God  pardons,  he  doth 
also  in  some  measure  Sanctify. 

He  subdues  our  sins,  as  well  as  blots  them  out :  he  abates  their 
power,  as  well  as  removes  their  guilt.  And,  indeed,  it  were  no 
better  than  lost  labour,  for  God  to  pardon  sin,  if  he  did  not  purify 
the  sinner  also  :  for,  were  but  the  least  sin  and  corruption  left  to 
rule  and  reign  in  us,  we  should  presently  run  ourselves  as  far  into 
debt  and  arrears,  as  ever  we  were.  Indeed,  the  best  Christian,  in 
whom  grace  is  most  prevailing  and  corruption  weakest,  yet  even 
he  stands  daily  and  hourly  in  need  of  pardoning  mercy  :  but  yet, 
withal,  his  sins  are  not  of  so  high  a  nature,  nor  so  deep  a  stain,  as 
usually  the  sins  of  wicked  men  are :  his  sins  usually  are  such,  rather 
for  the  manner  of  them,  than  for  the  matter  of  them  :  God,  by  his 
pardoning  grace,  forgives  infirmities,  failings,  and  defects  ;  and,  by 
his  sanctifying  grace,  ordinarily  keeps  him  from  the  commission 
of  more  gross  and  scandalous  sins.  And  how  then  can  we  enough 
admire  the  rich  grace  of  God,  that  not  only  forgives  us  our  debts, 
but  withal  bestows  a  new  stock  upon  us,  to  keep  us  from  running 
into  debt  again,  in  any  great  and  desperate  sums  ! 

3.  Pardon  of  Sin  is  always  conjoined  with  our  Adoption  into  the 
Family  of  Heaven. 

Herein  is  the  love  of  God  greatly  seen  :  not  only  to  pardon  rebels ; 
but  to  make  them  his  children :  not  only  to  forgive  debtors  ;  but 
to  make  them  heirs  of  his  own  estate.  The  same  precious  blood, 
that  blots  out  our  sins,  writes  us  down  heirs  of  glory  and  co-heirs 
with  Jesus  Christ  himself.  Oh  infinite  and  unspeakable  mercy  of 
God,  thus  richly  and  bountifully  to  give,  as  well  as  freely  to  for- 
give !  that  he  should  thus  instate  us,  at  present,  in  his  love  and 
favour  ;  and,  hereafter,  instate  us  in  his  glory  !  This  is  not  the  man- 
ner of  men,  0  Lord ;  but,  as  far  as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth, 
so  far  are  the  thoughts  of  God  above  our  thoughts,  and  his  ways 
above  our  ways :  and,  therefore,  as  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so 
far  hath  he  removed  our  sins  from  us :  and  why  so  far  ?  but  only  that 
he  might  make  room  for  these  great  and  unspeakable  mercies  of 
Justification,  Sanctification,  and  Adoption  to  intervene. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  Second  tiling  proposed,  namely,  the  Con- 
comitants and  Adjuncts  of  Pardon  of  Sin. 

iii.  Let  us  now  consider,  Pardon  of  Sin,  in  the  effects  and  con- 
sequences of  it. 

And  from  hence  also  it  will  appear,  how  transcendent  a  mercy  it 
is,  and  how  just  a  title  God  hath  to  glory  in  it,  when  he  saith,  I, 
even  I,  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions. 


122 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


Mercies  temporal  and  spiritual,  the  blessings  of  this  life  and  the 
glory  of  a  future,  whatever  indeed  can  be  called  a  mercy  or  good 
thing,  doth  acknowledge  itself  a  retainer  to  this  primitive  and  foun- 
rain-mercy  of  Pardon  of  Sin. 

In  such  a  heap  of  them,  I  shall  only  cull  some  few  that  are  most 
conspicuous. 

Remission  of  sin  may  be  considered,  either  as  it  lies  in  God's 
eternal  Intention,  or  in  the  Spirit's  temporal  Application  of  it.  The 
one,  is  God's  purpose,  before  all  time,  to  forgive  us :  the  other,  is 
the  execution  of  that  purpose,  in  time. 

1.  If  we  consider  Pardon  of  Sin  in  GocVs  Eternal  Purjyose  and 
Intendment,  so  there  are  two  blessed  effects  flowing  from  it :  and 
they  are  these. 

The  sending  of  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world. 

The  great  gift  of  Faith. 

(1)  The  sending  of  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world,  who  is  the  cause 
of  all  happiness  unto  sinful  man,  was  itself  the  effect  of  this  pur- 
pose of  God,  to  pardon  and  forgive  sinners. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  trace  out  the  order  of  the  divine  decrees 
concerning  the  salvation  of  mankind ;  and  to  pass  from  one  of 
them  to  another,  as  they  lie  ranked  and  methodized  in  God's  breast : 
and  divers,  that  have  attempted  to  search  out  these  Arcana  Dei,  this 
art  and  mystery  of  justice  and  mercy,  have  trodden  in  paths  differ- 
ent from  one  another  ;  and,  doubtless,  many  of  them  differing  from 
the  truth  also.  I  shall  not  stand  to  draw  a  scheme  of  these  decrees 
of  God.  Let  it  now  suffice  us  to  know,  that  God,  from  all  eternity, 
foreseeing  the  sin  and  misery,  which  man  would,  by  his  permission 
and  his  own  sin,  involve  himself  in,  did,  for  the  manifestation  of 
the  riches  both  of  his  mercy  and  justice,  enter  into  counsel,  how  to 
pardon  and  save  him.  This  was  the  end  of  God's  design,  even  to 
restore  again  to  happiness  some  of  mankind  ;  even  as  many,  as  he 
should  select  out  of  the  mass  and  common  rubbish  of  sin  and  mise- 
ry, and  set  apart  for  himself.  But  how  shall  this  end  be  accom- 
plished and  brought  about?  Justice  brandisheth  its  sword  in  the 
face  of  sinners ;  and  demandeth  as  great  a  share  of  glory  in  pun- 
ishment, as  mercy  doth  in  pardoning :  and  God  is  resolved  to 
glorify  both  of  these  attributes  of  his,  in  their  several  demands. 
This  now  put  him  upon  ransacking  of  the  deepest  counsel  that  ever 
lodged  in  his  heart,  even  of  an  adored  Mediator;  in  whom  Justice 
receives  full  satisfaction,  and  Mercy  triumphs  in  a  full  pardon,  and 
both  are  infinitely  glorious.  For  this  end,  God  sent  down  his  Son 
from  heaven  to  earth,  to  become  a  propitiation  for  us ;  and  so, 


DISCOURSES    C  O  X  C  E  R  X  I  X  G  SIX. 


123 


through  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  to  obtain  remission  and  forgive- 
ness of  sins  for  us.  God's  Mercy  and  his  Beloved  Son  could  not  rest  to- 
gether in  his  bosom  :  and,  therefore,  his  purpose  of  pardoning  sin  was 
so  efficacious,  that,  to  make  room  for  the  displaying  of -his  Mercy, 
he  sends  his  own  Son  out  of  heaven,  never  to  enter  again  there,  till, 
by  his  merit  and  sufferings,  he  had  procured  remission  of  sins  for 
all  those  that  believe  in  him.  Hence  the  Apostle,  Rom.  iii.  25,  2G, 
tells  us,  that  God  hath  set  forth  Christ  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 

that  are  jiast,  through  God's  forbearance  that  he  might  be  just,  and 

the  just  ifier  of  them  that  believe  in  Jesus:  as  if  the  Apostle  had  said, 
God  could  not  be  just,  if  he  should  justify  sinners  that  deserve  his 
wratb,  unless  he  had  sent  forth  Jesus  Christ  into  the  world  to  be- 
come a  propitiation  and  sacrifice  to  his  justice  for  their  sins;  for, 
having  threatened  in  his  unalterable  word  to  inflict  vengeance  up- 
on all  that  are  guilty,  his  truth  obliged  him  to  this  dreadful  sever- 
ity upon  all,  since  all  are  guilty :  but  Christ,  taking  on  him  the 
guilt  of  sinners,  by  his  undergoing  the  wrath  of  God  and  the  curse 
of  the  Law  hath  so  fully  appeased  divine  justice,  that  now  God, 
though  he  doth  not  punish  sinners  in  themselves,  can  yet  be  just 
and  the  justifier  of  sinners  :  therefore,  he  sent  forth  Christ  to  be  a 
propitiation.  God's  eternal  purpose,  to  glorify  his  justice  in  the 
punishing  of  sin,  and  yet  to  glorify  his  grace  and  mercy  in  pardon- 
ing sinners,  wrought  this  great  effect  of  sending  Christ  into  the 
world,  whereby  two  such  different  ends  might  with  infinite  wisdom 
be  accomplished.  So  that  Christ,  who  is  the  cause  of  all  our  hap- 
piness and  mercy,  is  yet  himself  the  effect  of  God's  purpose  and 
intent  to  pardon  sin.  And  what  can  be  said  more  to  advance  the 
greatness  of  this  mercy  ?  a  mercy  so  great,  that  one  of  the  Fathers, 
St.  Gregory  by  name,  doubted  whether  it  were  more  misery  or 
happiness,  that  Adam  fell ;  since  his  sin  and  fall  occasioned  such  a 
wonderful  Redeemer,  and  such  a  glorious  salvation :  Fselix  culpa, 
says  he,  "0  happy  fall,  that  obtained  such  a  Redeemer  !" 

(2)  Another  blessed  effect  of  God's  purpose  in  pardoning  sin,  is 
the  great  gift  of  Faith. 

Indeed,  to  give  Jesus  Christ  were  utterly  in  vain,  did  not  God 
withal  give  faith  to  accept  him.  To  tender  Christ  to  an  unbeliever, 
is  to  offer  a  gift  where  there  is  no  hand  to  receive  it.  Hence,  that 
God's  purpose  of  giving  pardon  might  stand  valid,  that  the  death 
of  Christ  might  not  be  fruitless,  and  that  his  blood  might  not  be 
like  water  spilt  on  the  ground  that  cannot  be  gathered  up  again, 
God  decreed  to  bestow  faith  upon  them  that  believe,  that  may  con- 


124 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


vej  to  them  the  benefits  of  Christ's  merits  in  their  pardon  and 
remission. 

These  two  blessed  effects  follow  in  God's  purpose  and  intention 
of  pardoning  sin ;  even  the  Gift  of  Christ  to  procure,  and  the  Gift 
of  Faith  to  apply,  pardon  unto  the  soul. 

2.  And,  more  especially,  let  us  consider  Pardon  of  Sin  in  its 
Temporal  and  Real  Application. 

And  so  the  happy  effects  of  it  are  manifold.  I  shall  only  instance 
in  some,  at  present. 

(1)  Pardon  of  Sin  gives  an  inviolable  security  against  the  pur- 
suits of  avenging  justice. 

This  is  its  formal,  and  most  immediate  effect.  Justice  follows 
guilty  sinners  close  at  the  heels,  and  shakes  its  flaming  sword  over 
their  heads :  every  threatening  contained  in  this  Book  of  God, 
stands  ready  charged  against  them  ;  and  their  sins  make  them  so 
fair  a  mark,  that  they  cannot  be  missed.  Hence  is  that  sad  com- 
plaint of  Job,  Why  hast  thou  set  me  up  as  a  mark  ?  into  which  he 
emptied  his  arrows  as  into  his  reins :  Job  vii.  20.  Now  while  just- 
ice is  driving  the  sinner  before  it  from  plague  to  plague,  resolving 
never  to  stop  till  he  hath  driven  him  into  hell,  the  great  assembly 
Snd  meeting  of  all  plagues ;  mercy  interposes,  and  lays  its  arrest 
upon  it :  and  this  gracious  Act  of  Pardon  rescues  us,  though  under 
the  hands  of  the  executioner,  and  ready  to  be  turned  into  hell. 
Here,  the  challenge,  that  justice  makes  to  us,  ceaseth  ;  and  Ave  are 
left  to  walk  safely,  under  the  protection  of  mercy :  for,  when  God 
issues  out  a  pardon,  he  calls  off  justice  from  its  pursuit.  Thus  you 
have  the  Psalmist  thankfully  acknowledging,  Ps.  lxxxv.  2 ;  Thou  hast 
forgiven  our  iniquities ;  and  what  follows ;  Thou  hast  taken  away  all  thy 
wrath:  thou  hast  turned  thyself  from  the  fierceness  of  thine  anger.  Nor  is 
it  to  be  feared,  0  soul,  that  thou  shalt  ever  more  be  questioned  for  those 
sins  that  are  once  forgiven  thee:  God's  acts  of  oblivion  can  never  be 
repealed:  no;  God  sets  an  everlasting  sanction  upon  them,  and  justice 
shall  never  again  molest  thee:  Jer.  xxxi.  34;  I  will  forgive  their  iniqui- 
ities,  and  I  will  remember  their  sins  no  more.  And,  indeed,  well  may  di- 
vine justice  cease  its  pursuit  of  the  guilty  sinner ;  for,  always,  when 
God  pardons  a  sinner,  he  turns  his  pursuit  after  Christ,  and  satisfies 
all  his  just  demands  upon  him  :  for,  though  we  are  the  principals  in 
the  debt,  yet  our  Surety,  who  stands  bound  for  us  in  the  Covenant  of 
Redemption,  is  far  the  more  able  and  absolving  person.  Now  is 
not  this  an  unspeakable  mercy,  that  justice  and  vengeance,  the 
heavy  strokes  of  which  many  thousand  wretches  lie  under,  and 
which  thy  sins  have  provoked  and  armed  against  thy  own  soul ; 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


125 


that  might,  every  sin  thou  committest,  that  is  every  moment  of  thy 
life,  strike  thee  dead  in  the  place ;  in  the  dread  of  which,  if  thou 
hast  any  tenderness  of  conscience  left  in  thee,  thou  must  needs  live 
in  continual  fearful  expectations  of  this  wrath  of  God,  to  destroy 
thee  as  his  enemy ;  is  it  not  infinite  mercy,  that  God  should  call  in 
the  commission  given  to  his  justice,  that  mercy  might  secure  thee 
from  it  ?  What  is  this,  but  the  effect  of  pardoning  grace,  that  give? 
this  destroyer  charge  to  pass  over  all  those,  upon  whose  con  • 
sciences  the  blood  of  Christ  is  sprinkled  for  the  removal  of  their 
guilt  ? 

(2)  Another  blessed  effect  of  Pardon  of  Sin,  is  Peace  and  Eecon- 
ciliation  with  God. 

And  what  happiness  can  be  greater,  than  when  the  quarrel  be- 
twixt heaven  and  earth,  betwixt  God  and  the  sinner,  is  taken  up 
and  compounded?  Open  wars  have  long  been  proclaimed,  and 
long  maintained  on  either  part :  ever  since  the  first  great  rebellion, 
man  hath  stood  in  defiance  with,  and  exercised  great  hostility 
against  his  Creator ;  and  God,  on  the  other  hand,  hath  thundered 
out  whole  peals  of  curses  against  these  rebels,  and  hath  slain  whole 
generations  of  them  eternally  dead  upon  the  place.  God  hath  still 
maintained  his  cause  with  victory,  and  man  his  with  obstinacy,' 
and  this  war  would  never  cease,  did  not  God  proclaim  pardon  and 
forgiveness  to  all  that  will  lay  down  their  arms  and  submit. 

Now,  hereupon,  peace  is  concluded  fully  :  for, 

[1]  God's  pardoning  of  sinners  manifests  him  to  be  fully  recon- 
ciled to  them. 

So  the  Apostle  tells  us,  Kom.  v.  1,  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Clirist.  God  is  a  sworn  enemy 
to  all  guilty  sinners.  Himself  hath  affixed  this  title  to  the  rest  of 
his  name,  that  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.  Guilt  hath  a 
malign  influence  :  not  only  on  our  consciences,  to  discompose  them 
with  terrors  and  affrightments  ;  but  on  God's  contenance  also,  to 
ruffle  into  frowns  and  displeasure.  Now  when  God  pardons  sin, 
he  wipes  away  this  overcasting  cloud :  and,  the  cause  of  enmity 
being  removed,  his  face  and  favour  clear  up  to  us.    And,  then, 

[2]  Pardon  of  Sin  is  a  strong  inducement  to  us,  to  lay  down  the 
weapons  of  our  warfare,  and  be  at  peace  with  God. 

What  argument  can  be  more  prevailing,  where  there  is  any  prin- 
ciple of  ingenuity  ?  "  When  God  thus  proclaims  peace,  shall  I  con- 
tinue war?  He,  pardons,  and  shall  I  rebel?  He  is  reconciled,  and 
shall  I  be  implacable?  Shall  I  persist  in  those  sins,  which  he  for- 
gives ?  No :  far  be  it  from  me.    I  submit  to  that  God,  whose  rich 


126 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIX. 


grace  conquers  by  condescending,  as  well  as  his  power  by  crushing." 
And  thus  the  soul  lays  down  its  weapons  at  the  feet  of  God ;  and 
humbly  embraces  the  terms  of  agreement  propounded  by  him  in 
the  Gospel. 

(3)  Pardon  of  Sin  lays  a  good  foundation  for  the  soul's  near 
acquaintance  and  commuuion  with  God. 

Guilt  is  the  only  thing,  that  breeds  alienation.  Your  iniquities, 
says  the  Prophet,  have  separated  behceen  you  and  your  God:  Isa.  lix. 
2.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it  possible,  that  a  guilty  sinner  should  any  more 
delight  in  conversing  with  God,  than  a  guilty  malefactor  delights 
in  the  presence  of  his  judge.  And,  therefore,  we  see,  when  Adam 
had  contracted  guilt  upon  himself  by  eating  the  forbidden  fruit 
how  childishly  and  foolishly  he  behaved  himself!  God  calls  him, 
and  he  runs  behind  a  tree  to  hide  himself  ?  "What  a  sudden  change 
was  here  !  Adam,  who  but  a  little  before  was  his  Creator's  familiar, 
now  dreads  and  shuns  him  :  his  guilt  makes  him  apprehend  God's 
call,  to  be  no  other  than  a  summons  to  the  bar.  Nor,  indeed,  can  it 
be  otherwise,  but  that  guilt  should  produce  alienation  betwixt  God 
and  the  soul ;  for  look  how  distance  grows  between  two  familiar 
friends,  so  doth  it  here :  if  a  man  be  conscious  to  himself,  that  he 
hath  done  his  friend  an  injury  ;  what  influence  hath  this  upon  him  ? 
why,  presently  it  makes  him  more  shy  and  reserved  to  him  than 
before  :  so  is  it  here  :  consciousness  of  guilt  fills  us  with  a  trouble- 
some,  ill-natured  shame  :  we  are  ashamed  to  look  God  in  the  face, 
whom  we  have  so  much  wronged  by  our  sin  ;  and  this  shame  is 
always  joined  with  a  slavish  and  base  fear  of  God,  lest  he  should 
revenge  himself  upon  us,  for  the  injuries  that  we  have  done  to  him; 
and  both  this  shame  and  fear  take  off  from  that  holy  freedom  and  bold- 
ness, which  reverently  to  use  towards  God,  is  the  gust  and  spirit  of 
our  communion  and  fellowship  with  him ;  and  all  these  lessen  that 
sweet  delight  in  God,  that  formerly  we  relished  in  the  intimacy  of 
this  heavenly  fellowship.  And  what  can  be  the  final  product  of  all 
this,  but  a  most  sad  alienation  and  estrangement  between  God  and 
the  soul  ?  But  Pardon  of  Sin  removeth  these  obstructions ;  and 
causeth  the  intercourse  betwixt  God  and  the  soul  to  pass  free,  be- 
cause it  gives  the  soul  a  holy  and}~et  awful  boldness  in  conversing 
with  t'.ie  great  and  terrible  majesty  of  God.  So  much  sense  of 
pardon  and  reconciliation  as  we  have,  so  much  boldness  shall  we 
have  ordinarily  in  our  addresses  to  God  ;  what  is  the  reason  that 
the  consciences  of  wicked  men  drag  them  before  God ;  and  they 
come  with  so  much  diffidence,  dejectedness,  and  jealousy  ?  it  is,  be- 
cause they  are  conscious  to  themselves  of  guilt  that  lies  upon  them  ; 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIN. 


127 


and  this  makes  them  look  on  God,  rather  under  the  notion  of  a 
judge,  than  of  a  friend  or  father  ;  and  this  makes  them  perform 
their  duties  so  distrustfully,  as  if  they  would  not  have  God  take  any 
notice  that  they  were  in  his  presence.  But,  when  a  pardoned  sin- 
ner makes  his  addresses  to  God,  he  may  do  it  with  a  holy  freedom  : 
the  face  of  his  soul  looks  cheerfully,  and  he  treats  with  God  with  an 
open  heart.  "What  ground  is  there  now,  for  such  confidence  as  this 
is  ?  for  poor,  vile  dust  and  ashes,  to  appear  thus  before  the  Great 
God  of  ITeaven  and  Earth  ? — Guilt  is  removed  :  peace  is  made  in 
the  blood  of  Christ :  all  enmity  is  abolished  :  all  quarrels  are  deci- 
ded :  and  it  becomes  not  him,  to  serve  God  with  such  suspicious- 
ness as  guilty  sinners  do.  Hence  we  have  that  expression  of  the  Apos- 
tle, H'eb.  x.  22,  Let  us  draw  near  to  him....in  full  assurance  of  faith,  hav- 
ing our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience  ;  that  is,  from  a  guilty 
and  an  accusing  conscience  :  now  when  the  heart  and  conscience  are 
sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ,  whereby  this  guilt  is  taken  off, 
then  hath  a  man  good  ground  to  draw  near  to  God,  in  full  assur- 
ance of  faith. 

(-i)  Pardon  of  Sin  lays  a  good  ground  for  peace,  in  a  man's  own 
conscience. 

I  do  not  say,  that  Peace  of  Conscience  is  always  an  inseparable 
attendant  upon  Pardon  of  Sin ;  for,  doubtless,  there  are  many  so 
unhappy,  as  to  have  a  wrangling  conscience  in  their  own  bosoms, 
when  God  is  at  peace  with  them  :  but  this  is  certain,  that  Pardon 
of  Sin  lays  a  solid  ground  and  foundation  for  Peace  in  a  man's  own 
Conscience  ;  and,  were  Christians  but  as  industrious  as  they  should 
be  in  clearing  up  their  evidences  for  heaven,  they  might  obtain 
peace  whenever  they  are  pardoned.  "What  is  there,  that  disquiets 
conscience,  but  only  guilt  ?  nothing,  but  the  guilt  of  sin,  doth  A : 
this  is  that,  which  rageth  and  storm eth  in  wicked  men,  and  is  as  a 
tempest  within  their  breasts :  this  is  that  unseen  scourge,  that 
draws  blood  and  groans  at  every  lash  :  this  is  that  worm,  that  lies 
perpetually  gnawing  at  the  heart  of  a  sinner  :  this  is  that  rack,  that 
breaks  the  bones,  and  disjoints  the  soul  itself.  In  a  word,  guilt  is 
the  fuel  of  hell,  and  the  incendiary  of  conscience :  were  it  not  for 
guilt,  there  were  not  a  more  pleasant  and  peaceable  thing  in  all  the 
world,  than  a  man's  own  conscience.  Now  Pardon  of  Sin  removes 
this  guilt ;  and,  thereby,  makes  reconciliation  between  us  and  our 
consciences :  and,  therefore,  says  our  Saviour,  Matt.  ix.  2,  to  the 
paralytic  man,  Son,  be  of  good  cheer  ;  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee.  Might 
not  some  say,  "  This  is  an  impertinent  speech,  to  say  to  one  that 
was  brought  to  be  cured  of  a  sad  infirmity  of  body,  that  his  sins  were 


128 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING  SIX. 


forgiven  him, whilst  3-et  his  disease  was  not  cured?"  No  :  our  Lord 
Christ  knew,  that  there  was  infinitely  more  cause  of  joy  and  cheer- 
fulness to  have  sin  pardoned,  than  to  have  diseases  cured  :  to  have 
all  calm  and  serene  within,  not  to  have  a  frown  or  wrinkle  upon 
the  face  of  the  soul,  to  have  all  smooth  thoughts  and  peaceful  affec- 
tions ;  this  is  some  faint  resemblance  of  heaven  itself,  and  is  never 
vouchsafed  unto  any  but  where  pardon  and  the  sense  of  it  are 
given  to  the  soul. 

(5)  He,  whose  sins  are  pardoned,  may  rest  assured,  that  whatever 
calamities  or  afflictions  he  may  lie  under,  yet  there  is  nothing  in 
them  of  a  curse  or  punishment. 

It  is  guilt  alone,  that  diffuseth  poison  through  the  veins,  as  of 
all  our  enjoyments  so  of  all  afflictions  also,  and  turns  them  all  into 
curses :  but  Pardon  of  Sin  takes  away  this  venom,  and  makes  them 
all  to  be  medicinal  corrections ;  good,  profitable,  and  advantageous 
to  the  soul.  See  how  God,  by  the  Prophet,  expresseth  this :  Is. 
xxxiii.  24  ;  The  inhabitants  shall  not  say  they  are  sick:  why  so  ? 
for  (he  people,  that  dwell  therein,  shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquities.  When 
sin  is  pardoned,  outward  afflictions  are  not  worth  complaining  of : 
the  inhabitants  shall  not  say,  we  are  sick.  A  disease  then  becomes 
a  medicine,  when  pardon  hath  taken  away  the  curse  and  punish- 
ment of  it. 

God  hath  two  ends  with  respect  to  himself,  for  which  he  brings 
punishment  upon  us  :  the  one,  is  the  manifestation  of  his  holiness ; 
the  other,  is  for  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice.  And,  accordingly 
as  any  affliction  tends  to  either  of  these  ends,  so  is  it  properly  a 
punishment,  or  barely  a  fatherly  chastisement.  If  God  intend,  by 
the  afflictions  which  he  lays  upon  thee,  the  satisfaction  of  his  jus- 
tice ;  then,  thy  afflictions  are  properly  punishments,  and  they  flow 
from  the  curse  of  the  Law  :  but,  if  the  manifestation  of  his  holiness 
be  all  he  intends  by  them  ;  then,  are  they  only  fatherly  corrections, 
proceeding  from  love  and  mercy. 

[1]  Those,  whose  sins  God  hath  pardoned,  he  may  afflict  for  the 
declaration  of  his  holiness ;  that  they  may  see  and  know  what  a 
holy  God  they  have  to  deal  with  :  who,  so  perfectly  hates  sin,  that 
he  will  follow  it  with  chastisements,  even  upon  those,  whom  his 
free  grace  hath  pardoned. 

[2]  God  inflicts  no  chastisements  upon  those,  whom  he  hath  par- 
doned, for  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice  :  and,  therefore,  they  are  not 
curses,  not  properly  punishments  ;  but  only  corrections  and  fatherly 
chastisements.  Christ  hath  satisfied  the  demands  of  justice  for 
their  sins  ;  and  God  is  more  just,  than  to  exact  doubb  satisfaction 


DISCOURSES    CONCERNING    SIN.  129 

for  the  same  offence,  one  in  .Christ's  punishment,  and  another  in 
theirs.  The  Apostle  tells  us,  Gal.  iii.  13  ;  C hrist  hath  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  Law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us.  It  is  not  the 
evils  that  we  suffer,  that  makes  them  curses  or  punishments  though 
never  so  great  ;  but  only  the  ordination  of  these  evils  to  the  satis- 
faction of  divine  justice  upon  us.  And,  therefore,  Christ,  in  Scrip- 
ture, is  said  to  be  made  a  curse ;  not  simply  because  he  suffered  : 
but  because  he  was  adjudged  to  his  sufferings,  that  thereby  satis- 
faction might  be  made  unto  the  justice  of  God. 

Hence,  therefore,  with  what  calmness  and  peace  may  a  Pardoned 
Sinner  look  upon  any  afflictions !  Though  they  are  sore  and  heavy, 
though  they  seem  to  carry  much  of  God's  anger  in  them  ;  yet  there 
is  nothing  of  a  curse,  or  of  the  nature  of  a  punishment :  the  sting 
was  all  of  it  received  into  the  body  of  Christ ;  and  now  God's  righte- 
ousness will  not  suffer  him  to  punish  them  again  in  their  own  persons, 
whom  he  hath  already  punished  in  their  Surety.  Imagine  what 
affliction  thou  canst.  Art  thou  pinched  with  want  and  poverty? 
Dost  thou  sustain  losses  in  thy  estate,  in  thy  relations  ?  Art  thou 
tormented  with  pains,  weakened  by  diseases ;  and  will  all  these 
bring  death  upon  thee,  at  the  last  ?  Yet,  O  soul,  if  thy  sins  are  par- 
doned, here  is  nothing  of  a  curse  or  punishment  in  all  this  :  justice 
is  already  satisfied,  by  Christ's  bearing  the  curse  of  the  Law  for 
thee.  Come  what  will  come,  it  shall  not  hurt  thee.  Afflictions  are 
all  weak  and  weaponless  :  they  are  only  the  corrections  of  a  loving 
Father,  for  the  manifestation  of  his  holiness,  and  for  thy  eternal 
gain  and  advantage. 

Very  sad  is  the  condition  of  Guilty  Sinners  :  for,  whether  they 
know  it  or  not,  there  is  not  the  least  affliction,  not  the  least  gripe 
or  pain,  not  the  least  slight  or  inconsiderable  cross,  but  it  is  a  pun- 
ishment inflicted  by  God  upon  them,  for  the  guilt  of  their  sins. 
God  is  now  beginning  to  satisfy  his  justice,  and  these  are  sent  by 
him  to  arrest  and  seize  on  them  :  he  now  begins  to  take  them  by 
the  throat ;  and  calls  upon  them  to  pay  him  what  they  owe  him. 
Every  affliction  to  them  is  part  of  payment,  and  is  exacted  from  them 
as  part  of  payment.  Oh,  the  vast  and  infinite  sums  of  plagues, 
that  God  will  most  severely  exact  from  them  in  hell,  where 
they  shall  pay  to  the  utmost  farthing  !  There  is  not  the  least  calam- 
ity, that  befals  wicked  and  unpardoned  sinners,  but  carries  the 
venom  of  a  curse  in  it ;  and  inllicted  by  God  upon  them,  in  order 
to  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice  on  them  :  which  complete  satisfac- 
tion he  will  work  out  upon  them  in  their  complete  torments  in  hell. 

So  much  for  this  time  and  text. 
Vol  II— 9. 


THE    DOCTRINE    OF    THE  TWO 
COVENANTS: 


WHEREIN  THE  NATURE  OF  ORIGINAL  SIN  IS  AT 
LARGE  EXPLAINED;  AND  ST.  PAUL  AND  ST. 
JAMES  RECONCILED,  IN  THE  GREAT  ARTICLE 
OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


INTRODUCTION. 

For  Moses  descriheth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  That  the 
man  which  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  But  the  righte- 
ousness which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise :  Say  not  in  thine  heart, 
Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from 
above :)  or,  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ 
again  from  the  dead.)  But  what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even 
in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart:  that  is,  the  word  of  faith,  which  we 
preach  ;  That  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 
shalt  be  saved.    Rom.  x.  5 — 9. 

Of  all  the  mysterious  depths  in  Christian  Religion,  there  is  none, 
more  necessary  for  our  information  nor  more  influential  upon  our 
practice,  than  a  right  apprehension  and  a  distinct  knowledge  of  the 
Doctrine  of  the  Covenants.  For,  if  we  be  ignorant  or  mistaken  in 
this,  we  must  needs  he  liable  to  false  or  confused  notions  of  the 
Law  and  the  Gospel ;  of  our  Fall  in  Adam,  and  Restoration  by 
Christ ;  of  the  true  grounds  of  men's  Condemnation,  and  the  means 
and  terms  of  their  Justification  ;  of  the  Justice  of  God  in  punishing 
sinners,  and  his  glorious  Mercy  in  saving  believers :  and,  con- 
sequently, neither  can  many  perplexing  doubts  and  questions  be 
resolved,  the  necessity  and  yet  different  concurrence  of  faith  and 
obedience  unto  salvation  cleared,  the  utter  insufficiency  of  our  own 
righteousness  to  procure  acceptance  for  us  with  God  evinced,  his 
justice  vindicated,  nor  his  grace  glorified.  For  all  these  great  and 
important  truths  will  readily  own  themselves  to  be  built  upon  the 
foundation  of  God's  covenant  and  stipulation  with  man ;  as  I  hope 
to  make  appear  in  our  farther  progress. 

And  yet,  though  this  doctrine  be  thus  generally  serviceable  both 
to  knowledge  and  practice,  how  many  are  there,  who  call  them- 
selves Christians,  that  are  grossly  ignorant  of  these  transactions  be- 
tween God  and  man !  that  know  not  upon  what  terms  they  stand 
with  the  Almighty ;  nor  what  they  may  expect,  according  to  the 
tenor  of  their  mutual  compact  and  agreement ! 

(130; 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


131 


This,  therefore,  I  shall  endeavour  to  treat  of,  as  briefly  and  as 
clearly  as  the  subject  will  permit,  from  the  words  which  I  have  now 
read  unto  you  ;  which  are  the  transcript  and  copy  of  those  Two 
great  Contracts  made  between  Heaven  and  Earth,  God  and  Man  : 
the  one,  from  the  beginning  of  his  being,  and  that  is  the  Covenant 
of  "Works  ;  the  other,  immediately  upon  his  fall  and  ruin,  and  that 
is  the  Covenant  of  Grace :  the  one,  called  here  the  Righteousness 
of  the  Law  ;  and  the  other,  the  Righteousness  of  Faith. 

But,  before  I  can  particularly  treat  on  this  subject,  I  must  first 
show  you  what  a  Covenant  is,  in  its  general  notion  ;  and  whether 
there  is  or  can  be  any  such  thing  as  a  proper  covenant,  between 
God  and  Man. 

Our  English  word  Covenant  seems  to  be  borrowed  from  the 
Latin  convenire  or  conventus  ;  which  signifies  a  mutual  agreement 
and  accord,  upon  conditions  propounded  and  accepted  by  the  par- 
ties concerned.  And  it  may  be  thus  described :  A  covenant  is  a 
mutual  consent  and  agreement  entered  into  between  persons,  where- 
by they  stand  bound  each  to  other  to  perform  the  conditions  con- 
tracted and  indented  for.  And  thus  a  covenant  is  the  very  same 
thing  with  a  contract  or  bargain. 

Now  to  a  strict  and  proper  covenant  there  are  two  things  pre- 
supposed. 

First.  That,  in  the  persons  contracting,  there  be  a  natural  liberty 
and  freedom  the  one  from  the  other  :  that  is,  that  the  one  be  not 
bound  to  the  other  as  to  the  things  covenanted  for,  antecedently  to 
that  compact  or  agreement  made  between  them. 

For  where  an  obligation  to  a  duty  is  natural,  there  it  cannot  be 
strictly  and  properly  federal,  or  arising  from  a  covenant.  If  chil- 
dren should  indent  with  their  parents  to  yield  them  obedience  upon 
condition  that  they  on  their  part  will  afford  them  fit  and  conveni- 
ent provision,  this  cannot,  in  strict  sense,  be  called  a  covenant ;  be- 
cause neither  of  the  parties  were  free  from  the  obligation  of  a 
natural  law,  which  obliged  them  antecedently  to  this  compact.  In 
a  proper  covenant,  the  things  promised  by  each  party  must  be  due, 
only  upon  consent  and  agreement :  so  that  there  must  be  an  equal- 
ity of  the  persons  covenanting,  if  not  in  other  respects,  yet  in  re- 
spect of  that  for  which  they  do  covenant,  that  the  right  of  both  in 
what  they  mutually  promise  be  equal.  If  one  man  covenant  with 
another  to  serve  him  faithfully  upon  condition  of  such  a  reward 
and  wages,  though  there  may  be  much  disparity  upon  other  ac- 
counts between  them,  yet,  as  to  the  things  covenanted  for,  there  is 
none  :  the  one  having  as  much  right  to  the  wages,  as  the  other  to 


132 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


the  service ;  and  neither  having  right  to  either  before  the  agree- 
ment. 

Secondly.  In  a  proper  covenant,  there  must  be  mutual  consent 
of  the  persons  covenanting. 

And  this  is  called  a  stipulation,  whereby  each  party  doth  freely 
and  voluntarily  engage  himself  to  the  other  for  his  own  particular 
benefit  and  advantage.  For  where  both  are  free  and  disobliged,  it 
is  generally  the  apprehension  of  some  good  that  will  accrue 
unto  them,  that  brings  them  to  enter  into  a  federal  engagement. 

Now  this  being  plainly  the  nature  of  a  covenant,  it  clearly  fol- 
lows, that  there  neither  is  nor  can  be  a  strict  and  proper  covenant 
between  God  and  Man.  For, 

First.  Both  parties  covenanting  are  not  naturally  free  the  one 
from  the  other. 

God  is,  indeed,  naturally  and  originally  free,  and  hath  no  obli- 
gation to  man  antecedent  to  his  own  gracious  will  and  promise. 
But  Man  hath  a  double  bond  to  duty:  both  his  natural  obligation, 
as  he  is  a  creature ;  and  his  federal,  as  he  is  a  covenanter :  and 
therefore  he  is  bound  to  obedience,  not  only  by  his  stipulation 
and  engagement,  but  also  upon  that  natural  relation  wherein  he 
stands  to  God  as  his  Creator,  and  which  alone  would  have  been  a 
sufficient  obligation  upon  him  had  he  never  entered  into  covenant. 
And, 

Secondly.  The  creature's  consent  and  agreement  is  not  necessary 
to  the  covenant  which  God  makes  with  it. 

And  that,  because  the  terms  of  it  being  so  infinitely  to  our  ad- 
vantage, as  there  can  be  no  reason  imagined  why  we  should  dis- 
sent ;  so  neither  is  there  any  to  expect  an  explicit  consent  for  the 
ratification  of  it.  Neither  are  we  lords  of  ourselves ;  but  he,  that 
made  us,  may  impose  on  us  what  laws  he  pleaseth  :  and,  if  he  con- 
descend to  encourage  us  by  promises  of  reward,  this  voluntary  ob- 
ligation, which  God  is  pleased  to  lay  upon  himself,  lays  a  farther 
obligation  upon  us  to  do  what  he  requires  out  of  love  and  thank- 
fulness, faith  and  hope,  whereby  we  cheerfully  expect  and  embrace 
what  he  hath  promised  :  which,  likewise,  of  itself,  is  so  vastly  tran- 
scendant  and  disproportionate  to  all  our  performances,  that  it  can- 
not be  our  due,  upon  a  strict  and  proper  covenant  (for,  in  every 
such  bargain,  the  datum  and  acceptum,  that  which  is  promised  by 
both  parties,  must  be  alike  valuable,  at  least  in  the  esteem  of  the 
covenanters ;)  but  rather  a  free  beneficence,  upon  an  arbitrary 
promise. 

So  that,  between  Man  and  Man,  a  covenant  is  a  mutual  and  an 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


133 


equal  obligation :  but,  between  God  and  Man,  it  is  only  a  mutual 
obligation;  on  God's  part  to  a  free  performance  of  his  promises, 
and  on  man's  part  to  a  cheerful  performance  of  his  duty  :  wherein, 
as  there  is  no  equality,  either  in  right  or  value  ;  so  neither  is  there 
any  necessity,  that  man  should  give  an  explicit  and  formal  consent 
thereto. 

And,  as  God's  transactions  with  us  are  not  strictly  and  properly 
a  Covenant,  so  neither  are  they  strictly  and  properly  a  Law ;  al- 
though they  are  often  called  the  Law  of  "Works,  and  the  Law  of 
Faith.  For  God  doth  not  deal  with  us  merely  out  of  absolute  sov- 
ereignty, but  he  is  graciously  pleased  to  oblige  himself  to  us  by 
promise;  which  doth  not  belong  to  a  sovereign  acting  as  such,  but 
carries  some  resemblance  of  a  covenant.  So  that  the  agreement, 
which  God  hath  made  with  man  is  not  merely  a  covenant,  nor 
merely  a  law;  but  mixed  of  both.  If  God  had  only  said  Do  this, 
without  adding  Thou  shalt  live  ;  this  had  not  been  a  Covenant,  but 
a  Law :  and,  if  he  had  only  said  Thou  shall  live,  without  command- 
ing Do  this:  it  had  not  been  a  Covenant,  but  a  Promise.  Remove 
the  condition,  and  you  make  it  a  simple  promise :  remove  the 
promise,  and  you  make  it  an  absolute  law :  but,  both  these  being 
found  in  it,  it  is  both  a  law  and  a  covenant ;  though  both,  in  a  large 
acceptation. 

And  thus  you  see  what  a  covenant  is ;  and  how  the  transactions 
between  God  and  man  may  be  said  to  be  a  covenant ;  'and  wherein 
they  differ  from  the  proper  notion  of  one. 

Yet  the  difference  is  not  so  great,  but  that  the  Scripture  most 
frequently  makes  mention  of  covenants  ratified  between  God  and 
Man,  and  chiefly  insists  upon  the  two  principal  ones,  which  indeed 
are  the  argument  and  substance  of  the  whole  Bible,  the  Covenant 
of  "Works  and  the  Covenant  of  Grace  ;  in  which  not  only  particular 
persons  were  engaged,  but  the  whole  race  of  mankind :  the  sum- 
mary contents  of  which  were,  Do  this,  and  live;  and  Believe,  and 
live.  The  former  is  the  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  "Works  ;  the  lat- 
ter, the  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  And  both  these  are  ex- 
pressed in  my  text :  the  Covenant  of  Works  is  called  the  Righte- 
ousness of  the  Law  ;  that  is,  the  rule  of  Righteousness  by  the  Law, 
the  sentence  of  which  is,  that  the  man,  which  doeth  those  things,  shall 
live  by  them :  the  Covenant  of  Grace  is  called  the  righteousness,  which 
is  of  faith ;  that  is,  the  rule  of  obtaining  Righteousness  by  Faith, 
the  purport  of  which  is  this,  that  if  thou  shalt  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be 
saved. 


134 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS  OX  LAW  AND 
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Now,  here,  before  I  can  treat  of  the  substance  of  these  Two  Cove- 
nants, it  will  be  requisite  to  explain  to  you, 

"What  is  meant  by  the  law.    And,  what  by  righteousness. 

I.  To  the  first  I  answer,  that  the  LAW  is  taken  very  variously 
in  Scripture ;  but,  most  commonly,  by  it  is  meant  the  whole  sum 
of  those  commands,  which  Moses,  from  the  mouth  of  God,  delivered 
to  the  Israelites ;  containing  that,  which  we  commonly  call  the 
Moral,  Judicial,  and  Ceremonial  Law. 

But,  certainly,  in  this  place,  it  cannot  be  taken  in  that  latitude : 
for  the  Judicial  and  Ceremonial  Law  were  not  branches  of  that 
Covenant  of  Works,  which  God  entered  into  with  Adam  ;  nor  are 
any  guilty  for  not  observing  them,  except  the  Jews  to  whom  they 
were  particularly  delivered. 

This  Law,  therefore,  which,  according  to  the  Covenant  of  Works, 
must  be  punctually  fulfilled  in  order  to  our  obtaining  Justification 
by  it,  is  the  Moral  Law ;  the  law  and  dictates  of  pure  and  uncor- 
rupted  nature.  And  this  Law  of  Nature  is  no  other  but  a  bright 
and  shining  impression  of  divine  light  upon  the  soul :  a  kind  of 
parely  and  reflection  of  the  immutable,  unsearchable,  and  eternal 
law  of  God's  holiness :  a  communication  of  divine  attributes  unto 
us ;  whereby,  in  our  first  moulding,  we  were  stamped  after  the 
similitude  of  God,  and  are  said  to  bear  his  image. 

Of  this  Moral  Law,  God  hath  given  the  world  two  draughts :  the 
one  archetypal,  being  the  fair  strictures  of  his  own  likeness,  in  our 
first  creation  ;  the  other  ectypal,  in  the  Decalogue,  wherein  he  hath 
in  Ten  Words  limned  out  what  man's  nature  was  when  it  was  per- 
fect, and  what  it  ought  to  be  that  it  may  be  perfect.  So  that,  for 
the  matter  and  substance  of  them,  there  is  no  difference  at  all  be- 
tween the  original  law  of  man's  first  creation,  the  law  of  pure  reason 
and  uncorrupted  nature,  and  the  transcript  thereof  in  the  Moral  Law 
delivered  by  Moses. 

And,  therefore,  as  the  Law  of  his  Creation  was  to  Adam  a  Cove- 
nant of  Works,  so  the  Moral  Law,  being  for  the  matter  of  it  the 
very  same,  must  also  be  acknowledged  to  be  the  matter  and  sub- 
stance of  the  Covenant  of  Works.  The  same  commands  of  both 
tables,  which  bind  us  to  obedience,  bound  Adam  himself,  so  far 
forth  as  his  condition  in  Paradise  was  capable  of  an  actual  obliga- 
tion by  them :  for  parents,  he  had  none,  to  honour ;.  neighbours 
and  servants,  he  had  none,  to  receive  the  offices  of  justice  and  char- 
ity. But,  had  he  continued  in  his  first  estate  till  these  relations 
had  sprung  up  about  him,  the  same  commands,  from  the  innate 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


135 


principle  of  his  reason,  would  have  bound  him  to  his  respective 
duties  towards  them,  as  do  now  bind  us. 

And  this  may  be  farther  discerned,  even  by  those  obscure  prints 
of  the  law  of  nature  which  yet  remain  upon  the  hearts  of  Heathens ; 
who,  though  they  have  not  the  Law,  yet,  saith  the  Apostle,  they  do 
by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  Law,  i.  e.  in  the  Moral  Law  : 
Kom.  ii.  14.  As,  when  Moses  brake  the  two  tables  of  stone,  yet 
something  of  the  commandments  was  still  left  engraven  by  the  fin- 
ger of  God  upon  the  shattered  pieces  of  them ;  so,  when  man  fell 
and  brake  that  goodly  frame  of  his  nature,  yet  still  some  remains 
and  parcels  of  the  same  law,  written  there  likewise  by  the  finger 
of  God,  may  be  observed  still  to  continue  upon  it. 

So  that,  between  the  Law  of  pure  Nature  and  the  Moral  Law, 
there  is  as  much  agreement  as  between  an  indenture  and  its  coun- 
terpart. And,  therefore,  if  the  Law  of  Nature  were  to  Adam  a 
Covenant  of  Works,  as  doubtless  it  was,  the  Moral  Law,  being  for 
the  matter  of  it  the  same,  must  likewise  for  the  matter  of  it  be  the 
same  Covenant. 

Now  the  Moral  Law  may  be  considered  by  us  either  as  a  Cove- 
nant of  Works,  or  as  a  Eule  of  Life.  In  the  former  respect,  it  is 
superseded  to  all  believers  by  the  mercy  and  grace  of  the  Gospel : 
in  the  latter,  it  is  explained,  corroborated,  and  protected  by  the  Gos- 
pel ;  and  though  it  be  no  longer  the  measure  of  God's  proceedings 
towards  us,  yet  still  it  is  the  measure  of  our  duty  towards  him. 

And,  here,  if  a  profitable  digression  may  be  allowed,  give  me 
leave  to  show  you  the  Agreement  and  Difference  that  there  is,  be- 
tween the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  For,  since  they  are  vulgarly  thought 
such  opposite  things,  it  will  not,  perhaps,  be  impertinent,  to  state 
and  fix  the  limits,  both  of  their  opposition  and  concord. 

When  we  speak  of  the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  the  words  are  very 
equivocal ;  and  may  cause  many  mistakes  and  errors  in  ignorant 
and  confused  minds.  For, 

i.  By  the  LAW,  three  things  may  be  understood; 

1.  The  Law,  as  a  Covenant  of  Works. 

And,  then,  as  hath  been  already  noted,  it  must  be  taken  for  the 
sum  and  substance  of  the  Moral  Law,  as  originally  imprinted  in  our 
natures. 

2.  By  Law,  may  be  meant  the  Moral  Law,  as  it  is  the  Eule  for  our 
Duty  and  Obedience. 

And  so  we  understand  it,  when  we  commonly  say,  the  Law  com- 
mands this  or  that  to  be  done,  or  this  and  that  to  be  avoided. 

3.  By  the  Law,  may  be  meant  Legal  Administrations  and  Geremo- 


136 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


nies,  which,  under  the  psedagogy  of  Moses,  were  a  great  part  of  the 
Jewish  worship. 

And  thus  we  call  their  sacrifices,  purif3'ings,  ways  of  atonement, 
and  other  typical  rites,  Legal  Observances. 

ii.  So,  likewise,  when  we  speak  of  the  gospel,  two  things  may 
be  meant  by  it. 

1.  Gospel  Grace,  purchased  for  lost  mankind  by  Jesus  Christ  /both 
relative  grace,  for  the  change  of  our  state,  in  pardon,  justification, 
adoption,  &c,  and  real  grace,  for  the  change  of  our  natures,  in  sanc- 
tification  and  renovation. 

And  thus  we  use  to  say,  that  the  first  Gospel,  that  ever  was 
preached  in  the  world,  was  to  Adam,  presently  after  his  Fall,  by 
God  himself :  Gen.  iii.  15.  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  break  the 
serpent's  head  :  for  this  was  the  first  discovery  of  grace  and  mercy, 
through  Jesus  Christ.  Yea,  and  the  promise  made  to  Abraham 
many  ages  before  the  coming  of  Christ  into  the  world,  is  by  the 
Apostle  called  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel :  Gal.  iii.  8 ;  God,  saith 
the  Apostle,  preached  before  the  gospiel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  In  thee 
"V  shall  all  nations  be  blessed. 

2.  By  Gospel,  is  sometimes  meant  the  Gospel  Administration  of 
this  Grace,  dispensed  to  the  world  by  Christ  himself  and  his  min- 
isters, in  a  more  free  and  open  way,  than  the  shadows  under  the 
Law  did  exhibit  it. 

iii.  Now,  according  to  these  various  acceptations  of  the  Law  and 
Gospel,  we  may  observe  a  twofold-  difference  and  a  twofold 
agreement  between  them. 

1.  Their  Difference  is  twofold. 

(1)  If  we  understand  by  the  Law  a  Covenant  of  Works,  and  by 
the  Gospel  the  Grace  and  Mercy  of  the  Gospel ;  so,  they  are  ex- 
tremely opposite  and  contrary  one  to  the  other. 

For.  take  gospel  grace  for  relative  grace,  such  as  whereby  we  are 
pardoned,  reconciled,  justified,  and  adopted ;  these  could  have  no 
place  at  all  under  the  Covenant  of  Works.  Yea,  if  we  take  gospel 
grace  for  the  real  grace  of  sanctification  and  renovation,  so  as  these 
terms  do  imply  the  making  of  an  unclean  thing  holy,  and  an  old 
thing  new  ;  it  had  not,  neither  could  have,  place  under  the  Covenant' 
of  Works  :  because  there  was  no  uncleanness  supposed  to  be  done 
away,  nor  any  thing  old  that  should  be  renewed.  For  this  cove- 
nant makes  no  allowances  for  transgression,  nor  any  admission  of 
repentance.  Yet,  indeed,  the  habits  of  grace,  which  now  sanctify 
us,  were  also  in  Adam,  whilst  under  this  covenant:  yea,  and  Christ 
also  was  the  author  of  them ;  but  with  this  difference,  that  to  him 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


137 


Christ  was  the  author  of  them  merely  a?  Creator,  but  to  us  as  Re- 
deemer ;  to  him,  only  as  God  the  Second  Person,  but  to  us  as  God- 
Man  the  Mediator. 

(2)  If,  by  the  Law,  we  mean  a  Legal  Administration  under  types 
and  figures,  such  as  were  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  in  use  under 
the  Jewish  discipline ;  and,  by  the  Gospel,  that  clear  and  unvailed 
way  of  dispensing  the  Means  of  Salvation  since  the  coming  of  Christ 
into  the  world :  so,  again,  they  as  much  differ  each  from  other,  as 
shadows  do  from  substance,  or  clouds  from  sunshine. 

And  thus  may  we  understand  that  antithesis,  John  i.  17  ;  The 
Law  given  by  Moses  ;  i.  e.  the  ceremonial,  shady  Law :  but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ ;  i.  e.  a  clearer  and  more  full  manifesta- 
tion of  grace,  and  the  very  substance  and  truth  of  those  things  which 
were  before  typified  and  adumbrated. 

These  are  the  two  differences  between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel ; 
in  both  which,  the  Gospel  takes  place  upon  the  abrogation  of  the 
Law  :  Gospel  Grace  hath  abrogated  the  Law  as  a  Covenant ;  and 
Gospel  Dispensations  have  abrogated  Legal  Ceremonies. 

2.  Their  Agreement  is,  likewise,  twofold. 

(1)  If  we  take  the  Moral  Law  as  it  is  the  directive  Eule  of  our 
Obedience,  so  there  is  a  perfect  harmony  and  accord  between  it  and 
the  Gospel. 

For  the  duties  of  the  Moral  Law  are  as  strictly  required  from 
believers  since  Christ's  coming,  as  they  were  before :  yea,  as  strictly 
as  ever  they  were  from  Adam  in  innocence  ;  though  not  upon  the 
same  terms  from  us,  as  from  him.  The  Gospel  is,  in  this  respect, 
so  far  from  weakening  the  Law,  that  it  doth  rather  much 
strengthen  and  confirm  it.  What  saith  our  Saviour,  Matt.  v.  17  ? 
I  am  not  come  to  destroy  the  Law,  but  to  fulfil  it :  And,  the  Apostle, 
Rom.  iii.  31  ?  Do  we  then  make  void  the  Law  through  faith  ?  God  for- 
bid: yea,  we  establish  the  Law.  The  Gospel  receives  the  Law  into 
its  protection  and  patronage  :  so  that,  to  the  obliging  power,  which 
it  had  before  from  the  authority  of  God  the  great  sovereign  of  the 
world,  enacting  it;  hereby  is  added  the  farther  sand  ion  of  Christ 
the  Mediator,  ratifying  and  confirming  it ;  who  likewise  gives  us 
of  his  Spirit,  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  act  in  conformity  to  the 
Law,  and  to  fulfil  its  commands.  The  Law  is,  therefore,  now  taken 
within  the  pale  of  the  Gospel,  and  incorporated  into  it :  so  that  it 
is  no  longer  Law  and  Gospel ;  but,  rather,  an  Evangelical  and 
Gospel  Law. 

(2)  If,  by  Law,  we  mean  the  Legal  Administrations  of  Ceremo- 
nies and  Sacrifices,  Types  and  Figures,  used  under  the  Mosaical  Dis- 


138 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


cipline ;  and  if,  by  Gospel,  we  mean  the  Grace  exhibited  by  it  of 
Pardon,  Justification,  &c,  so  neither  is  there  any  opposition  or  re- 
pugnance between  them,  but  a  most  perfect  accord  and  agreement. 

For,  before  Christ's  coming  into  the  Avorld  gospel  grace  was  un- 
der a  legal  administration.  When  the  sun  is  approaching  us  in  the 
morning,  though  its  body  be  under  the  horizon  and  in  another  hem- 
isphere, yet  then  we  see  the  dawning  and  glimmering  of  its  light. 
So  was  it  in  the  Church :  though  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  was  not 
risen  upon  them  with  his  full  brightness,  yet  they  then  saw  and  en- 
joyed the  dawn  of  our  perfect  day ;  and  those  Jews,  who  lived  as 
it  were  in  the  other  hemisphere  of  time  before  Christ's  coming,  were 
as  much  under  grace  as  now  we  are,  though  not  under  such  clear 
and  glorious  dispensations  of  it.  "We  read,  indeed,  that  the  disci- 
ples were  first  called  Christians  some  few  years  after  our  Saviour's 
death ;  but  yet  those  saints,  who  lived  many  ages  before  his  birth, 
were  as  truly  Christians  as  they,  though  not  ,known  nor  distin- 
guished by  that  name.  Yea,  and  I  remember  I  have  somewhere 
met  with  a  passage  of  St.  Ambrose  :*  Prius  csepisse  ptopulum  Ohris- 
tianum;  quam  popvlum  Judseorum:  "There  were  Christian  People 
in  the  world,  before  ever  there  was  a  Jewish  Nation."  They  had 
then  the  same  Christ  to  save  them,  the  same  promises  to  support 
them,  the  same  faith  to  appropriate  both  unto  them,  as  now  we  have. 
The}"  were  under  as  great  an  impossibility  of  obtaining  life  by  the 
deeds  of  the  Law,  as  Ave  are ;  and  we  under  as  strict  an  injunction 
to  fulfil  the  commands  of  the  Law,  as  was  ever  on  them  imposed. 
The  only  difference  between  them  and  us  consists  in  this,  that  they 
saw  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  under  a  cloud ;  we,  openly :  they, 
by  its  reflection ;  we,  directly. 

And,  thus  much,  for  the  opening  of  what  is  meant  by  the  Law, 
in  this  text,  which  is  the  Moral  Law,  as  a  Covenant  of  "Works. 

II.  The  Second  Preliminary  was,  to  explain  what  was  meant  by 
RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of 
the  Law,  &c. 

And,  indeed,  unless  we  have  a  clear  notion  of  this,  we  can  neither 
know  for  what  ends  the  Covenants  were  made,  nor  wherein  the  na- 
ture of  Justification  doth  consist :  for,  because  we  fulfil  the  cove- 
nant made  with  us  by  God,  therefore  are  we  righteous ;  and  because 
we  are  righteous  according  to  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  therefore 
are  we  justified.  So  that  a  clear  knowledge  of  this  righteousness 
will  be  serviceable  to  the  unfolding  of  both  ;  since  it  is  the  end  of 
the  Covenant,  and  the  matter  of  Justification. 

*  De  Sacram.  1.  iv.  c.  3. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


139 


This,  therefore,  I  shall  attempt,  by  giving,  first,  several  Distinc- 
tions; and,  then,  several  Theses  or  Positions,  concerning  Righte- 
ousness. 

i.  There  is,  therefore,  a  twofold  righteousness. 
Qualitative  ;  or  that,  which  may  be  understood  as  a  Quality  or 
Habit  in  us. 

Relative  or  Legal ;  or  that,  which  stands  in  Conformity  to  some  Law. 

1.  A  Qualitative  Righteousness  is  nothing  else,  but  the  divine 
qualities  of  grace  and  holiness  inherent  in  the  soul. 

Holiness  and  righteousness,  to  be  gracious  and  to  be  righteous, 
in  this  sense  signify  one  and  the  same  thing. 

Nothing  doth  more  frequently  occur  in  Scripture,  than  this  use 
of  the  word.  So  Noah  is  called  righteous :  Gen.  vii.  1 ;  and  Abra- 
ham pleads  with  God  for  the  righteous  in  Sodom :  Gen.  xviii.  23, 
24 ;  and  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  have  this  testimony,  that  they  were 

both  rigldeous,  because  they  walked  in  all  the  commandments  of  the 

Lord  blameless :  Luke  i.  6.  The  ways  of  holiness  are  called  the 
ways  of  righteousness :  Ps.  xxiii.  3 ;  and  the  works  of  holiness,  works 
of  righteousness :  Ps.  xv.  2,  Isa.  lxiv.  5;  and  1  John  iii.  7,  IZe,  that 
doeth  righteousness,  is  righteous.  Many  other  places  there  are,  too 
numerous  to  be  cited,  wherein  righteousness  is  taken  both  for  the 
inherent  principle  of  holiness,  and  for  the  gracious  actions  that 
proceed  therefrom. 

It  is,  indeed,  improper  to  call  our  holiness,  which  is  so  imperfect 
and  full  of  failings,  by  the  name  of  righteousness.  Nay,  were  it 
most  perfect  and  consummate,  yet  it  is  not  the  same  with 
righteousness  strictly  and  properly  taken :  for  righteousness,  pro- 
perly, is  rather  a  denomination  arising  from  the  conformity  of  ac- 
tions to  their  rule,  than  either  the  principle  or  substance  of  the  ac- 
tions themselves  :  for  that  is  righteous,  which  is  right ;  and  that  is 
right,  which  is  agreeable  to  the  rule  by  which  it  is  to  be  measured. 
Even  in  Adam,  whose  holiness  was  perfect,  yet  was  there  this  dif- 
ference between  it  and  his  righteousness,  at  least  in  our  clear  con- 
ceptions, that  his  grace,  as  it  was  conformable  to  its  pattern,  viz., 
the  purity  of  God,  so  it  was  his  holiness ;  but  as  it  stood  in  con- 
formity to  the  law  of  God,  so  it  was  his  righteousness.  For,  in 
strict  propriety  of  speech,  the  rule  of  holiness  is  different  from  the 
rule  of  righteousness  :  holiness  is  measured  by  similitude  to  God  ; 
righteousness,  by  conformity  to  the  Law :  holiness  may  admit  of 
degrees,  and  be  more  or  less  perfect  in  several  subjects  in  whom  it 
is  implanted  ;  but  righteousness  consists  in  an  indivisible  and  un- 
variable  point,  for  if  it  be  less  than  a  perfect  conformity  it  is  not 
righteousness,  and  more  than  perfect  it  cannot  be. 


140  T  11  E    DOCTRINE  OF 

Yet  our  defective  and  imperfect  holiness  may  obtain  the  name 
of  holiness :  either  because  it  flows  from  that  principle,  which,  in 
its  own  nature,  tends  to  a  perfect  conformity  unto  the  Law ;  or, 
else,  because  it  is  a  necessary  and  inseparable  concomitant  of  a  true 
and  proper  righteousness,  though  not  our  own,  yet  imputed. 

2.  There  is  a  Legal  or  Relative  Righteousness :  and  this  a  man  is 
said  to  have,  when  the  Law,  by  which  he  is  to  be  judged,  hath 
nothing  whereof  to  accuse  him. 

Unto  this  righteousness  there  are  required, 

(1)  A  Law  established  for  the  regulating  of  our  actions. 

For  as,  where  there  is  no  Law,  there  can  be  no  transgression ; 
so,  neither  can  there  be  any  proper  positive  righteousness.  And, 

(2)  There  must  be  a  perfect  conformity  unto  this  Law. 

The  Law  is  the  straight  rule,  by  which  all  our  actions  are  to  be 
measured :  I  mean  the  law  of  nature  and  right  reason,  enacted  to 
all  mankind  ;  and  the  superadded  law  of  divine  revelation,  to  those 
who  enjoy  it.  Now,  it  is  a  contradiction,  to  affirm  that  there  can 
be  a  righteousness,  where  there  is  any  obliquity  in  actions,  com- 
pared to  the  rule  and  law,  whereby  they  must  be  judged :  for,  in 
case  of  such  obliquity  and  crookedness,  the  Law  hath  an  advantage 
to  lay  in  an  accusation  against  the  transgressor. 

So,  then,  we  may  take  a  brief  description  of  righteousness,  prop- 
erly so  called,  in  these  terms :  Eighteousness  is  a  denomination, 
first  of  actions,  and  consequently  of  persons,  arising  from  their  per- 
fect conformity  to  the  Law  whereby  they  must  be  judged.  It  must 
be  first  of  actions,  and  then  of  the  person ;  because  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  person  results  from  the  conformity  of  his  actions.  Is  or 
will  it  suffice  that  some  of  his  actions  be  thus  conformable  to  the 
Law,  but  every  action  that  falls  under  its  cognizance  must  be  con- 
formed unto  it,  or  else  the  person  can  by  no  means  be  accounted 
righteous. 

This  perfect  conformity  being  thus  absolutely  necessary  to  con- 
stitute a  person  righteous,  and  yet  as  absolutely  impossible  to  us  in 
this  our  lapsed  state,  it  might  therefore  seem  to  be  alike  impos- 
sible, that  ever  we  should  obtain  a  righteousness,  that  might  avail 
to  our  justification. 

ii.  And,  therefore,  for  the  clearer  apprehension  of  the  nature  of 
righteousness,  and  the  manner  how  we  are  denominated  righteous 
which  indeed  is  the  very  critical  point  in  the  doctrine  of  Justifica- 
tion, these  following  distinctions,  if  duly  pondered,  will  be  very 
serviceable. 

The  Law  consists  of  Two  Parts. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


141 


First.  The  Precept,  requiring  obedience:  Do  this. 

Secondly.  The  Sanction  of  this  precept,  by  rewards  and  punish- 
ments :  The  man,  that  docth  these  things,  shall  live  by  them,  is  the  re- 
ward promised  unto  obedience  ;  and,  The  soul,  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die,  is  the  punishment  threatened  against  disobedience. 

Now  according  to  these  two  parts  of  the  Law,  so  there  are  two 
ways  of  becoming  righteous  by  the  Law ;  so  that  it  shall  have  noth- 
ing to  lay  to  our  charge.  The  one  is,  by  obedience  to  the  precept : 
the  other  is,  by  submission  to  the  penalty :  not  only  he,  who  per- 
forms what  the  Law  commands,  is  thereby  righteous ;  but  he  also, 
who  hath  suffered  what  the  Law  threatens. 

From  hence  we  may  again  distinguish  righteousness,  into  s, 
Eighteousness  of  Obedience,  and  a  Righteousness  of  Satisfaction  : 
the  former  ariseth  from  performing  the  Precept  of  the  Law ;  the 
latter,  from  undergoing  the  Penalty.  Between  these  two  righte- 
ousnesses this  remarkable  difference  may  be  observed,  that  the 
promise  of  life  being  annexed  to  the  fulfilling  of  the  precept,  the 
righteousness  of  obedience  gives  a  full  right  and  title  unto  the  life 
promised  :  but  no  such  right  results  from  the  righteousness  of  satis- 
faction ;  for  it  is  not  said  in  the  Law,  "  Suffer  this,  and  live,"  since 
the  suffering  itself  was  death,  but  Do  this,  and  live.  So  that,  by  mere 
satisfaction,  a  man  is  not  accounted  the  fulfiller  of  the  Law ;  nor 
yet  farther  to  be  dealt  withal,  as  a  transgressor  of  it.  Hence,  then, 
the  one  may  be  called  a  Positive  Righteousness,  because  it  ariseth 
from  actual  and  positive  conformity  of  our  obedience  to  the  rules 
■of  the  Law :  the  other,  only  Negative  Righteousness,  because  satis- 
faction is  equivalent  to  innocency,  and  reduceth  the  person  to  a 
guiltless  condition ;  which  I  here  call  a  Negative  Righteousness. 

Now  each  of  these,  both  the  Righteousness  of  Obedience  and  that 
of  Satisfaction,  may  again  be  twofold ;  either  Personal,  or  Imputed. 
I  call  that  Personal  Righteousness,  which  a  man  in  his  own  person 
works  out,  whether  it  be  of  obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  Law, 
or  of  satisfaction  to  the  penalty  thereof.  Imputed  Righteousness 
is  a  righteousness  wrought  out  by  another,  yet  graciously,  by  the 
Lawgiver  himself,  made  ours  ;  and  so  accounted  as  effectual  to  all 
intents  of  the  Law,  as  if  we  had  in  our  own  persons  performed  it. 

iii.  These  Distinctions  being  thus  premised,  I  shall  now  proceed 
to  lay  down  some  positions,  which  may  farther  clear  up  this  sub- 
ject to  our  apprehensions. 

1.  If  ive  could  perfectly  fulfil  the  Preceptive  part  of  the  Law,  we 
should  thereby  obtain  a  perfect  Righteousness  of  Obedience  ;  and  might 
liy  ckiim  to  eternal  life,  by  virtue  of  the  promise  annexed  to  the  Coven- 
ant of  Works. 


142 


THE    DOCTRIXE  OF 


This  is  most  unquestionably  true ;  especially  if  we  suppose  this 
perfect  obedience  by  our  own  natural  strength,  without  the  assis- 
tance of  divine  and  supernatural  grace :  because  such  an  ability 
would  infer  the  primitive  integrity  of  our  nature,  and  exclude  the 
guilt  of  original  sin,  which  hath  involved  all  in  the  curse  and 
malediction  of  the  Law. 

2.  If  we  could  undergo  the  whole  of  that  Punishment  which  the  Law 
threatens  for  disobedience,  then  also  should  we  be  accounted  personally 
righteous  by  a  Righteousness  of  Satisfaction. 

If  an  offender  against  a  human  law  suffers  the  penalty  which  the 
law  requires  to  be  inflicted  on  him,  according  to  the  nature  of  his 
offence,  whether  it  be  imprisonment,  a  pecuniary  mulct,  or  the  like, 
that  man  thereby  becomes  negatively  righteous,  because  the  law  is 
satisfied,  so  that  it  hath  nothing  farther  to  charge  against  him  for 
that  particular  fact.  Thus  stands  the  case  in  reference  to  the  Law 
of  God.  The  transgressing  of  the  command  binds  us  over  to  suffer 
punishment ;  which  suffering  if  we  can  accomplish,  and  come  from 
under,  we  shall  be  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  if  we  had 
never  transgressed. 

3.  Because  the  punishment  threatened  by  the  Law  of  Works  is  such, 
as  can  never  be  eluctated,  nor  fully  and  completely  borne  by  us  ;  there- 
fore, it  is  utterly  impossible,  that  ever  we  should  obtain  a  personal  right- 
eousness of  satisfaction. 

Indeed,  could  we  suffer  it  and  come  from  under  it,  we  should  then 
be  as  righteous  and  innocent,  as  if  we  had  never  transgressed.  But 
this  is  utterly  impossible.  For, 

(1)  Infinite  justice  cannot  be  satisfied  under  the  rate  of  infinite 
punishment.  In  a  full  satisfaction,  the  punishment  must  answer 
the  greatness  of  the  offence.  But  every  offence  against  God  hath 
an  infinite  heinousness  in  it,  and  therefore  the  punishment  for  it 
must  be  infinite.  Crimes  are  greatened,  not  only  from  the  nature 
of  the  action  as  it  is  in  itself  flagitious  ;  but  also  from  the  quality 
and  dignity  of  the  person,  against  whom  they  are  committed.  Re- 
viling and  injurious  speeches  against  a  man's  equal  are  but  actiona- 
ble ;  but,  against  the  king,  they  are  treasonable.  A  less  offence 
against  an  excellent  person,  is  more  heinous  than  a  greater  against 
a  more  ignoble  person.  And,  consequently,  God  being  of  Infinite 
Majesty  and  Perfection,  every  offence  against  him  must  needs  be 
infinitely  heinous ;  and  therefore  must  be  infinitely  punished,  be- 
fore full  satisfaction  can  be  made  for  it. 

(2)  There  are  but  two  ways  how  a  punishment  can  be  imagined 
to  be  infinite.    The  one  is  intensively,  when  it  is  infinite  in  degrees : 


THE    T  W  O  COVENANTS. 


143 


the  other  is  extensively,  when  it  is  infinite  in  duration  and  continu- 
ance, though  but  finite  in  degree.  If  the  punishment  be  either  of 
these  ways  infinite,  it  is  fully  satisfactory  and  commensurate  to 
the  divine  justice,  which  is  infinite.  But, 

(3)  We  cannot  possibly  suffer  a  punishment  which  is  infinite  in 
degrees,  because  we  ourselves  are  but  finite  in  our  natures ;  and 
what  is  finite  cannot  contain  what  is  infinite :  yea,  though  God 
should  stretch  and  widen  our  capacities  to  the  utmost,  yet  we  can 
never  become  vessels  large  enough  to  hold  infinite  wrath  at  once. 
Therefore, 

(4)  The  punishment  of  sinners,  because  it  cannot  be  infinite  in 
degrees,  that  it  may  be  satisfactory  must  be  infinite  in  duration  and 
continuance ;  that  so  a  finite,  yet  immortal  creature,  as  the  soul  of 
man  is,  may  undergo  a  penalty  some  way  infinite  as  is  the  justice 
offended. 

(5)  Because  their  punishment  must  be  infinite  in  duration,  there- 
fore it  is  utterly  impossible,  that  ever  it  should  be  completely  borne 
and  eluctated,  since  what  is  to  last  to  all  eternity  can  never  be  ac- 
complished. And,  therefore,  it  is  impossible,  that  ever  we  should 
procure  to  ourselves  a  Bighteousness  of  Satisfaction ;  as  impossible 
as  it  is,  to  outlive  eternity,  or  to  find  a  period  in  what  must  con- 
tinue for  ever. 

[1]  But,  it  may  be  objected :  "  Is  not  God's  justice  satisfied  in 
the  punishment  of  the  damned  ?  why  else  doth  he  inflict  it  ?  And, 
if  justice  be  satisfied  in  their  damnation,  how  then  can  satisfaction 
be  a  righteousness  equivalent  to  innocence,  since  they  shall  never 
be  discharged  from  their  torments  ?"    To  this  I  answer : 

1st.  That  there  shall  never  be  any  time,  wherein  the  justice  of 
God  shall  be  so  fully  satisfied  by  the  damned  in  hell,  as  to  require 
no  more  sufferings  from  them :  for  they  shall  be  making  satisfac- 
tion to  all  eternity.  The  infinite  justice  of  God  is  satisfied  in  this, 
that  it  shall  be  satisfying  itself  to  all  eternity :  and  yet,  in  all  that 
eternity,  there  shall  be  no  one  moment,  wherein  the  sinner  shall  be 
able  to  say  it  is  finished,  and  justice  is  fully  satisfied. 

2dly.  To  this  may  be  added,  that  the  eternal  succession  of  their 
torments  is,  in  respect  of  God,  a  permanent  instant,  a  fixed  and 
abiding  Now.  So  that  the  very  infinity  of  their  punishment  in  the 
everlasting  continuance  of  it,  is  accounted  by  God  (to  whom  a  thou- 
sand years,  yea  thousands  of  millions  of  years,  are  but  as  yesterday 
when  it  is  past)  as  now  actually  present  and  existing.  For,  in  his 
essence,  there  is  no  variation ;  and,  in  his  knowledge,  objects  have 
no  succession,  besides  that  of  method  and  order. 

[2]  "  But  how  then,"  may  some  say,  "  were  the  sufferings  of 


144 


THE  DOCTRINE 


Christ  satisfactory,  since  they  were  not  infinite  nor  eternal  ?"  I 
answer : 

1st.  That  our  Saviour  Christ,  being  God  as  well  as  man,  and  so 
an  Infinite  Person,  might  well  bear  the  load  of  infinite  degrees  of 
wrath  at  once  laid  upon  him,  and  thereby  complete  his  satisfaction. 
So  that  his  sufferings  might  be  intensively  infinite,  and  yet  not  ex- 
ceed the  capacity  of  his  nature. 

Or,  if  any  should  scruple  whether  the  punishment  of  Christ  were 
infinite  in  degrees,  yet, 

2dly.  We  may  affirm  that  the  dignity  of  his  person,  being  God 
as  well  as  man,  might  compound  for  the  measure  of  his  sufferings, 
and  shorten  their  duration.  For  it  is  infinite  suffering  for  an  infi- 
nite person  to  suffer,  it  being  an  infinite  humiliation  and  abasement. 
However,  that  punishment,  which  is  stretched  out  by  the  line  of 
eternity  when  laid  upon  the  damned,  was  all  wound  up  together 
when  inflicted  on  Christ.  He,  at  one  large  draught,  drank  off  the 
cup  of  that  fury,  which  they  everlastingly  drain  by  little  drops. 
And  could  they,  as  he  did,  bear  and  eluctate  the  whole  punishment 
at  once,  they  would  thereby  obtain  a  Righteousness  of  Satisfaction, 
and  be  proceeded  with  as  innocent  or  negatively  righteous. 

That  is  the  Third  Position. 

4.  Another  position  shall  be  this :  Because  we  can  neither  fulfil 
the  commands  of  the  Law,  nor  yet  undergo  and  eluctate  the  utmost  ex- 
tremity of  the  punishment ;  therefore,  our  righteousness  cannot  possibly 
be  Inherent  or  Perrmal. 

We  cannot  be  personally  righteous  by  perfect  Obedience,  because 
of  the  corruptions  of  our  natures :  we  cannot  be  personally  right- 
eous by  full  Satisfaction,  because  of  the  condition  of  our  natures. 
Our  corrupt  state  makes  our  perfect  obedience  a  thing  impossible; 
and  our  limited  finite  state  makes  our  full  satisfaction  as  impossi- 
ble. As  we  are  fallen  sinners,  so  we  lie  under  a  sad  necessity  of 
transgressing  the  Law :  as  we  are  vile  creatures,  so  we  lie  under 
an  utter  incapacity  of  recompensing  divine  justice.  Well,  there- 
fore, might  the  Apostle  cry  out,  There  is  none  righteous:  no,  not  one: 
Rom.  iii.  10.  As  for  a  personal  righteousness  of  obedience,  the 
Prophet  unfolds  that  goodly  garment:  Isa.  lxiv.  6;  All  our  right- 
eousnesses are  but  as  filthy  rags :  rags  they  are ;  and,  therefore,  can- 
not cover  our  nakedness  :  filthy  rags  they  are ;  and,  therefore,  need 
a  covering  for  themselves.  To  think  to  cover  filth  by  filth,  is  noth- 
ing else,  but  to  make  both  more  odious  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Nor  can  we  hope  to  appear  before  God  upon  a  Righteousness  of 
Satisfaction :  for  how  should  we  satisfy  his  justice  ?  Is  it  by  Doing  ? 


THE    TWO    COVE  N  A  N  T  S. 


145 


Whatsoever  we  can  do,  is,  God's  gift;  our  own  duty,  had  we 
never  sinned  ;  and,  can  bear  no  proportion  to  the  sin  committed : 
for  no  duty  is  of  infinite  goodness;  but  every  sin  is  of  infinite 
heinousness,  as  hath  been  demonstrated ;  and  therefore  no  duty  can 
make  satisfaction  for  it. 

Is  it  by  Suffering,  that  we  hope  we  may  satisfy  God  ?  Alas ! 
tills  is  nothing  else,  but  to  seek  salvation  by  being  damned :  for 
that  is  the  penal  part  of  the  Law;  and  the  only  personal  satisfac- 
tion, that  the  justice  of  God  will  exact  of  sinners. 

Now,  though  it  be  thus  in  vain  to  seek  for  a  righteousness  of  our 
own,  either  of  the  one  kind  or  of  the  other ;  yet  that  corruption  of 
our  natures,  which  is  the  only  cause  why  we  have  not  a  personal 
righteousness  of  obedience,  still  prompts  us  insensibly  to  trust  to  it: 
and  ready  we  are,  upon  all  occasions,  to  be  drawing  up  an  inven- 
tory of  our  good  works,  as  the  merit  of  our  justification;  which, 
if  they  be  really  found,  are  but  good  evidences  of  it.  For, 

5.  The  righteousness,  which  alone  can  justify  us,  must  be  a  Right- 
eousness either  of  Obedience  or  Satisfaction  •  either  doing  what  the  Law 
hath  required,  or  suffering  what  it  threatens  :  and,  indeed,  both  are  ne- 
cessary to  bring  us  to  heaven  and  happiness,  in  a  way  of  Justification. 

Perhaps  God  might,  by  the  absolute  prerogative  of  his  mercy, 
have  jDardoned  and  saved  sinners,  without  requiring  any  Righteous- 
ness or  Satisfaction.  But  I  say,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  and 
contradictious,  that  he  should  justify  any  without  a  righteousness  ; 
for  the  very  notion  of  Justification  doth  essentially  connote  and  in- 
fer a  righteousness,  since  it  is  God's  owning  and  dealing  with  men 
as  righteous.  For  ought  I  know,  God  might,  had  he  so  pleased, 
have  pardoned  and  saved  us  without  any  righteousness ;  but,  cer- 
tain I  am,  he  could  not  justify  us  without  it.  Now  that  is  no 
righteousness,  which  doth  not  fully  answer  the  law  which  is  the 
rule  of  it :  for  the  least  defect  destroys  its  nature,  and  turns  it  into 
unrighteousness. 

If  it  be  here  objected,  that  the  Rule  of  our  Righteousness  is  not 
the  Law  of  "Works,  but  the  Law  of  Faith :  that  the  Covenant  of 
Works  is  abolished,  and  that  of  Grace  succeeds  in  the  place  there- 
of, which  requires  faith,  repentance,  and  sincere  obedience  as  the 
conditions  of  our  justification  ;  and  that  these  are  now  the  Right- 
eousness by  which  we  are  justified  :  I  answer,  by  laying  down 

6.  A  sixth  position  :  That  the  Covenant  of  Works  is  only  so  far 
forth  repealed  and  abrogated,  as  it  did  require  a  Personal  Righteotis- 
ness  to  our  Justification  ;  but  it  is  not  repealed,  as  it  did  require  a  Per- 
fect Righteousness. 

Vol.  ii.— 10 


146 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


God  did  never  so  far  disannul  the  Covenant  of  Works,  that, 
"whether  or  no  his  Law  were  obeyed  or  his  Justice  satisfied,  yet  we 
should  be  accounted  righteous :  but,  it  is  only  thus  far  repealed  by 
the  Covenant  of  Grace,  that,  though  we  cannot  perfectly  obey  nor 
fully  satisfy  in  our  own  persons,  yet  we  may  be  pardoned  and  ac- 
cepted through  the  satisfaction  and  obedience  of  our  Surety.  So 
that,  even  now,  under  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  no  righteousness  can 
avail  to  our  Justification,  but  what,  for  the  matter  of  it,  is  perfectly 
conformable  to  the  Law  of  "Works.  And,  when  we  say  that  the 
Covenant  of  "Works  is  abrogated,  and  that  we  are  not  to  expect 
Justification  according  to  the  covenant,  the  meaning  is  not,  that  the 
matter  of  that  covenant  is  repealed,  but  only  the  personal  obliga- 
tion relaxed :  for,  still,  it  is  the  righteousness  of  the  Law  which 
justifies  us,  though  performed  by  another.  And,  therefore,  in  this 
sense,  whosoever  are  justified,  it  is  according  to  the  Covenant  of 
Works :  that  is,  it  is  by  that  righteousness,  which,  for  the  sub- 
stance and  matter  of  it,  this  covenant  did  require. 

For  the  proof  of  this,  which  is  of  very  great  moment  for  the 
clearing  the  doctrine  of  Justification,  consider, 

(1)  That  there  can  be  no  sufficient  reason  given  why  our  Saviour 
should  suffer  the  penalty,  who  never  transgressed  the  precepts  of 
the  Law,  unless  it  be  that  his  sufferings  might  be  our  satisfaction. 

Consequently,  if  Christ  died  for  us,  only  to  satisfy  divine  justice 
in  our  stead,  and  as  ovir  Surety,  it  must  necessarily  follow,  that  this 
his  death  is  our  Righteousness  of  Satisfaction  according  to  the  Law 
and  Covenant  of  Works. 

(2)  That  Law,  according  to  the  letter  of  which  the  far  greater 
part  of  the  world  shall  be  judged,  cannot  be  an  abrogated,  a  re- 
pealed law. 

But,  though  true  believers  shall  indeed  be  judged  only  accord 
ing  to  the  favourable  construction  of  the  Law  of  Works,  which  is 
the  accepting  the  righteousness  of  their  Surety  for  their  own;  yet 
all  the  rest  of  the  world  (and  how  vast  a  number  is  it !)  shall  be 
judged  according  to  the  strict  letter  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  and 
must  either  stand  or  fall  according  to  the  sentence  of  it :  they  must 
either  produce  a  perfect  sinless  righteousness,  wrought  out  person- 
ally by  themselves  ;  or  else  suffer  the  vengeance  of  eternal  death. 
Indeed,  all  men,  at  the  Last  Day,  shall  be  judged  by  the  Covenant 
of  Works  :  and,  when  they  shall  stand  before  the  tribunal  of  God, 
this  Law  will  be  then  produced,  and  every  man's  title  tried  by  it ; 
and  whoever  cannot  plead  a  righteousness  conformable  to  the  tenor 
and  import  of  it,  must  expect  nothing  else  but  the  execution  of  the 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


147 


punishment  threatened.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  will  be  the 
believer's  plea ;  and  accepted,  because  it  fully  answers  the  matter 
of  the  Law.  The  rest  of  the  world  can  produce  no  righteousness 
of  their  own,  for  all  have  sinned ;  nor  can  they  plead  this  of  Christ, 
because  they  have  no  faith,  which  alone  can  give  this  title  and  con- 
vey it  to  them :  so  that  their  case  is  desperate,  their  doom  certain, 
and  their  punishment  remediless  and  insupportable ;  and  this,  ac- 
cording to  the  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  Do  this  or  Suffer 
this,  by  which  God  will  proceed  in  judging  of  the  world.  Consider, 
again, 

(3)  That  the  matter  and  substance  of  the  Covenant  of  Works  is 
nothing  else  but  the  Moral  Law  (as  I  showed  before)  the  law  of 
holiness  and  obedience :  the  obligation  of  which  continues  still 
upon  us  :  and  the  least  transgression  of  which  is  threatened  with 
death  and  condemnation 

"  What,  then,  doth  God  speak  contradictions  ?  and,  in  the  Law  of 
Works,  tell  us  he  will  punish  every  transgressor ;  and,  in  the  Law 
of  Faith,  tell  he  will  not  punish  every  transgressor  ?"  No,  cer- 
tainly :  his  truth  and  his  justice  are  immutable  ;  and,  what  he  hath 
once  spoken  with  his  mouth,  he  will  fulfil  with  his  hand.  And  his 
veracity  is  obliged  to  punish  every  offender;  for  God  can  be  no 
more  false  in  his  threatenings,  than  in  his  promises ;  and,  therefore, 
he  punisheth  those  whom  he  pardons,  or  else  he  could  not  pardon. 
He  pardons  their  Persons,  according  to  his  Covenant  of  Grace;  he 
punisheth  their  Surety,  according  to  his  Covenant  of  Works  :  which, 
in  a  forsenic  sense,  being  the  punishing  of  them,  they  have  in 
him  made  a  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God,  and  thereby  have  ob- 
tained a  righteousness  according  to  the  the  terms  of  the  Covenant 
of  Works. 

I  have  the  longer  insisted  on  this  Sixth  Position,  because  it  is  the 
very  critical  point  of  the  doctrine  of  Justification,  and  the  very 
hinge  upon  which  all  the  controversies  concerning  it  do  turn. 

7.  Another  position  shall  be  this :  That,  though  we  have  no  Per- 
sonal Righteousness,  yet  our  Saviour  Christ  hath  a  Personal  Righte- 
ousness of  loth  Icinds,  both  of  perfect  Obedience  to  the  commands  of  the 
Law,  and  of  full  Satisfaction  to  the  penally  threatened  in  it. 

(1)  Christ  hath  wrought  out  a  Righteousness  of  perfect  Obedi- 
ence ;  and  that,  by  his  absolute  conformity  to  a  Twofold  Law. 

(1)  The  Law  Natural,  under  the  obligation  of  which  he  lay 
as  a  man. 

For  both  the  First  and  Second  Adam  were  made  under  the  same 
Law  of  Works :  the  First,  under  the  mutability  of  his  own  will 


us 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


which  forfeited  his  happiness ;  the  Second,  under  a  necessity  or  in- 
fallibility of  entire  obedience,  through  the  union  of  the  divine  na- 
ture with  the  human,  whereby  it  became  as  impossible  that  Christ 
should  fail  ia  his  obedience,  as  that  the  Godhead  should  fail  the 
human  nature  which  it  had  assumed. 

[2]  To  the  Law  National,  under  the  obligation  of  which  he  was 
born,  as  being  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  and  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

By  this  national  law  I  mean  both  the  Judicial  and  Ceremonial 
Laws  of  the  Jews,  of  whom  Christ  was,  according  to  the  flesh. 
For  even  the  Ceremonial  Law  was  in  a  sense,  national,  and  pecu- 
liar to  the  Jews :  yea,  and  they  themselves  thought  so,  seeing  they 
did  not  impose  the  observation  of  the  Mosaical  rites  and  observan- 
ces upon  proselyted  heathens  (those  whom  they  called  Proselyti 
Portve)  but  admitted  them  to  the  participation  of  the  same  common 
hope  and  salvation  with  themselves,  upon  the  observation  of  the 
Law  of  Nature  and  the  Seven  traditional  Commandments  of  Noah. 
Now  Christ  was  made  under  both  these  laws :  the  Law  of  his  Na- 
ture, and  the  Law  of  his  Nation :  under  the  former,  primarily  and 
necessarily,  as  he  was  man ;  and,  therefore,  he  must  obey  the  law 
of  right  reason  :  under  the  second,  secondarily  and  by  consequence ; 
because  the  law  of  nature  and  right  reason  dictates  that  God  is  to 
be  obeyed  in  all  his  positive  commands.  Wherefore  he  himself  tells 
us,  Matt.  iii.  15,  that  it  became  him  to  fulfil  all  righteousness. 

Thus,  then,  his  Righteousness  of  Obedience  was  both  personal 
and  perfect.    And  so,  likewise, 

(2)  His  Righteousness  of  Satisfaction  was  personal  and  plenary. 

As  divine  justice  could  exact  no  punishment  from  him,  upon  his 
own  personal  account ;  he  being  holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled :  so 
did  it  receive  full  satisfaction  from  him,  for  the  sins  of  others  im- 
puted to  him.  Neither  came  he  from  under  the  penalty,  till  he  had 
discharged  the  very  uttermost  farthing  that  was  due.  And  there- 
fore his  active  and  passive  obedience,  as  they  are  commonly  termed, 
were  both  perfect  and  complete.  "What  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
were ;  how  far  he  paid  the  idem,  and  how  far  the  tanlidem  ;  I  shall 
not  discuss.  The  Greek  Liturgy  checks  our  too  curious  inquisi- 
tiveness  in  this  search,  by  calling  them  a'/"0?11  «aSs?.  "unknown 
sufferings." 

Only  it  may  be  here  queried,  "Since  that  all  righteousness  is  a 
conformity  to  some  law,  according  to  what  law  was  Christ  obliged 
to  undergo  the  penalty  for  sin  ?  Could  the  same  law  bind  him  to 
obedience  and  suffering  too  ?  Or  is  it  consistent  with  the  measures 
of  justice,  to  inflict  the  penalty  of  the  law  on  him,  who  had  fully 
observed  the  commands  of  it  ?" 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


149 


To  this  I  answer :  That  the  same  law  cannot  oblige  both  to  obe- 
dience and  to  suffering :  and,  therefore,  Christ  Jesus  was  not  bound 
*  over  to  undergo  the  penalty  by  that  law,  the  precepts  of  which  he 
had  fulfilled.  Had  he  been  liable  to  suffer  by  the  same  laW  that 
we  are,  he  would  not  have  been  a  Mediator,  but  a  Malefactor. 

Christ  was,  therefore,  under  a  Twofold  Law,  in  conformity  to 
which  he  obtained  his  Twofold  Eighteousness. 

[1]  The  common  and  ordinary  Law  of  Obedience,  unto  which 
he,  as  well  as  others,  was  subjected  upon  the  account  of  his  human 
nature. 

[2]  The  peculiar  Law  of  the  Mediator. 

By  the  Law  of  the  Mediator  I  mean,  that  compact  and  engagement, 
which  Christ  entered  into  with  God  the  Father,  to  become  our 
Surety,  to  pay  our  debts,  and  to  bear  the  punishment  due  to  our 
sins  ;  which  I  shall  hereafter  more  largely  open  to  you,  when  I 
come  to  treat  of  the  Covenant  of  Eedemption. 

Now  when  Christ  had  perfectly  fulfilled  the  common  and  ordi- 
nary Law,  both  of  his  Nature  as  a  man  and  of  his  Nation  as  a  Jew, 
it  could  in  no  wise  be  just,  that  he  should  also  undergo  the  penalty 
by  virtue  of  this  law,  which  threatened  it  only  against  the  trans- 
gressors. And,  therefore,  when  the  ordinary  law  acquitteth  and 
dischargeth  him  as  righteous,  the  Law  of  the  Mediator  interposeth. 
seizeth  on  him,  and  bindeth  him  over  unto  punishment.  And,  if 
Christ  had  not  borne  this  punishment,  though  still  he  would  have 
been  personally  righteous  as  a  Man,  yet  he  would  not  have  been 
righteous  as  a  Mediator,  because  not  conformable  to  the  Law  of  the 
Mediation  or  Suretyship,  to  which  he  had  voluntarily  subjected 
himself,  and  which  obliged  him  to  suffer :  John  x.  18 ;  Phil.  ii.  8  ; 
but,  the  obligation  of  both  laws  being  fully  answered,  he  hath 
thereby  obtained  a  righteousness  according  unto  both ;  and,  being 
both  perfect  in  his  obedience  and  perfected  by  his  sufferings,  he  is 
become  an  Almighty  Saviour,  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost  all  those 
who  come  unto  God  by  him.    That  is  the  Seventh  Position. 

8.  Christ  having  such  an  abundant  righteousness  of  his  own,  God, 
the  Lawgiver,  hath  been  graciously  pleased  to  bestow  tlial  righteousness 
upon,  and  impute  it  unto  us  ;  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  if  it  had 
been  our  own  Personal  Righteousness. 

And  in  this  particular  lies  the  great  mystery  of  our  Justification. 

And  therefore,  to  explain  it,  I  shall  lay  down  these  two  things : 

(1)  Imputed  Eighteousness  is  not  God's  accounting  us  righteous 
when  we  are  not  so ;  for  that  would  be  a  false  judgment,  and  utter- 
ly inconsistent  with  the  truth,  wisdom,  and  righteousness  of  the 


150 


THE    DOCTKINE  OP 


divine  nature :  but,  first,  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  become  ours 
by  the  conveyance  which  God  hath  appointed  to  make  it  over  unto 
us  ;  and,  then,  it  is  imputed  or  reckoned  for  our  Justification. 

For  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness  is  not  res  vaga,  that 
which  may  agree  with  any  person  in  any  state  and  condition ;  as 
if  there  were  no  more  required  to  justify  the  most  profligate  sinner, 
but  only  that  God  reckon  him  righteous  :  no ;  but  there  must  be 
something  presupposed  in  us,  either  as  a  qualification,  condition, 
or  means,  that  must  give  us  a  title  to  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
And  that  is,  as  shall  appear  in  the  next  position,  the  Grace  of  Faith : 
so*  that,  Christ's  righteousness  being  made  ours  by  faith,  God  doth 
then  actually  impute  it  to  our  Justification. 

And,  therefore,  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  is  not  by  God 
only  thought  to  be  ours ;  but  it  is  ours  really  and  truly,  in  a  law 
sense.  To  affirm,  that  God  imputes  that  to  be  ours  which  indeed 
is  not,  would  be  to  make  it  only  a  putative  righteousness,  to  invade 
the  divine  verity,  and  to  lay  the  imputation  of  a  false  and  partial 
judgment  upon  him.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  ours,  be- 
cause God  accounts  it  to  be  so ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  therefore  God 
accounts  it  ours,  because  it  is  so.  It  becomes  not  ours,  by  God's 
imputation  ;  for  it  must  be  ours,  before  any  act  of  imputation  can 
be  true  and  just :  but,  rather,  it  becomes  ours,  by  divine  designa- 
tion or. donation,  whereby  God  hath  made  over  the  righteousness 
of  his  Son  as  a  dowry  and  patrimony  to  faith.  God  doth  not  justi- 
fy us,  that  we  may  be  righteous ;  but  because  we  are  already  righte- 
ous :  and  that,  not  only  imperfectly,  by  the  inherent  righteous 
qualities  that  are  implanted  in  our  Regeneration  ;  but  most  per- 
fectly, by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  consigned  over  unto  us  in  our 
Eegeneration,  by  virtue  of  Faith,  which  is  a  main  part  of  it. 

Certainly,  that  God,  who  hath  told  us,  that  he,  that  justifieth  the 
wicked....is  an  abomination  unto  him :  Prov.  xvii.  15,  will  never  him- 
self make  that  the  process  of  his  justice.  It  is  true,  the  Apostle, 
Rom.  iv.  5,  saith,  that  God  justifieth  the  ungodly :  but  this  must  be 
understood,  either  in  a  limited  sense,  for  those  who  are  in  part  so, 
being  but  in  part  sanctified :  or,  rather,  it  must  be  understood,  not 
in  a  compounded  sense,  as  if  Ungodliness  and  Justification  were 
states  compatible  to  the  same  person  ;  but  in  a  divided  sense,  that 
is,  that  he  justifies  such  who  heretofore  were  ungodly  ;  but  their 
Sanctification  intervenes  between  their  Ungodliness  and  their  Justi- 
fication. In  which  order  the  Apostle  recounts  it,  1  Cor.  vi.  11 ; 
Such  were  some  of  you :  but  ye  are....sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified.  So 
that,  in  order  of  nature,  Faith,  which  is  a  principal  part  of  our 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


151 


Sanctification,  precedes  our  right  to  Christ's  righteousness,  because 
it  conveys  it ;  and  our  right  to  Christ's  righteousness  precedes  God's 
actual  imputation  of  it  to  our  Justification,  because  it  must  first  be 
ours,  before  it  can  be  with  truth  accounted  so. 

It  is  very  wonderful,  that  the  Papists  should  so  obstinately  re- 
solve not  to  understand  this  doctrine  of  Imputed  Righteousness ; 
but  still  cavil  against  it,  as  a  contradiction.  It  being,  say  they, 
as  utterly  impossible  to  become  righteous  through  the  righteous- 
ness of  another,  as  to  become  healthful  through  another's  health, 
or  wise  by  another's  wisdom.  And  some,  besides  this  slander  of 
a  contradiction,  give  us  this  scoff  into  the  bargain :  That  the  Pro- 
testants, in  defending  an  Imputative  Righteousness,  show  only  an 
Imputative  Modesty  and  Imputative  Learning.  But  they  might 
do  well  to  consider,  that  some  denominations  are  physical ;  others 
only  legal  and  juridical.  Those,  which  are  physical,  do  indeed 
necessarily  require  inexistent  forms,  from  which  the  denominations 
should  result :  thus,  to  be  healthful,  to  be  wise  and  learned,  do  re- 
quire inherent  health,  wisdom,  and  learning.  But,  to  be  righteous, 
may  be  taken  either  in  a  physical  sense,  and  so  it  denotes  an  inher- 
ent righteousness,  which  in  the  best  is  imperfect ;  or  else  it  may  be 
taken  in  a  forensic  or  juridical  sense,  and  so  the  perfect  righteous- 
ness of  another,  who  is  our  Surety,  may  become  ours,  and  be  im- 
puted to  our  Justification.  It  is  the  righteousness  of  another,  per- 
sonally :  it  is  our  righteousness,  juridically  :  because,  by  faith,  we 
have  a  right  and  title  to  it ;  which  right  and  title  accrue  unto  us,  by 
the  promise  and  covenant  of  God,  and  our  union  to  our  Surety. 

Indeed,  some  there  are,  who  refer  our  Justification  wholly  to  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ ;  but  yet  lay  down  a  scheme  and  method  of 
this  doctrine,  not  altogether  so  honourable  to  our  Blessed  Saviour 
as  they  ought.  These  affirm,*  that  Christ,  by  his  righteousness, 
hath  merited  that  God  should  account  our  Faith  to  be  itself  our 
Righteousness  !  that  his  is  only  the  procatarctic  or  meritorious  cause 
procuring  this  grand  privilege  to  Faith,  that  it  should  itself  be  our 
Righteousness  and  the  matter  of  our  Justification.  Wherein  they 
are  so  far  injurious  to  the  merits  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  as  to  make 
them  only  the  remote  cause  of  our  Justification  ;  and,  consequently, 
necessary,  rather  that  faith  might  have  an  object,  than  that  we 
might  have  righteousness.    But  of  this,  perhaps,  more  hereafter. 

However,  this,  which  hath  been  spoken,  may  serve  to  give  us  a 
more  distinct  notion  of  Imputed  Righteousness  :  which  is  not  ours, 
merely  because  God  imputes  it  to  us ;  but  because  he  hath,  by  deed 

*  Armin.  Disp.  Theol.  Tlies.  17. 


152 


THE    DOCTEI.VE  OF 


of  gift  in  bis  promise,  bestowed  it  upon  us  when  we  believe,  and 
then  imputes  it  to  our  Justification. 

(2)  That  this  righteousness  of  Christ,  thus  made  ours,  mar  serve 
to  all  ends  and  purposes  for  which  we  stand  in  need  of  a  righteous- 
ness, it  is  necessary,  that  both  his  active  righteousness,  or  his 
Righteousness, of  Obedience,  and  also  his  passive  righteousness,  the 
Righteousness  of  his  Satisfaction  in  suffering  for  us,  be  made  ours, 
and  imputed  to  us  for  our  Justification. 

Though  this  position  be  much  controverted ;  vet,  possibly,  the 
trulh  of  it  will  appear  from  the  grounds  formerly  laid,  viz.,  That 
there  are  two  ends,  for  which  we  stand  in  need  of  a  righteousness : 
the  one,  is  a  freeing  of  us  from  the  penalty  threatened :  the  other, 
is  an  entitling  of  us  to  the  reward  promised.  Now  had  we  no  other 
but  the  Righteousness  of  Christ's  Satisfaction  made  over  unto  us, 
this  indeed  would  perfectly  free  us  from  our  liableness  to  punish- 
ment ;  for,  if  our  Surety  hath  undergone  it  for  us,  we  ourselves  are 
not  liable :  but,  still,  we  should  need  a  righteousness  to  entitle  us 
to  the  reward :  and  that  must  necessarilv  be  a  Righteousness  of 
perfect  Obedience.  For,  as  I  noted  before,  it  is  not  said  Suffer  this, 
and  live  ;  but  Do  this,  and  live  :  and,  consequently,  it  must  be  obe- 
dience and  not  suffering,  the  active  and  not  the  passive  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  that  can  give  us  a  right  unto  eternal  life.  It  is  true, 
the  satisfaction  of  Christ  doth  give  a  right  unto  eternal  life  con- 
comitantly, but  not  formally ;  that  is,  wherever  guilt  is  removed, 
there  a  title  to  heaven  is  procured :  yet  the  formal  reason  of  our 
title  to  heaven  is  different  from  the  formal  reason  of  the  remission 
of  our  sins  :  this,  results  from  the  imputation  of  Christ's  sufferings; 
that,  of  his  obedience. 

But,  if  any  should  in  this  particular  dissent,  as  many  very  or- 
thodox divines,  Piscator  and  others,  have  done,  upon  the  account 
of  the  impossibility  of  a  neutral  estate,  i.  e.  a  conditio^  neither  of 
happiness  nor  misery,  life  nor  death ;  I  will  not  earnestly  contend 
about  it :  so  that  this  foundation  stand  firm  and  unshaken,  that  we 
are  saved  only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  made  ours  by  God's 
donation,  and  imputed  to  our  Justification.  Yet  Rom.  v.  18,  19, 
votes  for  it. 

9.  This  Righteousness  of  Christ  is  conveyed  and  made  over  unto  us 
by  our  Faith. 

That  is  the  grace,  which  God  hath  purposed  to  honour  with  our 
Justification.  ' 

I  shall  not  long  insist  upon  this,  because  I  reserve  the  more  full 
handling  of  it  to  another  place.    Only  this  is  here  to  be  observed, 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


153 


that  faith  gives  us  a  title  to  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  makes 
it  ours,  not  only  by  the  promise  of  God,  but  as  it  is  the  bond  of 
union  between  Christ  and  the  soul.  By  faith  it  is,  that  we  are 
made  mystically  one  with  Christ;  living  members  in  his  body; 
fruitful  branches  of  that  heavenly  and  spiritual  vine.  We  have 
the  communication  of  the  same  Name :  So  also  is  Christ,  saith  the 
Apostle,  1  Cor.  xii.  12,  speaking  there  of  Christ  Mystical,  both  his 
Person  and  his  Church.  We  have  the  same  Relations :  /  ascend 
unto  my  Father  and  to  your  Father ;  John  xx.  17.  We  are  made 
partakers  of  the  same  Spirit:  for  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  he  is  none  of  his :  Rom.  viii.  9 ;  He,  that  is  joined  unto  the 
Lord,  is  one  Spirit:  1  Cor.  vi.  17.  And,  finally,  the  very  Life,  that 
we  live,  is  said  not  to  be  ours,  but  Christ  liveth  in  us,  and  that  we 
live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God:  Gal.  ii.  20. 

So  that,  being  thus  one  with  Christ,  his  righteousness  becomes 
our  righteousness,  even  as  our  sins  became  his :  and  God  deals  with 
Christ  and  believers,  as  if  they  were  one  person :  the  sins  of  believ- 
ers are  charged  upon  Christ,  as  though  they  were  his;  and  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  is  reckoned  to  believers  as  theirs.  Neither 
is  God  unjust,  either  in  the  one  or  the  other  imputation ;  because 
they  are  mystically  one :  and  this  mystical  union  is  a  sufficient 
ground  for  imputation. 

Yet  from  this  union  flows  the  participation  only  of  the  benefits 
of  his  Mediatorship :  for  we  are  not  hereby  transubstantiated  or 
deified,  as  some  of  late  years  have  blasphemously  conceited.  Nei- 
ther the  Godhead  of  Christ,  nor  his  essential  righteousness  as  God, 
nor  his  divine  and  infinite  properties,  are  made  ours ;  but  only  the 
fruits  and  effects  of  his  mediation :  so  that,  hereupon,  God  graci- 
ously accounts  of  us  as  if  we  had  done  in  our  own  persons,  what- 
soever Christ  hath  done  for  us ;  because,  by  faith,  Christ  and  we 
are  made  one. 

These  are  the  Positions,  which  I  thought  necessary,  to  instruct 
us  in  a  true  notion  of  righteousness,  and  the  manner  how  we  be- 
come righteous. 

iv.  I  shall  deduce  from  them  a  few  corollaries. 

1.  Hence  we  learn,  the  true  Difference  that  there  is,  between  the  Cove- 
nant of  Grace  and  the  Covenant  of  Works. ' 

Whatsoever  vast  disproportion  some  have  imagined ;  yet,  in- 
deed, these  are  not  distinct  covenants,  for  the  matter  and  substance 
of  them,  but  only  in  the  distinct  method  and  manner  of  participat- 
ing the  same  righteousness.  They  both  require  full  satisfaction, 
to  obtain  remission  of  sin  ;  and  perfect  obedience,  to  obtain  eternal 


164 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


life.  But,  in  this,  lies  the  only  difference ;  that  the  rigour  and  se- 
verity of  the  Covenant  of  Works  requires  that  this  righteousness 
be  personal,  and  wrought  out  by  ourselves ;  which  is  relaxed  to  us 
by  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  promising  us  remission  and  acceptation 
through  the  righteousness  of  our  Surety,  conveyed  to  us  by  our  faith. 

2.  Ilence  see,  what  influence  Faith  hath  into  our  Justification. 

It  is  not  itself  our  Eighteousness,  or  the  matter  of  our  Justifica- 
tion ;  but  the  instrument  or  means,  call  it  which  you  please,  of 
conveying  over  unto  us  the  righteousness  of  Christ  our  Surety, 
which  is  perfectly  conformable  to  the  Law  of  Works,  and  the  mat- 
ter by  which  we  are  justified. 

Some  there  are,  who  would  have  Faith  to  justify  us,  as  it  is  the 
Fulfilling  of  the  Condition  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 

But,  possibly,  this  difference  might  be  soon  compromised,  if  the 
tenor  of  both  covenants  be  heedful  ly  observed.  The  Covenant  of 
Works  promiseth  life,  if  we  obey  in  our  own  Persons :  but  the 
Covenant  of  Grace  relaxeth  this ;  and  promiseth  life,  if  we  obey  in 
our  Surety,  The  condition  of  both  is  perfect  obedience:  in  the 
one,  personal ;  in  the  other,  imputed.  And  the  way  how  we  should 
obtain  a  title  to  this  obedience  of  our  Surety,  is,  by  believing.  So 
that,  when  the  Covenant  of  Grace  saith,  "  Believe  and  you  shall  be 
saved,"  it  speaks  compendiously  ;  and,  were  it  drawn  out  at  length, 
it  would  run  thus,  "  Procure  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  be  thine, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved :  Believe,  and  this  righteousness,  which 
will  save  thee,  shall  be  thine." 

Here,  then,  are  two  conditions :  the  one,  fundamental,  primary, 
and  "immediate  to  our  Justification ;  and  that  is,  the  Eighteousness 
of  Christ :  the  other,  remote  and  secondary  ;  and  that  is,  our  Faith, 
which  is  the  condition  of  the  primary  condition,  and  consequently 
of  the  covenant.  This  will  appear  more  evident  in  this  syllogism  : 
If  the  righteousness  of  Christ  be  made  thine,  thou  shalt  be  saved  : 
if  thou  believest,  the  righteousness  of  Christ  shall  be  made  thine: 
therefore,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  if  thou  believest  thou  shalt  be 
saved. 

Now,  though  Christ's  obedience  be  the  principal,  and  our  faith 
the  secondary  condition ;  yet,  usually,  in  propounding  the  Covenant 
of  Grace,  the  former  is  silenced,  and  the  latter  only  mentioned. 

And  this  may  be  for  two  reasons : 

(1)  Because,  though  Christ's  righteousness  be  more  immediate  to 
our  Justification,  yet  faith  is  more  immediate  to  our  Practice  ;  and, 
therefore,  it  is  of  more  concernment  to  know  how  Justification  might 
be  obtained,  than  critically  to  know  wherein  it  doth  consist.  And, 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


155 


(2)  Because  faith  doth  necessarily  relate  unto  the  righteousness 
of  Jesus  Christ.  So  that,  to  say  "  Believe,  and  you  shall  be  saved," 
doth  virtually  and  implicitly  tell  us  also,  that  our  Justification  and 
Salvation  must  be  by  the  righteousness  of  another. 

If,  therefore,  those,  who  affirm  that  Faith  justifies,  as  it  is  the 
Performance  of  the  Condition  of  the  Covenant,  intend  it  only  in 
this  remote  and  secondary  sense,  I  see  no  cause  of  controversy  or 
disagreement  about  it.    That  is  a  Second  Corollary. 

8.  Another  inference  may  be  this :  That  we  should  never  expect 
Justification  nor  Salvation,  upon  any  other  terms  than  a  Perfect  Right- 
eousness, fully  answering  the  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

Answering  it,  I  say,  as  to  the  substance  of  what  it  requires,  al- 
though the  manner  of  obtaining  that  righteousness  be  not  conform- 
able thereunto,  but  unto  the  Law  of  Grace.  If  we  cannot  produce 
a  righteousness  every  way  perfect,  and  tender  it  to  God  as  ours,"we 
cannot  with  reason  expect  but  that  God  should  seek  for  satisfaction 
to  his  justice  upon  us  in  our  everlasting  destruction.  Ours  it  must 
be,  through  our  union  to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  bond  of  faith ;  which 
is  a  sufficient  foundation  for  a  real  communication  of  all  benefits 
and  interests. 

4.  Hence  we  may  learn,  That  the  two  righteousnesses  of  which  the 
text  speaks,  the  Eighteousness  which  is  of  Works,  and  the  Bight- 
eousness  which  is  of  Faith,  do  not  differ,  as  to  the  nature  of  the  things 
themselves,  but  only  as  to  the  manner  of  their  being  made  ours. 

The  Righteousness,  which  is  of  the  Law,  must  be  of  perfect  Obe- 
dience or  of  full  Satisfaction ;  the  Righteousness,  which  is  of  Faith, 
is  both  of  Obedience  and  of  Satisfaction :  so  that,  for  the  matter, 
there  is  no  difference  between  them ;  for  the  Eighteousness  of  Faith 
is  no  other  than  what  the  Law  of  "Works  required.  But,  herein, 
lies  the  only  difference,  that  the  one  must  be  personal,  the  other 
imputed.  The  Law  requires  obedience  or  satisfaction  to  be  wrought 
out  in  our  own  persons :  grace  mitigates  this  strictness ;  and  is 
contented  with  the  obedience  and  satisfaction  of  another,  appre- 
hended and  applied  to  us  by  our  believing. 

And  thus  you  see,  at  large,  the  nature  of  Eighteousness,  both 
Legal  and  Evangelical ;  wherein  they  do  consist;  and  what  is  the 
true  difference  between  them.  The  knowledge  of  these  things  is 
of  absolute  necessity  to  a  clear  perception  of  the  Doctrine  of  the 
Covenants  and  of  Justification.  Some,  perhaps,  because  these  truths 
are  abstruse  and  knotty,  may  think  that  I  am  teaching  you,  as 
Gideon  is  said  to  have  taught  the  men  of  Succoth,  Judges  viii.  7, 
with  the  thorns  and  briers  of  the  wilderness.    Yet  I  doubt  not  but 


156 


THE    D  O  C  T  R  I  N  E    O  F 


by  a  diligent  recollection  of  what  hath  been  delivered,  you  may 
even  of  these  thorns,  gather  figs.  Sure  I  am,  that  God,  who  once 
spake  to  Moses  out  of  a  bush,  can  speak  to  you  out  of  these  thickets. 
And,  though  they  do  not  so  immediately  tend  to  the  exciting  of 
affections,  yet  those  affections  may  be  well  suspected  to  be  irregu- 
lar, and  experience  shows  they  are  seldom  durable,  that  are  not 
built  upon  a  right  information  of  the  Judgment. 

These  things  being  thus  discussed  and  stated,  let  us  now  proceed 
to  a  more  DISTINCT  AND  PARTICULAR  CONSIDERATION 
OF  THE  COVENANTS.  Which  I  have  told  you  were  principally 
Two  :  the  one,  made  with  mankind  in  Adam,  at  his  first  .creation; 
the  other,  made  with  mankind,  upon  his  restoration.  The  tenor 
of  the  former  is,  Do  this,  and  live:  the  tenor  of  the  latter,  He,  that 
believeth  on  Christ  Jesus,  shall  be  saved. 

I.  I  shall  first  treat  concerning  the  former,  the  COVENANT  OF 
WORKS  :  the  sum  of  which  is,  Do  this,  and  live;  or,  in  the  words 
of  my  text,  The  man,  which  doeth  those  things,  shall  live  by  them. 

And,  herein,  two  things  are  chiefly  to  be  observed :  the  Promise, 
which  is  life ;  and  the  Condition,  which  is  Do  this,  or  perfect 
obedience. 

i.  I  shall  begin  with  the  former,  the  pkomise  made  unto  adam, 
AND  ALL  MANKIND  IN  HIM :  The  man,  which  doeth  those  things,  shall 
live  ;  which,  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  implies  the  threatening  and 
curse  against  all  transgressors.  If  he  shall  live,  who  fulfilleth  the 
Law ;  then,  by  the  contrary  proportion,  he  shall  die,  who  trans- 
gresseth  it.  And  this  threatening  we  find  expressly  annexed  to 
one  particular  command  of  the  Covenant  of  Works  ;  Gen.  ii.  17  ; 
In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  that  is,  of  the  Tree  of  the  Knowl- 
edge of  Good  and  Evil,  thou  shalt  surely  die:  and  to  the  general 
tenor  of  the  whole ;  Gal.  iii.  10  ;  Cursed  is  every  one,  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things,  which  are  written  in  the  look  of  the  Law  to  do  them. 

Concerning  this  Life  and  Death,  much  difficulty  there  is  to  state 
wherein  they  did  consist :  and,  truly,  the  Holy  Ghost  having  spoken 
so  sparingly  of  it,  it  would  be  presumption,  and  an  affectation  of 
being  wise  above  what  is  written,  to  determine  any  thing  positively 
and  magisterially  herein;  God  taking  .more  care  to  inform  us  how 
we  might  recover  our  lost  and  forfeited  bliss,  than  wherein  it  con- 
sisted. Yet,  possibly,  something  may,  with  modesty  and  probabil- 
ity, be  spoken  of  it ;  that  may  give  us  some  satisfaction  in  the  clear- 
ing up,  if  not  of  all,  yet  of  some  truths  that  are  pertinent  to  this 
subject,  and  worthy  our  knowledge  and  acceptance. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


157 


1.  As  for  the  Life  here  promised, 

(1)  There  are  two  opinions,  that  carry  a  fair  probability. 

[1]  That,  by  Life  here,  is  meant  .the  Perpetuity  and  Continuance 
of  that  Estate  wherein  Adam  was  created  ;  being  a  state  of  perfect 
happiness  and  blessedness,  free  from  sin,  and  therefore  free  from 
misery  :  he,  the  friend  of  God  and  lord  of  the  visible  creation  ;  all 
things  being  subject  unto  him,  and  himself  subject  only  to  his 
Maker:  there  being  a  perfect  :igreement  between  his  God  and  him, 
and  between  him  and  himself;  no  tormenting  conscience,  no  gnaw- 
ing guilt,  no  pale  fears,  no  pains,  no  sickness,  na  death.  He  might 
converse  with  God,  boldly  and  sweetly :  and  God  would  have  con- 
versed with  him,  familiarly  and  endearingly.  Then  there  would 
have  been  no  desertion,  on  God's  part ;  because  no  apostasy,  on  his : 
no  clouds  in  his  mind,  no  tempest  in  his  breast,  no  tears,  nor  cause 
for  any  ;  but  a  continual  calm  and  serenity  of  soul,  enjoying  all  the 
innocent  delights  that  God  and  nature  could  afford,  and  all  this 
for  ever.  The  whole  world  had  been  but  a  higher  heaven  and  a 
lower.  Earth  had  been  but  heaven  a  little  allayed  ;  and  Adam  had 
been  as  an  angel  incarnate,  and  God  all  in  all :  and  all  this  to  be 
enjoyed  eternally,  without  diminution,  without  period.  Oh,  how 
great  a  happiness  may  we  conceive  the  state  of  upright  man  to  be  ! 
which  nothing  can  resemble,  nothing  exceed  ;  unless  it  be  the  happi- 
ness and  bliss  to  which  fallen  man  shall  be  restored.  Had  not  sin 
soiled  and  drossed  the  world,  it  should  never  have  felt  the  purga- 
tion of  the  last  fire;  the  elements  should  never  have  been  dissolved, 
the  heavens  folded  up,  nor  the  host  of  them  disbanded  ;  but  man 
had  been  the  everlasting  inhabitants  of  an  everlasting  world. 

This  is  the  first  opinion  concerning  the  Life  promised  in  the 
Covenant  of  Works. 

[2]  Others  again,  to  avoid  some  inconveniences  which  might 
follow  upon  the  former  opinion,  wherof  the  greatest  seems  to  be  a 
populousness  beyond  what  the  world  could  contain,  think  it  more 
probable  to  affirm,  That  when  the  multitude  of  mankind  (which 
certainly  had  been  far  greater  than  all  the  generations  since  the 
beginning  of  it  amount  unto,  since  sin  and  the  curse  have  hindered 
the  fecundity  of  the  first  blessing)  had  so  far  increased  as  to  straiten 
the  bounds  of  their  abode,  God  would  have  Translated  them  to  Hea- 
ven, without  their  seeing  or  tasting  of  Death.  As,  when  a  land  is 
surcharged  with  inhabitants,  the  state  transplants  whole  colonies  of 
them,  to  disburden  itself :  so,  when  this  earth  should  have  been 
crowded  with  an  overplus  of  mankind,  God  would  have  transplanted 
whole  colonies  of  them  ;  and  would  have  removed  them  from  a 


158 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


terrestrial  to  a  celestial  Paradise.  God  dotli  now,  indeed,  remove 
believers  to  that  state  of  happiness :  but  yet  they  first  descend  into 
the  dust :  death  is  their  passage  into  life,  and  the  grave  their  en- 
trance into  glory  :  we  read  but  of  two  men  only,  who  leaped  that 
ditch ;  and  they  were  Enoch  and  Elijah  :  of  the  one,  it  is  said  that 
God  took  him  ;  and,  of  the  other,  that  God  fetched  him  in  a  fiery 
chariot.  But,  had  not  sin  come  into  the  world,  this  might  have 
been  the  common  and  ordinary  passage  out  of  it :  Eve  had  never 
been  terrified  by  the  King  of  Terrors,  nor  struggled  at  his  approach, 
nor  feared  nor  detested  the  separation  of  those  dear  companions,  the 
soul  and  body  :  for  there  had  been  no  such  thing  as  death  ;  but  both 
soul  and  body,  jointly  and  at  once,  should  have  been  rapt  up  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  same  God  and  the  same  happiness,  which  our 
faith  now  embraces,  and  our  hope  expects. 

Which  of  these  two  is  the  very  truth  I  cannot  determine  ;  though 
the  grand  inconvenience,  consequent  upon  the  former,  may  incline 
a  considering  mind  to  adhere  rather  to  the  latter. 

(2)  Now  here  full  in  Two  Questions  to  be  resolved.  "Whether 
Adam,  in  innocence,  may  be  said  to  be  immortal.  What  is  meant 
by  the  Tree  of  Life,  spoken  of  in  the  history  of  Adam,  and  said  to 
be  planted  in  the  midst  of  Paradise. 

[1]  To  the  first  I  answer,  that  Adam,  in  his  state  of  innocence, 
was  immortal. 

For  sin  is  not  only  the  sting,  but  the  cause  and  parent  of  death  ; 
and  gives  it  not  only  its  terrors,  but  its  being.  What  saith  the 
Apostle,  Kom.  v.  12  ?  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  by  sin :  so  that,  had  there  been  no  sin,  there  had  been  no  death. 
But  yet,  even  then,  Adam  had  in  him  the  contemplation  of  con- 
trary qualities  ;  and,  therefore,  the  principles  of  death  and  corrup- 
tion. And,  therefore,  his  immortality  was  not  such,  as  the  angels 
enjoy  in  heaven  ;  for  they  are  not  composed  of  jarring  and  quarrell- 
ing elements,  being  pure  spiritual  substances  :  nor  was  it  such,  as 
the  bodies  of  glorified  saints  shall  hereafter  possess ;  for  they  shall 
be  made  wholly  impassible,  and  set  free  from  the  reach  of  outward 
impressions,  and  the  discords  of  elemental  mutinies,  that  might 
impair  their  vigour  or  endanger  their  dissolution.  But  it  was  an 
immortality,  by  donation ;  and  by  the  privilege  of  an  especial  Pro- 
vidence, which  engaged  itself  to  sway  and  overrule  that  tendency 
which  was  in  his  body  to  corruption,  and,  notwithstanding  the  con- 
trarieties and  dissentions  of  a  terrestrial  constitution,  to  continue 
him  in  life,  so  long  as  he  should  continue  himself  in  his  obedience. 

[2]  And,  as  the  means  and  sacrament  of  this,  God  appointed  the 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


159 


fruit  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  that  the  eating  thereof  might  perpetuate 
his  duration. 

Which  Tree  of  Life,  what  it  was,  and  why  so  called,  was  the 
second  query. 

Some  suppose  it  was  so  named,  because  the  fruit  of  it  had  a  Na- 
tural Virtue  to  preserve  and  prolong  life  ;  and  that  Aclam,  using  it 
as  his  ordinary  food,  should,  by  the  medicinal  force  of  it,  have  kept 
off  or  repaired  all  incident  decays.  But  this,  I  think,  sounds  some- 
what of  the  Rabbi :  for  the  guard,  which  God  set  upon  this  tree, 
lest  fallen  Adam  should  once  taste  it  and  live  for  ever,  sufficiently 
overthrows  this  conceit ;  and  evinces  that  immortality  could  not  be 
the  natural  effect  and  production  of  it. 

But  the  best  and  most  received  opinion  is,  that  it  was  therefore 
called  the  Tree  of  Life,  because  it  was  a  Sacrament  added  for  the 
confirmation  of  the  promise  of  life.  That,  as  now,  under  the  Cove- 
nant of  Grace,  God  hath  instituted  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
that,  by  being  washed  with  the  water  of  the  one,  and  eating  and 
drinking  the  bread  and  wine  of  the  other,  he  might  seal  to  us  the 
stability  of  that  covenant,  wherein  he  hath  promised  eternal  life  to 
those  who  believe :  so  God  gave  Adam  this  Tree  of  Life,  that,  by 
his  eating  thereof,  he  might  seal  to  him  the  faithfulness  of  the  Cove- 
nant of  Works,  wherein  he  had  promised  life  to  him  if  he  would 
obey ;  that,  as  sure  as  he  tasted  of  the  fruit  of  that  tree,  so  sure  he 
should  live,  if  he  would  perform  the  commands  of  God.  For  every 
covenant  hath  its  sacraments  or  seals  annexed  to  it.  The  Old  Cove- 
nant of  Grace  was  sealed  by  Circumcision,  called  therefore  a  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  Bom.  iv.  11 ;  and  likewise  the  Fassover 
was  another  Sacrament  of  that  covenant :  the  New  Covenant  of 
Grace  is  sealed  by  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  And,  in  like 
manner,  the  Covenant  of  Works  was  sealed  by  the  fruit  of  this 
Tree  of  Life :  which  was  so  called,  not  from  any  inherent  quality 
of  its  own,  but  only  sacramentally,  because  it  did  confirm  the  prom- 
ise of  life ;  that,  as  surely  as  Adam  did  eat  thereof,  so  surely  he 
should  live  if  he  would  obey. 

(3)  By  these  obscure  and  uncertain  things,  which  cannot  be  re- 
commended unto  you  as  undoubted  verities,  but  only  as  probable 
conjectures,  you  may  perceive  how  much  we  are  in  the  dark,  and 
how  subject  to  error,  when  we  pretend  to  define  and  positively 
determine  what  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  thought  fit  to  conceal. 

Yet  Two  things  I  account  most  certain;  and,  with  which,  it  will 
be  good  to  put  a  stop  to  our  inquisitiveness. 

[1]  That  this  Life,  promised  in  the  Covenant  of  Works,  was  a 


160 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


state,  made  happy  and  blessed,  by  the  confluence  of  all  good  things, 
outward  and  inward,  temporal  and  spiritual ;  whatsoever  man's 
condition  could  need,  or  his  will  desire. 

So  long  as  there  were  no  defects  of  righteousness  and  holiness  in 
his  nature,  there  would  have  been  none  of  happiness  suitable  to  his 
capacities  ;  nor  should  he  have  any  complaints  to  make,  nor  cause 
for  them. 

[2]  That  this  Life,  whether  eternal  on  earth  or  in  heaven,  though 
so  perfectly  happy  in  its  kind ;  yet  was  far  short  of  that  glory  and 
happiness,  which  is  now  promised  to  believers  under  the  Covenant 
of  Grace. 

Christ  not  only  died  to  redeem  a  forfeiture,  but  his  obedience 
merited  the  purchase  of  a  richer  inheritance,  and  he  will  instate  his 
in  the  possession  of  far  more  transcendent  glory.  Adam  was  never 
so  happy  in  his  innocence,  as  he  is  now,  since  his  fall,  by  his  faith 
and  repentance.  He  is  now  exalted  far  higher  than  at  first  he  stood. 
And,  therefore,  St.  Gregory  the  Great,  considering  the  advantage 
which  we  have  gained  by  our  restoration  through  Christ,  could  not 
forbear  exclaiming,  0  felix  culpa,  quse  talcm  meruit  habere  Redemp- 
torem  I  "  Happy  sin,  that  obtained  such  a  Redeemer  !"  And  Clemens 
Alexandrinus  hath  a  like  passage  :  £  s  x  aapaS  t  tan  aiow  ifoi' 

"  His  disobedience  cast 
Adam  out  of  Paradise  :  his  obedience  instates  him  in  a  far  higher 
and  greater  reward,  even  Heaven."  So  that,  as  Christ  saith  con- 
cerning John  the  Baptist,  Among  all  that  are  born  of  women,  there 
hath  not  arisen  a  greater  than  he  :  yet  he,  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  is  greater  ;  the  same  may  I  say  concerning  Adam  in  inno- 
cence :  Among  all  the  visible  creation,  there  was  none  greater  nor 
more  happy  than  he ;  yet  the  least  believer,  who  is  now  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven,  is  far  greater  than  he  when  he  was  Lord  of 
Paradise. 

Yea,  should  we  suppose,  that  Adam,  after  he  had  long  continued 
in  his  innocence  and  obedience,  should  have  been  assumed  into 
heaven ;  yet  a  believer's  glory  there,  purchased  by  the  merits  of 
his  Saviour,  shall  far  outshine  whatsoever  glory  Adam  could  have 
acquired  by  his  own  obedience.  For,  so  much  approximation  and 
union  as  there  is  of  the  creature  unto  God,  the  fountain  of  all  glory ; 
so  much  participation  is  there  of  glory  from  God,  by  the  creature. 
Now  Adam's  union  unto  God  was  only  moral ;  such  an  union  as 
love  and  friendship  doth  beget :  but  a  believer's  union  unto  God  is 
nearer,  and  mystical,  and  ineffable ;  and,  therefore,  from  this  nearer 
union  will  flow  a  greater  glory.    God  hath  wedded  our  nature  to 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


161 


himself,  in  the  hypostatical  union ;  and  he  hath  wedded  our  per- 
sons to  himself,  in  a  mystical  union  :  neither  of  which  could  have 
had  place  under  the  Covenant  of  "Works ;  and,  therefore,  the  union 
not  being  so  great  and  close,  the  glory  promised  therein  would  not 
have  been  so  glorious,  nor  the  life  and  immortality  so  blessed,  as 
that  which  is  now  brought  to  light  by  the  Gospel. 

This  you  may  take,  in  answer  to  the  First  Question,  What  the 
Life  is,  that  is  promised  in  the  Covenant  of  Works :  The  man, 
which  doeth  those  things,  shall  live  by  them. 

2.  Our  next  inquiry  is,  "What  Death  it  is,  that  this  Covenant 
threatens :  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shall  die  the  death. 
And  herein,  truly,  we  are  almost  as  far  to  seek,  as  in  the  former. 

(1)  Yet  thus  much  is  certain. 

[1]  That,  by  death,  is  meant  the  separation  of  the  soul  and  body, 
which  is  a  Temporal  Death :  together  with  all  its  forerunners  and 
concomitants ;  pain,  grief,  weakness,  sickness,  and  whatsoever  doth 
either  cause  it  or  attend  it. 

It  is  also  certain,  that  here  is  meant  Spiritual  Death ;  the  loss  of 
the  image  and  favour  of  God  ;  a  despoiling  the  soul  of  the  ornaments 
of  knowledge,  grace,  and  righteousness,  with  which  in  its  first  cre- 
ation it  was  beautified.  For,  as  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  the 
body  is  the  temporal  death  of  the  man ;  so  the  separation  of  the 
soul  from  the  love  and  grace  of  God,  is  the  spiritual  death  of 
the  soul.  And, 

[3]  As  certain  it  may  be,  that  hereby  is  meant  likewise  an  eter- 
nal Death,  to  endure  for  ever,  because  to  be  inflicted  by  an  infinite 
justice. 

(2)  But  the  main  difficulty  is,  whether  this  eternal  death  should 
have  consisted  in  the  utter  annihilation  of  the  soul,  after  its  sepa- 
ration from  the  body  by  a  temporal  death ;  or  whether  both 
soul  and  body  should  have  been  again  united,  to  suffer  eternal- 
ly some  torments  proportionable  to  those,  which  the  damned 
now  suffer  in  hell. 

To  this  I  shall  give  you  what  I  judge  most  probable. 
And  that  is, 

[1]  That  the  death  threatened  in  the  Covenant  of  Wrorks  would 
not  have  been  the  utter  annihilation  of  the  guilty  soul,  after  its 
separation  from  the  body. 

Because  annihilation  is  not  a  punishment  suited  to  the  eternally 

glorifying  of  God's  justice  and  power;  since  it  would  be  in  ono 

moment  transacted,  and  put  the  soul  out  of  the  reach  and  from  under 

the  dominion  of  omnipotency  itself:  for,  although  non  esse  be  maxi- 
Vol.  ii. — 11 


162 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


mum  malum  metaphysicum ;  yet,  certainly,  God  will  not  glorify 
himself  by  metaphysical  notions,  but  by  physical  and  sensible 
punishments. 

[2]  Whatsoever  punishment  had  been  eternally  inflicted,  either 
upon  the  separate  soul  alone,  as  some  hold,  or  upon  the  whole 
man  both  soul  and  body,  as  others  affirm,  had  been  more  mild 
and  mitigated  under  the  Covenant  of  Works,  than  now  the  torments 
of  the  damned  will  be,  who  have  despised  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 

For,  as  the  life  promised  then  was  inferior  to  the  life  promised 
now  ;  so  the  death  threatened  then  was  not  so  rigorous,  so  torment- 
ing, as  the  death  threatened  now.  Certainly,  the  tenders,  that  are 
made  to  men,  of  Christ,  and  salvation  by  him,  are  not  mere  indiffer- 
ent things  ;  that,  though  they  slight  and  reject  them,  yet  they  shall 
be  in  no  worse  condition  than  when  they  were  born :  but  a  despised 
Saviour,  an  abused  Grace,  a  neglected  Salvation,  are  such  things  as 
will  add  rage  to  the  unquenchable  fire,  and  make  it  eat  deeper  into 
the  soul,  than  if  there  had  been  no  Saviour  provided,  no  Grace 
offered,  no  Salvation  purchased  ;  but  they  had  been  all  left  in  their 
first  fallen  estate,  without  hope,  without  means,  without  possibility 
of  recovery. 

And,  thus  much,  concerning  the  Life  promised  and  the  Death, 
threatened,  in  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

(3)  Only,  it  may  be  queried,  how  God  verified  this  threatening 
upon  Adam.  The  threatening  runs  thus :  In  the  day  thou  eatest 
thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die:  and  yet  we  read  that  Adam  lived  nine 
hundred  years,  and  more,  after  this  peremptory  sentence.  How  is 
this  consistent  with  God's  justice  and  veracity,  who  not  only  did 
not  inflict  death  on  him,  on  the  day  of  his  transgression,  but  re- 
prieved him  for  many  hundred  years  after  ? 

To  this  I  answer,  briefly  ;  that,  when  it  is  said,  In  the  day 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shall  die:  by  this  is  not  meant,  that  he 
should  presently  upon  his  sinning  undergo  actual  death  ;  nor  only 
that  death  should  be  then  due  unto  him,  as  some  would  have  it, 
for  so  it  might,  and  yet  never  have  been  inflicted  :  but  the  mean- 
ing is,  that  he  should  be  liable  and  obnoxious,  yea  and  ordained,  to 
death  ;  death  should  certainly  be  inflicted  on  him  in  the  time,  that 
God  had  appointed,  and  which  he  foresaw  would  make  most  for  the 
glory  of  his  holiness  and  justice.  "  In  that  day  thou  shalt  die,"  is 
no  more,  than  "  In  that  day  thou  shalt  be  a  mortal  creature :  thy 
life  shall  be  forfeited  to  justice,  to  be  cut  off  whensoever  the  righte- 
ous and  holy  God  shall  please." 

ii.  Let  us,  in  the  next  place,  proceed  to  consider  the  Condition  of 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


1G3 


the  Covenant  of  Works ;  and  that  the  Apostle  tells  us  is,  Do  this. 
The  man,  which  doeth  these  things,  shall  live  by  them.  By  doing  these 
things  is  meant  obedience,  both  in  its  perfection  and  perseverance; 
for  perfect  obedience  could  not  justify,  unless  it  were  persevering 
obedience  ;  for  we  find  that  Adam  himself  was  not  justified  by  his 
perfect  conformity  to  the  law  for  a  time,  because  he  did  not  con- 
tinue in  it. 

Concerning  this  obedience,  which  was  required  in  the  Covenant 
of  Works,  we  may  observe, 

1.  That  the  ride  of  Adam's  obedience  in  his  state  of  innocence  was 
principally  the  dictates  and  promptings  of  his  own  nature,  and  second- 
arily any  positive  law  that  should  be  given  him  by  God. 

So  that,  when  God  bids  him  do  this  and  live,  he  doth  but  point 
him  inwards  to  see  what  was  written  upon  his  own  heart,  and  to 
act  suitably  thereunto.  God  gave  him  one  command,  which  was 
not  written  there ;  and  that  was,  not  to  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Know- 
ledge of  Good  and  Evil.  And  some  suppose  also  the  command  of 
sanctifying  the  Sabbath-Day  to  have  been  a  positive  law  given  to 
Adam :  Gen.  ii.  3,  where  it  is  said  God  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and 
sanctified  it:  others  suppose  those  words  to  be  brought  in  only  by 
way  of  prolepsis  or  anticipation.  However  that  be,  yet  certain  it 
is,  that  God  laid  very  few  injunctions  upon  upright  man,  besides 
what  the  dictates  of  his  very  nature  and  reason  did  prompt  him  to  : 
but,  if  many  more  had  been  then  imposed  on  him,  they  would  all 
have  been  ultimately  resolved  into  that  grand  law  of  nature,  That 
whatsoever  God  commands  we  ought  to  obey.  And,  therefore, 
though  the  not  eating  the  fruit  of  such  a  tree  were  not  a  law  of  na- 
ture,  yet  this  was,  that  he  ought  not  to  have  done  what  God  for- 
bad him.  So  that,  Do  this,  was  to  Adam  no  more  than  "  Act 
only  according  to  the  rules  of  nature  and  right  reason,  and  thou 
shalt  live." 

2.  The  Covenant  of  WorJcs  required  of  Adam  all  those  things,  which 
are  now  required  of  us  under  the  Covenant  of  Grace  ;  except  it  be  those 
•which  suppose  a  sinful  and  a  fallen  state. 

Some  duties  there  are,  which  are  in  themselves  absolute  and  per- 
fect, and  do  not  pre-suppose  any  sin  or  corruption  in  our  nature : 
and  such  are,  to  love  God ;  to  reverence  and  worship  him  ;  to  de- 
pend upon  him,  and  believe  in  him  ;  and  to  commit  all  our  affairs 
and  the  conduct  of  our  whole  lives,  to  his  guidance  and  govern- 
ment. Other  duties  there  are,  which  do  necessarily  connote  and 
pre-suppose  imperfection  and  sin  :  as  patience  and  submission  un- 
der afflictions  ;  confessing  of  guilt ;  acts  of  repentance,  and  of  faith 


164 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


in  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ ;  relieving  the  necessities  of  the  poor  ; 
forgiving  wrongs  and  injuries ;  and  many  other  such  like.  Now 
the  duties  of  the  former  sort,  which  are  required  of  us,  were  like- 
wise required  of  Adam  ;  and  his  continuance  in  them  would  have 
been  his  Justification ;  but  not  the  duties  of  the  latter  sort ;  for  a 
state  of  innocence  and  perfection  excludes  all  such  duties,  because 
it  excludes  all  that  imperfection  and  guilt,  upon  the  account  of 
which  alone  such  duties  are  become  necessary.  Adam  had  the  in- 
nate radical  power  to  do  them  ;  but  no  occasion  to  exercise  it. 

3.  Adam,  in  innocency,  had  a  power  to  do  whatsoever  the  Law  or  the 
God  of  Nature  did  require  ;  and,  by  this  his  perfect  obedience,  to  have 
preserved  the  righteousness  of  his  first  estate,  and  his  undoubted  right 
unto  that  life  that  was  promised. 

God  is  so  just  and  merciful,  that  be  lays  no  commands  upon  bis 
creatures  to  any  thing  that  is  impossible,  unless  it  be  made  so  by 
an  impotency  wilfully  contracted.  God  may,  indeed,  justly  require 
that  from  us,  which  is  now  beyond  our  power  to  perform  ;  as  the 
perfect  fulfilling  of  his  Law  :  and  that,  because  it  was  once  possi- 
ble for  us  in  our  representative.  And  if  we  have  lost  our  power 
of  obeying,  that  does  not  prejudice  God's  right  of  commanding : 
no  more  than  the  inability  of  a  voluntary  bankrupt  dischargeth 
his  obligation  to  his  creditors.  In  the  state  of  innocence,  God 
suited  the  power  of  his  creature  to  the  law  Avhich  he  intended  to 
give  him  ;  and  made  his  obligation  to  duty  commensurate  with  his 
ability  to  perform  it. 

4.  That  obedience,  which  was  the  condition  of  the  Covenant  of  Works, 
was  to  be  performed  by  Adam  in  his  own  person,  and  not  by  a  surety  or 
undertaker :  and,  therefore,  the  Covenant  of  Works  hath  no  Mediator. 

And  this  is  the  great,  yea,  for  ought  I  can  see,  the  only  real  dif- 
ference between  the  Covenant  of  "Works  and  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 
They  both  require  the  same  obedience  and  righteousness  to  justify 
men  :  only,  tbe  Covenant  of  Grace  allows  it  to  be  the  righteousness 
of  another  ;  but  the  Covenant  of  Works  requires  that  it  be  wrought 
out  by  the  man  himself.  It  is  true,  we  live  by  doing  this,  as  well 
as  Adam  ;  but  we  do  it  by  our  Surety,  not  in  our  own  Persons. 
And  hence  we  may  learn  what  covenant  it  was,  that  Christ,  the 
Second  Adam,  was  made  under.  It  was  strictly  the  Covenant  of 
Works,  of  personal  righteousness ;  the  same,  that  God  entered  into 
with  Adam  :  and,  therefore,  he  is  called  by  the  Apostle  the  Second 
Adam  ;  because,  the  First  Adam  failing  in  his  undertaking,  he  rose 
up  in  his  stead  to  be  our  federal  head  and  representative :  and,  see- 
ing the  first  did  not  rightly  manage  the  trust  deposited,  Christ  took 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


165 


the  whole  affair  out  of  his  hands,  and  hath  perfectly,  fully,  and  faith- 
fully transacted  it. 

We  have  thus  seen,  both  the  Promise  and  the  Condition  of  the 
Covenant. 

iii.  Our  next  enquiry  should  be  concerning  the  persons,  with 

WHOM  IT  WAS  FIRST  MADE,  AND  BY  WHOM  IT  WAS  FIRST  BROKEN. 

1.  But  before  I  come  to  that,  it  may  not  be  impertinent  to  Re- 
solve a  Query,  that  may  arise  upon  what  hath  been  already  said. 
And  that  is,  Whether  the  afflictions  and  temporal  evils,  that  be- 
lievers suffer  in  this  life,  be  not  inflicted  on  them  by  virtue  of  the 
curse  and  threatening  of  the  Covenant  of  Works :  In  the  day  that 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  die,  and  The  soul,  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die. 
For  the  curse  of  dying  comprehends  in  it,  not  only  temporal  death 
itself;  but  all  other  miseries  and  troubles,  that  we  undergo  in  this 
present  life.  And,  indeed,  it  is  worth  the  enquiry,  whether  the  af- 
flictions and  sufferings  of  true  believers,  be  properly  punishments, 
or  not. 

To  resolve  this,  we  must  know,  that  God  hath  two  ends  respect- 
ing himself,  for  which  he  brings  any  evil  upon  men.  The  one,  is 
the  manifestation  of  his  holiness :  the  other,  is  the  satisfaction  of 
his  justice.  And,  accordingly  as  any  affliction  tends  to  these,  so  it 
is  either  properly  a  punishment,  or  barely  a  chastisement  and  cor- 
rection. If  God  intend  by  the  affliction  to  satisfy  his  justice,  then 
it  is  properly  a  punishment ;  and  flows  from  the  curse  and  threat- 
ening of  the  covenant :  but,  if  God  intend  thereby  only  to  glorify 
and  manifest  his  holiness,  then  it  is  not  a  proper  punishment,  nei- 
ther hath  it  any  thing  of  the  rancour  and  venom  of  the  curse  in  it ; 
but  it  is  only  a  fatherly  correction,  proceeding  from  love  and  mercy. 

But, 

(1)  The  afflictions  and  outward  evils,  that  true  Christians  suffer, 
are  inflicted  by  God  upon  them,  to  the  end  that  he  might  manifest 
his  purity  and  holiness. 

Indeed,  there  are  many  gracious  ends,  respecting  believers  them- 
selves, wherefore  God  doth  afflict  them  :  as,  to  exercise  their  graces, 
to  keep  them  humble  and  dependant,  to  starve  up  their  lusts,  to 
wean  them  from  the  world,  and  to  fit  them  for  a  better.  But  the 
great  end, -respecting  God  himself,  is,  that,  by  these  afflictions,  they 
might  know  and  see  how  holy  a  God  they  have  to  deal  with ;  who 
doth  so  perfectly  hate  sin,  that  he  will  follow  it  with  chastisements 
wheresoever  it  be  found.  Though  the  sin  be  pardoned,  though  the 
sinner  be  beloved ;  yet  God  will  afflict  him :  not,  indeed,  to  satisfy 
his  justice,  for  that  is  done  for  him  by  Jesus  Christ :  but  to  satisfy 


166 


THE    DOCTRIXE  OF 


Lis  holiness,  and  vindicate  the  honour  of  his  purity  in  the  would, 
and  himself  too  from  contempt,  when  those,  who  will  presume  to 
offend,  shall  certainly  smart  for  it :  2  Sam.  xii.  13,  14. 

(2)  The  afflictions  and  evils,  that  believers  suffer,  are  not  inflicted 
by  God,  that  thereby  he  might  satisfy  his  justice  upon  them ;  and, 
therefore,  they  are  not  from  the  curse  of  the  Law,  nor  properly 
punishments  for  their  sins. 

Punishment  always  connotes  satisfaction  for  transgressing  the 
Law.  Eut  this  satisfaction  to  divine  justice  is  not  to  be  wrought 
out  by  believers  themselves  ;  and,  therefore,  whatsoever  they  suffer 
is  not  strictly  punishment.  Christ  hath  fully  satisfied  all  the  de- 
mands of  justice ;  and,  therefore,  no  farther  satisfaction  is  expected 
from  them,  since  that  could  not  be  consistent  with  the  rules  and 
measures  of  justice  to  punish  both  the  suret}~  and  principal  too. 
The  curse  of  the  Law  poured  all  its  poison  into  Christ ;  and  there 
is  not  one  drop  of  it  that  falls  besides  upon  believers :  Gal.  iii.  13. 
Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  Law,  being  made  a  curse 
for  us.  For  that  death,  and  all  those  evils  threatened  in  the  Cove- 
nant of  Works,  are  curses :  not  merely  because  they  are  grievous 
and  afflicting:  but  because  inflicted  on  transgressors  in  order  to  the 
satisfaction  of  divine  justice  upon  them.  And  therefore  Christ  is 
said  to  be  accursed,  and  his  death  to  have  been  an  accursed  death, 
(Cursed  is  every  one,  that  hangeth  on  a  tree)  not  because  he  died,  nor 
because  he  died  a  most  bitter,  painful,  and  shameful  death :  but  be- 
cause he  was  ordained  to  undergo  this  death,  as  a  satisfaction  to  the 
justice  of  God  for  the  sins  of  men.  And,  truly,  should  God  inflict 
those  very  evils  which  he  now  doth  upon  believers,  to  the  end  that 
he  might  thereby  raise  some  satisfaction  to  his  justice,  though  the 
evils  themselves  would  not  be  greater,  nor  more  sharp  and  painful, 
yet  they  would  all  be  curses,  and  make  them  too  accursed  crea- 
tures :  for  the  true  notion  of  a  curse  and  of  a  punishment,  consists 
not  in  the  quality  or  the  measure  of  the  evil  suffered ;  but  in  the 
inflicting  of  it  as  penal,  and  in  order  to  the  satisfaction  of  justice. 

Hence,  therefore,  with  what  calmness  and  sweet  peace  may  a  true 
Christian  look  upon  all  his  afflictions !  Though  they  be  sore  and 
heavy,  and  seem  to  carry  much  wrath  in  them,  yet  they  have  noth- 
ing of  the  curse.  The  sting  was  received,  all  of  it,  into  the  body 
of  Christ :  so  that  now  the  Covenant  of  "Works  is  disarmed  to  him ; 
and  he  need  not  fe"ar  the  dreadful  thunder  of  its  threatenings,  for 
the  bolt  is  already  discharged  upon  another.  Indeed,  were  it  God's 
intent  to  satisfy  his  justice  by  the  evils  which  he  brings  upon  me, 
I  might  then  tremble  with  horror  and  astonishment ;  and  account 


THK    TWO  COVENANTS. 


167 


every  the  slightest  suffering  a  presage  and  pledge  of  far  greater  and 
eternal  to  come :  but  if  I  have  an  interest  in  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  justice  is  already  satisfied,  and  the  curse  removed ;  and  all 
the  sorrows  and  afflictions  which  I  suffer,  are  but  the  corrections 
of  a  Gracious  Father,  not  the  revenge  of  an  Angry  God.  Am  I 
pinched  by  poverty  ?  that  is  no  curse :  God  doth  not  seek  revenge 
upon  me  ;  but  only  keeps  me  from  the  allurements  to  sin  and  van- 
ity. Am  I  afflicted  with  losses  in  my  relations  or  estate  ?  that  is 
no  curse  :  God  doth  not  thereby  seek  satisfaction  to  his  justice  ;  but 
only  takes  these  from  me,  that  he  might  be  all  in  all.  Am  I  tor- 
mented with  pain,  and  weakened  with  diseases;  and  will  these 
bring  death  upon  me  ?  yet  diseases  and  death  itself  are  no  curses ; 
but  only  a  necessary  passage  from  life  to  life,  a  bad  step  to  Canaan, 
a  short  night  between  one  day  and  another.  Revenging  justice  is 
satisfied ;  and,  therefore,  come  what  afflictions  it  shall  please  God 
to  try  me  with,  they  are  all  weak  and  weaponless ;  without  sting, 
without  curse  in  them, 

But,  most  sad  and  miserable  is  the  condition  of  wicked  men,  whose 
infidelity  excludes  them  from  having  a  right  in  the  sufferings  of 
Christ.  For  there  is  not  the  least  affliction  that  befals  them,  the 
least  gripe  of  any  pain,  the  least  loss  in  their  estates,  the  most  slight 
and  inconsiderable  cross  that  is,  but  it  comes  upon  them  through 
the  Curse  of  the  law.  God  is,  by  these,  beginning  to  satisfy  his  jus- 
tice upon  them  ;  and  sends  these  to  arrest  and  seize  them.  He  is 
beginning  to  take  them  by  the  throat,  and  to  call  upon  them  to  pay 
him  what  they  owe.  Every  affliction  is  to  them  but  part  of  pay- 
ment of  that  vast  and  endless  sum  of  plagues,  which  God  will,  most 
severely  and  to  the  very  utmost  farthing,  exact  of  them  in  hell. 

And,  so  much,  in  answer  to  that  query. 

2.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  enquire  who  are  the  Persons,  with  ivhom  this 
Covenant  of  Works  was  at  first  made,  and  then  by  whom  it  was  broken. 

(1)  But,  in  order  to  a  clear  and  distinct  resolution  to  this,  I  must 
first  premise  one  or  two  things  most  necessary  to  be  known;  and  which 
I  shall  lay  as  the  basis  and  foundation  of  my  ensuing  discourse. 

[1]  The  first  is  this :  that  Adam  may  be  considered  under  a  Two- 
fold capacity : 

As  a  Natural  Root.    As  a  Federal  Head. 

In  the  former  respect  we  were  in  him  as  in  our  original :  in  the 
latter,  as  in  our  representative. 

1st.  There  is  no  difficulty  at  all  in  conceiving  of  Adam  as  our 
Natural  Root ;  for  that  is  only  in  regard  of  the  traduction  of  the 
same  nature  to  all  his  posterity. 


168 


T  II  E    DOCTRINE  OF 


As  all  parents  are  the  natural  root  of  their  posterity,  so  Adam  was 
of  all  mankind,  delivering  his  nature  to  his  children,  which  hath  since 
been  handed  down  along  from  one  generation  to  another,  even  unto  us. 

2dly.  But  all  the  difficulty  lies  in  opening  how  Adam  was  our 
Federal  Head,  and  what  it  signifies  to  be  so. 

A  federal  head  is  a  common  representative  or  public  person ;  a 
person,  as  it  were  dilated  into  many  ;  or  many  persons  contracted  into 
one,  appointed  to  stand  m  the  stead  of  others  :  so  that  what  he  doth, 
as  acting  in  that  public  capacity,  is  as  valid  in  law  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  as  if  those,  whom  he  represents,  had  in  their  own  persons 
done  it.    This  is  a  federal  head,  surety,  or  representative. 

Now  such  a  representative  is  supposed  to  have  a  power  to  oblige 
those,  for  whom  he  appears,  to  any  agreement  or  compact  whatso- 
ever, as  though  they  themselves  had  personally  entered  into  it. 

And  this  power,  that  one  man  hath  to  oblige  and  bind  another, 
may  arise  two  ways.  From  a  voluntary  Delegation.  From  a  na- 
tural, or  at  least  a  legal  or  acquired  Eight,  that  the  one  hath  over 
the  other. 

(1st)  A  Representative  by  Delegation  is  one,  to  whom  those, 
whom  he  represents,  have,  by  a  free  and  joint  consent,  given  up 
their  own  power,  and  invested  him  in  it. 

As,  to  use  a  known  instance  in  the  choice  of  a  parliament,  the 
people  give  away  their  power  to  those  few  select  men  whom  they 
send  ;  each  shire  to  its  knight,  and  each  corporation  to  its  burgess : 
so  that  whatsoever  these  few  do  is,  in  law,  not  only  the  act  of  those 
men,  but  of  all  the  people  in  the  nation  :  what  laws  or  taxes  soever 
they  impose  on  those  whom  they  represent,  are  not  only  from  them  ; 
but,  in  a  law  sense,  the  people  lay  them  upon  themselves.  But 
Adam  was  not  thus  the  federal  head  or  representative  of  mankind  ; 
because,  having  not  as  then  received  our  being,  we  could  not  by  a 
free  consent  choose  him  to  transact  with  God  for  us. 

(2dly)  Therefore,  there  is  in  some  a  power  to  oblige  others,  aris- 
ing merely  from  the  Right  that  the  one  hath  over  the  other. 

And  this  right  is  twofold :  either  natural,  upon  the  account  of 
natural  production ;  or  else  legal  and  acquired,  upon  the  account 
of  purchase  and  redemption.  For  both  he,  that  begets,  and  he,  that 
purchases  and  redeems  another,  hath  a  right  over  him ;  and,  by 
that,  may  become  his  federal  head,  and  bind  him  to  all  just  con- 
ditions ;  disposing  of  his  person  and  concerns,  as  he  thinks  fit  and 
expedient.  Accordingly,  the  whole  race  of  mankind  never  had  but 
two  federal  heads  or  general  representatives;  and  they  were  the 
First  and  the  Second  Adam.    The  power,  that  Christ,  the  Second 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


169 


Adam,  Lad  to  represent  those,  for  whom  he  undertook,  was  founded 
ujjou  a  legal  and  acquired  right  over  them ;  as  being  their  Ke- 
deemer,  who  had  bought  them  to  himself  out  of  the  hands  of  just- 
ice, and  therefore  might  dispose  of  them  as  he  pleased.  But  the 
power,  that  the  First  Adam  had  to  be  our  representative,  arose 
from  a  natural  right ;  as  being  the  common  parent  of  all  mankind, 
in  whose  loins  we  all  lay,  and  from  whom  we  derived  our  beings; 
and,  upon  that  account,  he  might  justly  oblige  us  who  owe  our- 
selves to  him,  as  well  as  himself,  to  what  terms  soever  God  should 
propound,  and  he  accept.  And  the  reason  why  we  say,  that  Adam 
only  was  our  representative  or  federal  head,  and  not  our  other  in 
termediate  parents  from  whom  we  spring  as  well  as  from  him,  ia 
not,  because  other  parents  have  not  the  same  power  to  covenant  for 
and  oblige  their  children  as  he  had;  for  still  they  have  as  much 
natural  right  over  those  that  descend  from  them  ;  but,  because  they 
are  not  so  appointed  and  constituted  by  God.  Should  God  make  a 
distinct  and  different  covenant  with  them,  they  would  have  as  much 
power  to  bind  their  posterity  to  ■  the  terms  of  it,  as  Adam  had  to 
bind  all  mankind  to  the  Covenant  of  Works. 
That  is  the  first  thing  premised. 

[2]  Because  Adam  was  thus  our  federal  head,  we  are  not  to  be 
considered  as  distinct  from  him ;  but,  as  one  and  the  same  person 
with  him,  entering  into  covenant  with  God. 

As  the  parliament  is  to  be  considered  as  the  same  with  the  whole 
body  of  the  people,  in  all  things  wherein  they  do  represent  them  ; 
so  Adam  and  all  mankind  are  to  be  considered  as  one  and  the  same 
person,  in  all  things  wherein  he  represents  us.  Now  our  being 
thus  one  with  Adam  doth  not  denote  any  real  physical  unity  or 
oneness  :  but  it  must  be  understood  in  sensu  forensi,  in  "  a  judicial 
law  sense."  And  this  oneness  with  him  in  a  law  sense  (which  is  a 
term  frequently  used,  and  therefore  it  might  help  us  to  have  it  ex- 
pounded) signifies  nothing  else  but  that  there  is  a  real  foundation 
laid  for  the  law  justly  to  reward  or  punish  us,  upon  Adam's  obe- 
dience or  disobedience,  as  if  we  were  one  and  the  same  person  with 
him ;  which  foundation  is  the  right  he  hath  over  us,  to  oblige  us 
to  covenant-conditions. 

(2)  These  things  thus  premised,  which  are  of  great  moment  in 
the  Doctrine  of  the  Covenants, 

[1]  Take  these  Two  particulars : 

1st.  That  the  Covenant  of  Works  was  not  made  with  Adam,  con- 
sidered in  his  private  and  personal  capacity ;  but  as  a  public  per- 
son and  a  federal  head :  and,  therefore,  it  was  made  with  us  as  well 
as  with  him  ;  yea,  with  us  in  him. 


170 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


He  was  not  a  single  person,  b'ut  a  whole  world  wrapt  and  folded 
up  together  in  one :  so  that  all,  who  have  since  sprung  from  him, 
are,  in  respect  of  the  covenant,  but  one  Adam  unravelled  and  drawn 
out  at  length.  What  the  Apostle  saith  of  Levi,  Heb.  vii.  9,  10; 
Levi.....2~>ayed  tithes  in  Abraham:  For  he  was  yet  in  the  loins  of  his  fa 
ther,  when  Melchisedec  met  him  ;  I  may  say  in  this  case  :  we  all  en 
tered  into  covenant  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  world ;  for  we 
were  then  in  the  loins  of  our  father  Adam,  when  that  covenant  was 
made.  So  that,  when  we  consider  either  Adam  or  ourselves  with 
relation  to  this  covenant,  we  must  so  mould  our  apprehensions,  as 
if  all  we  were  Adam,  and  Adam  all  of  us :  for,  though  we  then  lay 
so  deep  hid  in  our  causes  and  the  small  principles  of  our  beings, 
yet  the  covenant  took  hold  of  us  ;  and  bound  us,  either  to  the  obe- 
dience which  Adam  promised  both  for  himself  and  us,  or  to  the 
penalty  which  he  exposed  both  himself  and  us  unto.  Yet,  still, 
our  covenanting  in  Adam  must  be  understood  in  a  law  sense :  for 
it  is  utterly  impossible,  that  we  should  personally  and  actually  en- 
ter into  covenant  before  we  were :  but  the  meaning  is  only  this, 
that  the  covenant,  which  God  made  with  Adam,  doth  as  lawfully 
and  strongly  bind  us  to  obedience,  and  in  case  of  failure  to  punish- 
ment, as  it  did  him ;  because  God  made  this  covenant  with  him, 
considered  not  personally  but  representatively,  he  having  a  power 
to  indent  for  his  posterity,  from  the  natural  right  he  had  over  them 
as  their  common  parent.  And  yet,  possibly,  it  may  be  long  enough 
disputed,  without  hopes  of  a  certain  resolution,  whether,  when  God 
made  this  covenant  with  Adam,  he  then  knew  himself  to  be  a  pub- 
lic person,  and  to  stand  as  the  representative  of  all  mankind.  Prob- 
able it  is,  that,  this  affair  being  of  so  vast  and  general  concernment, 
some  such  apprehensions  might  be  impressed  upon  him  by  God, 
either  through  natural  instinct  or  divine  revelation :  and,  if  so,  the 
more  inexcusable  was  his  fault,  that,  knowing  himself  intrusted 
with  no  less  a  stock  than  the  happiness  of  all  his  race,  he  should 
so  wilfully  break,  and  thereby  ruin  both  himself  and  them. 

2dly.  In  like  manner,  Adam  brake  this  covenant,  not  only  as 
considered  personally,  but  as  he  was  a  common  representative  and 
a  public  person ;  and,  therefore,  not  only  he,  but  we,  by  eating  of 
the  forbidden  fruit,  sinned  and  fell. 

"We  are  not  to  look  upon  Adam  as  alone  in  the  transgression  ; 
but  we  ourselves  were  as  deep  in  it  as  he  :  he,  indeed,  by  personal 
consent  to  the  temptation,  without  which  neither  he  nor  we  had 
sinned;  but  we,  by  a  covenant  or  federal  obligation  in  him,  ouc 
surety  and  representative.    Every  one  will  readily  confess,  that  he 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


171 


hath  been  and  still  is  a  transgressor  of  the  Covenant  of  Works ; 
that  his  obedience  falls  infinitely  short  of  the  holiness  and  perfec- 
tion of  the  Law :  but,  that  he  should  transgress  this  covenant  so 
many  thousand  years  before  he  was  born,  even  in  the  infancy  of 
the  world,  that  his  hand  should  be  lifted  up  against  God  in  that 
primitive  rebellion ;  this  some  deny,  few  understand,  and  fewer  la- 
ment. Yet  what  saith  the  Apostle,  Rom.  v.  ver.  12,  18,  19  ?  In 
the  12th  verse  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by 
sin;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  t<p  a  «acr?j  J^opfov,  for  that 
all  have  sinned,  saith  our  translation ;  in  whom  all  have  sinned,  saith 
the  margin :  both  are  right ;  for  indeed  both  carry  but  the  same 
sense  :  So  v.  18  ;  By  the  offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men 
to  condemnation:  and,  v.  19  ;  By  one  man's  disobedience,  many  were 
made  sinners.  But  how  could  many  be  made  sinners  by  the  sin  of 
one?  It  is  not  by  Imitation  only,  as  the  Pelagians  held,  maintain- 
ing that  Adam's  sin  had  no  more  influence  upon  us,  than  the  power 
that  a  bad  example  hath  to  sway  that  will  to  evil  that  is  not  neces- 
sarily confirmed  in  good  :  but  this  cannot  be,  because  death  is  here 
said  to  reign  over  those,  who  never  sinned  after  the  similitude  of 
Adam's  transgression,  v.  14,  that  is,  over  infants,  for  they  also  die 
in  whom  the  example  of  Adam  could  never  work  any  propension 
to  disobedience :  and,  certainly,  were  there  nothing  else  in  Adam's 
sin  to  make  men  sinners,  but  only  the  setting  of  an  ill  example  be- 
fore' them,  I  can  see  no  reason  why  the  example  of  his  penitence 
and  after-obedience  should  not  as  effectually  excite  us  to  virtue,  as 
that  of  his  disobedience  to  sin  :  especially,  methinks,  the  examples 
of  the  miseries  and  wretchedness,  that  sin  hath  brought  both  upon 
Adam  and  upon  his  posterity,  might  much  more  deter  them,  than 
the  examples  of  vice,  if  there  were  no  corruption  in  their  nature, 
allure  them.  It  is  not  therefore  by  example  only,  that  mankind 
are  made  sinners  through  the  disobedience  of  one ;  but  we  became 
sinners  by  his  Disobedience,  because  in  him  we  ourselves  sinned 
and  disobeyed;  not,  indeed,  actually,  for  so  we  were  not  in  him; 
but  forensically  and  in  a  law  sense,  he  being  our  representative  and 
federal  head,  and  God  looking  upon  what  he  did  as  equivalent  to 
the  personal  deed  of  all  mankind  :  which  imputation  was  built  up- 
on most  just  and  righteous  grounds,  because  Adam,  being  our  first 
pareut,  had  a  natural  right  over  us,  and  might  bind  all  his  pos- 
terity to  the  terms  of  any  covenant,  that  God  should  be  pleased  to 
make  with  him,  and  which  might  have  been  so  much  to  their 
advantage. 

And  thus  I  hope  these  two  things  are  sufficiently  cleared,  which 


172 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


are  of  great  use  and  necessity  to  our  right  understanding  the  Doc- 
trine of  the  Covenants ;  with  whom  the  Covenant  of  "Works  was 
made,  and  by  whom  it  was  broken. 

That  many  of  these  things  are  abstruse  and  difficult,  I  cannot 
deny  ;  but,  that  any  of  them  are  vain  and  frivolous,  I  do.  It  is  a 
most  ignorant  and  weak  excuse  of  many,  who  perhaps  may  be  well- 
meaning  people,  that  these  things  are  too  high  speculations  for  them 
to  search  into ;  that  their  eternal  salvation  may  be  secured  well 
enough,  though  they  know  not  such  obscure  points  as  these  are,  so 
long  as  they  conscientiously  practise  those  obvious  truths  and  ex- 
press duties  which  they  know.  I  will  not,  I  dare  not  deny,  but 
men  may  be  safe  in  not  knowing  what  they  cannot  attain.  But,  if 
they  pretend  this  for  a  shelter  of  slothful  and  affected  ignorance, 
let  them  consider,  that  many  of  the  great  and  precious  truths  of  the 
Gospel  are  delivered  obscurely  ;  not  to  excuse  us  from,  but  on  pur- 
pose to  engage  us  a  diligent  search  and  study  of  them.  If  these 
things  were  not  expedient  to  be  known,  why  should  the  Holy 
Scripture  so  abound  with  them  ?  The  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  are  full 
of  these  profound  mysteries,  which  he  wrote  to  the  Churches  in 
common,  and  every  member  of  them :  these  were  read  in  public 
assemblies  ;  and  it  concerned  all  the  people  to  hearken  to  them,  and 
consider  of  them  :  and,  if  the  pressing  only  of  practical  duties  of 
Christianity  had  been  sufficient,  most  part  of  the  Apostle's  writings 
had  been  needless  and  superfluous.  It  is  true,  we  cannot  deter- 
mine what  is  the  minimum  quod  sic,  that  is  consistent  with  salva- 
tion ;  what  is  "  the  least  degree,"  either  of  grace  or  knowledge,  that 
may  just  serve  to  bring  a  man  to  heaven:  but  this  we  may  say, 
that  it  is  a  very  ill  sign,  to  drive  the  bargain  so  hard  with  God ;  to 
desire  to  be  saved,  at  the  least  charges  and  expenses  possible.  This 
I  will  boldly  say,  that  he,  who  despiseth  a  more  high  and  elevated 
knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  Christianity,  where  the  means  to  attain 
it  are  offered,  though  others  who  are  destitute  of  those  means  may 
arrive  at  heaven  and  happiness,  yet  I  must  needs  doubt  whether 
ever  he  shall.  To  despise  evangelical  truths,  which  do  not  so  imme- 
diately tend  to  practice,  is  no  other  than  to  impute  trivialness  to 
the  infinite  wisdom  of  God,  who  hath  revealed  them,  and  so  often 
and  largely  insisted  on  them  ;  and  to  withdraw  the  chiefest  part  of 
ourselves,  whereby  we  most  of  all  show  ourselves  to  be  men,  from 
his  obedience,  even  our  understandings.  Certainly,  we  serve  Cod 
as  well  by  endeavouring  to  know  his  truth,  as  by  endeavouring  to 
obey  his  commands ;  and  he,  who  resolves  to  obey  God  bidding  do 
this,  but  not  when  he  bids  him  understand  this,  serves  him  more 
like  an  engine,  than  like  a  man. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


173 


[2]  From  this,  that  hath  been  spoken,  we  may  borrow  some 
light  to  discover  to  us  the  manner  how  we  are  all  become  partakers 
of  Original  Sin,  through  the  violation  of  the  first  Covenant  of  Works. 

Many  are  the  disputes  and  great  the  difficulties  about  this  matter. 
Very  much  is  said  and  written  upon  this  subject,  to  very  little  pur- 
pose ;  unless  it  be  to  show  us,  how  miserable  the  blindness  and 
ignorance  of  human  nature  is,  which  this  sin  hath  brought  upon  us. 
It  would  be  a  labour,  as  fruitless  as  endless,  to  reckon  up  to  you 
the  great  variety  of  opinions  herein.  No  one  point  of  divinity  hath 
been  more  discussed  and  controverted  than  this  ;  and,  yet,  if  I  may 
be  allowed  so  to  judge,  all,  that  ever  I  have  yet  seen,  hath  either 
been  false  in  the  hypothesis,  or  failed  in  the  accommodation.  Some 
deny  the  imputation  of  guilt,  and  some  the  corruption  of  nature ; 
and,  because  they  cannot  comprehend  the  way  and  manner  of  its 
conveyance,  destroy  original  sin  itself.  Others,  that  grant  both, 
yet  puzzle  themselves  and  their  readers  with  strange  assertions : 
some  holding  that  the  soul  is  propagated  from  the  parents  even  as 
the  body  is,  and  therefore  no  wonder  that  a  defiled  soul  should 
beget  another  such :  others,  who  hold  the  souls  of  men  to  be  im- 
mediately created  by  God,  affirm  that  it  contracts  pollution  by 
being  infused  into  a  polluted  body.  But,  yet,  the  absurdities,  that 
will  follow  upon  all  these  ways  are  so  many,  so  very  gross  and 
palpable,  and  such  hypotheses,  instead  of  satisfying,  must  needs 
only  disquiet  and  torment  an  inquisitive  mind.  And  yet,  if,  after 
all  these  differences  and  disputes,  the  certainty  of  the  truth  in  this 
matter  could  be  evidenced,  it  would  more  than  recompense  the  pains 
of  all,  and  the  errors  of  many  who  have  attempted  it :  for,  though 
it  be  certain  that  niceties  in  religion  are  not  necessities ;  yet,  if  ever 
difficulty  and  usefulness  were  conjoined  together  in  any  one  point, 
it  is  in  this  of  Original  Sin.  I  intend  not  to  handle  the  question 
at  large ;  but  only  briefly  speak  to  it,  as  a  deduction  and  corollary 
from  this  Doctrine  of  the  Covenants. 

To  enter  into  it,  I  must  first  premise  a  Distinction  or  two  con- 
cerning Original  Sin;  and  then  lay  down  some  Positions,  from  which 
it  may  be  cleared  to  you,  that  the  true  gound  of  our  partaking  of 
it  is  only  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

1st.  Original  Sin  therefore  is  twofold.  The  Imputation  of  Guilt. 
The  Inhension  of  Corruption. 

(1st)  There  is  an  Imputation  of  Guilt. 

To  impute  guilt,  is,  to  reckon  a  person  a  transgressor  of  the  Law  ; 
and  therefore  liable  to  the  punishment  threatened,  whether  he  hath 
in  his  own  person  transgressed  the  Law  or  not.    And  here  lies  a 


174 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


great  part  of  the  difficulty,  how  Ave  can  become  guilty  of  another 
man's  transgression,  which  Ave  never  acted  in  nor  consented  unto, 
and  which  Avas  committed  some  thousands  of  years  before  Ave  were 
born  :  and  yet  we  shall  be  punished  for  it ;  and  that,  as  justly,  as  if 
we  had  in  our  own  persons  committed  it. 

(2dly)  Besides  this  imputation  of  guilt,  there  is  in  original  sin 
an  Inherent  Corruption  of  Nature. 

The  former  is  by  the  Schools  called  peccahtm  originans  ;  and  this 
peccatv.m  originatv.m  :  barbaroush"  indeed,  but  yet  significantly. 

Inherent  Corruption  of  Nature  is  commonly  made  to  consist  of 
two  parts. 

[1st]  The  loss  and  pm-ation  of  the  image  of  God :  the  clarity  of 
our  understandings,  the  obedience  of  our  wills,  the  order  of  our 
affections,  the  perfect  harmony  of  the  whole  man  in  the  subjection 
of  his  inferior  faculties  to  his  superior  and  all  unto  God,  being 
utterly  lost  and  renounced  ;  so  that  now  we  are  become  both  un- 
able and  averse  to  every  thing  that  is  good. 

[2dhy]  Besides  this,  it  is  commonly  affirmed,  that  there  is  some 
positiA^e  malignant  quality  in  original  sin,  viz.,  a  violent  propension 
and  strong  bent  of  the  whole  man  unto  what  is  evil  and  sinful. 

The  former  is  called  the  PriA-atiA^e,  this  latter  the  Positive  part 
of  Original  Sin. 

Yet  I  think,  if  it  be  well  weighed,  as  there  may  be  insuperable 
difficulties  in  admitting  such  a  positiATe  corruption  in  our  frame  and 
composition,  so  there  is  not  any  necessity  to  grant  it.  "We  need 
not,  I  say,  superadd  any  positive  corruption  in  original  sin,  to  the 
privation  of  original  righteousness :  for  a  mere  pm-ation  of  rectitude 
in  an  actiATe  subject,  will  sufficiently  sohTe  all  those  phenomena  for 
which  a  positive  corruption  is  pleaded.  "We  shall  find  man's  na- 
ture wicked  enough  by  his  fall,  though  there  were  no  evil  princi- 
ples infused  into  him  (for  from  whence  should  they  come  ?)  but 
only  holiness  and  righteousness  taken  from  him  :  for,  the  soul  being 
a  busy  creature,  act  it  must  and  will :  without  grace  and  the  image 
of  God  adorning  and  assisting  it,  it  cannot  act  regularly,  nor  holily  : 
its  nature  makes  it  active :  the  loss  of  God's  image,  which  alone  can 
raise  the  soul  to  act  spiritually,  makes  all  its  actions  defective : 
and  this  alone  is  sufficient  to  make  all  its  actions  corrupt  and 
sinful,  without  admitting  any  positiA*e  corruption.  There  needs  no 
more  to  make  a  mnu  halt,  that  must  walk ;  but  to  lame  him  :  and, 
certainly,  he,  that  doth  lame  him,  doth  it,  not  by  infusing  into  him 
any  habit  or  principle  of  lameness,  but  only  by  destroying  that 
strength  and  power  which  before  he  had.  So  stands  the  case  here! 
we  are  all  lamed  by  the  fall  we  took  in  Adam:  our  natures  are 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


175 


despoiled  of  their  primitive  integrity  and  perfection,  so  that  there 
needs  not  any  positive  vicious  habit  implanted  in  our  original,  to 
make  our  actions  vicious  and  irregular  ;  but,  it  is  sufficient,  that  we 
have  lost  those  holy  habits  and  principles  of  righteousness  and 
knowledge,  which  we  were  at  first  endowed  with,  and  which  alone, 
could  direct  every  action  in  ordine  ad  Deum,  as  the  Schools  speak, 
"  with  a  reference  to  God,"  and  his  honour  and  glory. 

Thus  then  you  see,  Original  Sin  may  be  either  the  Guilt  of  the 
First  Transgression  imputed  to  us,  or  the  Corruption  of  Nature 
inherent  in  us:  to  which  corruption  nothing  more  is  required,  than 
the  loss  of  God's  image  in  an  active  subject. 

2dly.  It  remains  now  to  open,  how  this  Imputation  lies  upon  us, 
and  this  Corruption  cleaves  unto  us,  merely  upon  the  account  of 
the  Covenant  of  Works  ;  whereby  we  may  clearly  understand  how 
it  is,  that  we  become  Partakers  of  Original  Sin. 

This  I  shall  endeavour  to  do  as  to  both  branches. 

(1st)  As  to  the  Imputation  of  Adam's  Sin  to  us,  take  these  Two 
particulars ;  which  will  explain  how  Original  Sin,  as  to  the  Guilt 
of  it,  lies  upon  us. 

[1st]  If  A'dam  had  not  been  our  federal  head,  if  the  covenant 
had  not  been  made  with  us  in  him  but  had  respected  him  alone  : 
yet  his  sin  might  have  been  justly  so  far  imputed  to  us,  as  to  sub- 
ject us  to  Temporal  Evils  and  Punishments ;  because  of  that  rela- 
tion which  we  bear  unto  him  as  our  Natural  Head,  and  the  com- 
mon root  from  whence  we  all  sprang. 

And  the  reason  of  this  is,  because  God  might  justly  have  pun- 
ished the  transgression  of  Adam,  in'all  his  concerns,  and  in  what- 
soever was  dear  unto  him  ;  as  his  posterity  would  have  been.  So 
that,  to  us,  these  evils  would  have  been  only  a  simplex  crucialus, 
"  only  painful,'*  because  inflicted  without  any  respect  to  our  own 
sin  ;  but,  to  Adam,  they  had  been  penal,  and  properly  punishments. 
This  I  think  may  be  made  good  by  many  places  of  Scripture, 
where  God  is  set  forth  as  punishing  some  for  the  sins  of  others,  who 
were  not  their  federal  heads  :  Exod.  xx.  5  ;  Visiting  the  iniquities 
of  the  fathers  upon  the  children.  Isa.  xiv.  20,  21.  The  seed  of  evil- 
doers shall  nn-er  be  renowned.  Prepare  slaughter  for  Itis  children,  for 
the  iniquity  of  their  fathers:  and  so,  for  the  sin  of  David,  seventy 
thousand  of  his  subjects  are  slain :  and  yet  those  fathers  were  not 
the  representatives  of  their  children,  neither  was  David  of  his  sub- 
jects. But  God  might  justly  thus  punish  them  in  their  relations : 
for  a  father  is  punished,  in  the  evils  that  befal  his  children ;  and  a 
king,  in  those  that  befal  his  subjects  :  and,  though  it  be  true  that 


176  T  II  E    DOCTRINE  OF 

they  have  evil  enough  of  their  own,  to  deserve  these,  yea  and 
greater  plagues  ;  yet, if  they  should  be  supposed  to  be  innocent  and 
without  sin,  God  might  justly  thus  afflict  them,  not  indeed  as  pun- 
ishing them,  but  those  that  sinned,  they  being  made  only  the  pas- 
sive conveyers  of  those  punishments  to  them.  I  remember  Plutarch 
gave  this  reason,  in  his  treatise  "  Of  those  who  are  Late  Punished," 
why  it  may  be  just  to  revenge  the  fathers'  offences  upon  the  chil- 
dren :  a  0  i  v  8  f  ivov,  Saith  he,  «  5'  ax  o  ttov  av  e  x  t  i  v  u  v  ovt  i  i  i  %  u  a  t 

r  a  txstvav.  "  It  is  nothing  strange  nor  absurd,  that,  since  they 
belong  to  them,  they  should  suffer  what  belongs  to  them."  So, 
then,  though  we  had  never  sinned  in  Adam,  nor  the  covenant  made 
with  him  had  ever  reached  us ;  yet  God  might  justly  have  brought 
temporal  evils  upon  us,  because  of  the  relation  we  bear  unto  him, 
as  our  natural  head,  and  as  we  are  parts  of  him. 

[2dly]  That  Adam's  sin  is  imputed  unto  us,  so  far  as  thereby  to 
make  us  liable  to  Eternal  Death  and  Damnation,  results  not  from 
his  being  our  natural,  but  our  Federal  Head. 

Adam's  sin  is  imputed  to  our  condemnation,  only  because  we 
covenanted  in  him,  and  not  merely  because  we  descended  from  him. 
It  is  an  everlasting  truth,  Ezek.  xviii.  20  ;  The  soul,  that  sinneth,  it 
shall  die :  and,  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  his  Father,  that 
is,  the  punishment  of  his  father's  iniquity.  So,  Gal.  vi.  5  ;  Every 
man  shall  hear  his  own  burden.  These  expressions  cannot  be  meant 
of  temporal  sufferings  ;  for  I  have  already  showed,  that  God  may 
and  doth  inflict  them  upon  children,  for  the  parents'  sins :  but 
they  are  meant  of  future  punishments  and  eternal  death ;  that  none 
shall  eternally  perish  for  his  father's  crimes,  but  only  for  his  own. 
"But,"  you  will  say,  "how  then  comes  it  to  pass,  that  we  are  liable 
to  eternal  death  through  the  sin  of  another,  if  so  be  the  son  shall  not 
bear  the  iniquity  of  his  father,  and  only  the  soul,  that  sinneth,  shall 
die  V  I  answer  :  This  is  still  true,  because  we  are  the  souls  that  sin- 
ned ;  we,  in  Adam,  who  then  rose  up  our  representative,  in  whom 
we  covenanted  with  God,  and  in  whom  we  brake  that  covenant : 
and  therefore  God  inflicts  death  eternal  upon  his  posterity,  not  as  a 
punishment  for  his  sin,  but  for  their  own ;  for  his  sin  was  theirs, 
though  not  committed  personally  by  them,  yet  legally  and  judici- 
ally charged  upon  them.  The  grounds  of  this  I  have  before  men- 
tioned, and  therefore  shall  spare  to  enlarge  upon  it  here  :  only  take 
the  sum  and  abstract  of  it,  in  brief,  thus:  God  was,  at  first,  willing 
of  free  grace  to  enter  into  covenant  with  Adam  ;  that,  if  he  would 
obey,  he  should  live ;  if  he  wrould  disobey,  he  should  die  the  death . 
but,  lest  this  grace  should  be  too  narrow  and  stinted,  if  it  had  been 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


177 


limited  to  Adam's  own  person  only,  therefore  God  extends  it  to  all 
mankind,  and  bids  Adam  stand  forth  as  the  representative  and  surety 
of  all  his  posterity,  and  indent  for  them  as  well  as  for  himself ;  which 
he  might  justly  do,  being  the  common  parent  of  mankind,  and  there- 
fore having  a  natural  right  to  dispose  of  them,  especially  when  in 
all  appearance  and  probability  it  would  have  proved  so  incompar- 
ably to  their  advantage :  he  therefore  disobeying,  the  death  threat- 
ened is  as  muph  due  to  us,  as  to  him  ;  it  being,  in  law,  not  only  his 
act,  but  ours.  And  this  is  plainly  the  manner  how  we,  who  live 
so  many  thousand  years  after,  are  made  liable  to  death  by  the  first 
transgression.  And,  therefore,  Alvarez  de  Auxil.  d.  44.  n.  5,  saith 
well,  "  Proprie  loquendo  omnes  filii  Adse  peccaverunt  originaliter  in  eo 
instanti,  in  quo  Adam  peccavit  actualiter:  that  is,  All  the  children  of 
Adam  are  not  only  then  guilty  of  original  sin  when  they  are  first 
conceived  or  born,  but  "properly  they  sinned  originally  in  the 
same  instant,  in  which  Adam  sinned  actually  "  by  eating  the  for- 
bidden fruit ;  because  they  were  then  in  Adam  as  in  their  represen- 
tative, and  upon  that  account  his  transgression  was  legally  theirs. 

And  thus,  I  hope,  I  have  made  it  clear,  that,  as  for  that  part  of 
Original  Sin  which  consists  in  the  Imputation  of  the  guilt  of  the 
First  Transgression,  it  lies  upon  us  merely  from  the  Covenant  of 
Works,  into  which  we  entered  with  God  in  Adam. 

(2dly)  There  is  another  branch  of  Original  Sin,  which  consists 
in  the  Corruption  of  our  Natures,  through  the  Loss  of  the  Image 
of  God.  This  also  had  never  seized  on  us,  but  by  the  Covenant 
of  Works. 

Many  perplexed  disputes  there  are,  how  we  became  so  totally 
depraved,  and  whence  we  derived  that  corruption.  I  shall,  as 
clearly  as  I  can,  lay  open  to  you  the  true  and  genuine  grounds  of 
it.;  which,  in  general,  I  affirm  to  be  the  violation  of  the  Covenant 
of  Works. 

To  make  this  evident,  consider  these  Three  particulars. 

[1st]  It  must  again  be  remembered,  that  the  loss  of  God's  image, 
that  is,  of  all  that  grace  and  holiness  wherewith  our  natures  were 
primitively  endowed,  is  the  true  and  only  ground  of  all  original 
corruption  and  depravation. 

Men's  natures  are  not  now  become  sinful,  by  putting  anything 
into  them  to  defile  them ;  but  by  taking  something  from  them, 
which  should  have  preserved  them  holy.  We  have  nothing  more 
in  us  by  nature,  than  Adam  had  in  innocency  :  and,  if  it  be  said  we 
have  corruption  in  us  by  nature,  which  he  had  not,  that  is  not  to 
have  more,  but  less.    He  had  the  free  power  of  obedience:  he  had 

Vol.  ii. — 12 


178 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


the  perfect  image  of  his  Maker,  in  all  the  divine  qualities  of  knowl- 
edge and  holiness,  which  we  have  not,  and  are  therefore  said  to  be« 
corrupt ;  not  as  though  there  were  in  our  original  any  real  positive 
qualities  which  wrere  not  in  Adam,  but  because  he  had  those  holy 
qualities  which  were  not  in  us.  And,  therefore,  when  we  say  that 
Adam  communicated  to  his  posterity  a  corrupted  nature,  it  must 
not  be  understood  as  if  that  nature  which  we  receive  were  infected 
with  any  vicious  inclinations  or  habits,  which  should  sway  and 
determine  our  wills  unto  evil ;  but  the  meaning  is,  that  Adam  com- 
municated to  us  a  nature,  which  hath  a  power  to  incline  and  act 
variously  :  but,  withal,  he  did  not  communicate  to  us  the  image  of 
God,  nor  the  power  of  obedience,  which  should  make  all  its  inclina- 
tions and  actions  holy  and  regular ;  and,  therefore,  he  communica- 
ted a  nature  corrupted,  because  it  was  deprived  of  that  grace  which 
should  have  kept  it  from  sin.    That  is  the  First  particular. 

[2dly]  The  loss  of  this  image  of  God  was  part  of  that  death 
threatened  in  the  Covenant  of  Works ;  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest 
thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die;  that  is,  thou  shalt  die  a  spiritual  death, 
as  well  as  a  temporal  and  eternal  death. 

And  this  spiritual  death  was  the  very  despoiling  him  of  the  im- 
age of  God,  and  the  habits  and  principles  of  holiness  :  so  that  cor- 
ruption of  nature  seized  upon  Adam  through  the  curse  of  the  cove- 
nant ;  God  taking  from  him  his  image,  and  thereby  executing  upon 
him  this  spiritual  death  literally,  even  in  the  very  day  wherein 
he  transgressed. 

[3dly]  Adam  being  our  federal  head,  and  we  disobeying  in  him, 
God  doth  justly  deprive  us  of  this  image;  that  thereby  also  he  might 
execute  upon  us  the  spiritual  death  threatened  in  the  Covenant  of 
"Works,  which  covenant  we  brake  in  our  representative. 

And  this  I  take  to  be  the  true  account  of  the  corruption  of  our  na- 
nature.  It  is  a  curse  threatened  in  the  covenant,  to  those,  that  shall 
disobey ;  and  inflicted  upon  us,  because  we  were  those,  that  did 
disobey,  in  Adam  our  federal  head.  We  have  our  beings  delivered 
down  to  us :  but  that  grace,  which  should  have  enabled  us  to  act 
without  sin,  is  lost,  because  the  Covenant  of  Works  threatened  it 
should  be  lost  upon  the  first  transgression.  And,  indeed,  this  loss 
of  God's  image  was  the  only  death,  that  was  immediately  upon  the 
Fall  inflicted  :  God  did  not  presently  bring  either  temporal  or  eter- 
nal death  upon  sinful  Adam ;  but  he  instantly  brought  spiritual 
death  upon  him,  as  judging  him,  who  had  a  will  to  disobey,  un- 
worthy any  longer  to  enjoy  a  power  to  obey,  nor  would  he  have 
his  image  profaned  by  being  worn  by  a  rebel  and  a  malefactor. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


179 


And  thus  I  have  stated  and  answered  that  great  and  much  con- 
troverted question  ;  and  think  it  to  be  the  clear,  yea  indeed  the 
only  satisfactory  way  to  resolve  how  we  are  become  originally  sin- 
ners, both  by  the  Imputation  of  Guilt,  and  Corruption  of  Nature. 

[3]  And,  yet,  to  add  some  more  light  and  confirmation  to  this, 
Two  particulars  more  are  considerable. 

1st.  Most  probable  it  is,  that,  though  Adam  had  sinned,  yet  by 
that  one  act  of  disobedience  he  would  not  utterly  have  lost  the  im- 
age of  God,  had  it  not  been  taken  away  from  him  according  to  the 
terms  of  the  Covenant  of  "Works.  It  was  rather  forfeited  by  law, 
than  destroyed  by  the  contrariety  of  sin. 

So  that,  it  is  only  upon  the  account  of  the  covenant,  that  both  his 
nature  and  the  nature  of  his  posterity  were  corrupted  by  that  first 
transgression.  For  it  is  very  hard  to  conceive  how  Adam's  sin, 
which  was  but  one  transient  act,  should  formally  eat  out  and  de- 
stroy the  innate  habit  of  grace-in  him  ;  and  therefore  it  did  it,  meri- 
toriously and  federally.  All  grace  depends  necessarily  upon  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  both  to  preserve  and  to  actuate  it ;  and 
sin  provoked  God  to  withdraw  that  influence,  according  as  he  had 
threatened  to  do  :  and,  hence  it  came  to  pass,  that  Adam's  grace 
decayed  and  perished,  at  once  ;  and  left  him  nothing  but  mere  na- 
ture, despoiled  of  those  divine  habits  and  principles,  with  which  it 
was  before  endowed. 

2dly.  Though  Adam  had  lost  God's  image  himself,  yet,  if  he  had 
not  been  our  federal  head  and  representative,  I  can  see  no  reason 
but  that  we  should  have  been  created  with  the  perfection  of  that 
image  upon  us,  notwithstanding  his  sin  and  transgression. 

And,  therefore,  it  is  not  merely  our  being  born  of  sinful  Adam 
nor  of  sinful  parents,  that  must  be  assigned  as  the  true  and  princi- 
pal cause,  why  our  natures  are  corrupted  ;  but  because  we  are  born 
of  that  sinful  Adam,  who  was  our  federal  head,  in  whom  we  cove- 
nanted, and  in  whom  ourselves  sinned  and  transgressed.  Not  our 
birth  from  him,  but  our  sinning  in  him,  derives  corruption  upon 
us.  Though  he  had  corrupted  himself,  yet,  if  he  had  not  been  a 
public  person,  his  corruption  had  not  infected  our  nature ;  any 
more  than  the  sins  of  intermediate  parents  do  the  natures  of  those, 
who  descend  from  them.  Nor  cloth  Job  contradict  this,  when  he 
asks,  chap.  xiv.  ver.  4  ;  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  un- 
clean ?  for  there  he  shows  the  impossibility  of  it,  as  the  case  now 
stands ;  not,  how  it  might  and  would  have  been,  if  the  whole  mass 
had  not  been  federally  corrupted  in  Adam.  And,  he,  who 
seriously  considers  the  most  pure  and  immaculate  conception  of 


180 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


our  Blessed  Saviour,  will  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  this :  for, 
though  he  descended  from  Adam  as  a  natural  root,  yet  he  descen- 
ded not  from  him  as  a  federal  head  ;  the  Covenant  of  "Works  reach- 
ing only  unto  those,  who  were  to  be  his  ordinary  and  common  off- 
spring :  and,  therefore,  though  he  partook  of  his  nature  ;  yet  he  did 
not  partake  of  his  guilt  and  corruption. 

And  thus  I  have,  as  I  could,  stated  this  much  disputed  and  very 
difficult  point  of  our  partaking  of  Original  Sin,  both  as  to  the  Im- 
putation of  the  Guilt  of  it,  and  the  Corruption  of  our  Nature  by  it; 
and  have  resolved  all  into  the  Covenant  of  Works,  into  which  we 
entered  with  God,  in  our  first  father  and  common  representative. 
The  Guilt  of  the  primitive  transgression  lies  upon  us,  because  we 
both  covenanted,  and  brake  that  Covenant  in  him ;  so  that  his  sin 
is  legally  become  ours  :  the  corruption  of  Nature,  through  the  Loss 
of  God's  Image,  cleaveth  unto  us,  because  this  was  part  of  the  pun- 
ishment contained  in  the  death  threatened  against  those,  that  should 
violate  and  break  that  Covenant. 

3.  Here  then  let  us,  with  a  silent  awe  upon  our  souls,  tremble  at  the 
hidden  depths  of  God's  justice. 

It  is  the  hardest  task  in  the  world,  to  bring  carnal  reason  to  sub- 
mit to  and  approve  of  the  equitableness  of  God's  proceedings 
against  ns  for  the  sin  of  Adam. 

"Is  there  any  shadow  of  reason,  that  I  should  be  condemned  for 
the  sin  of  another,  which  I  never  abetted,  never  consented  to,  never 
knew  of?  a  sin,  which  was  committed  so  many  hundreds  of  ages 
before  ever  I  was  born  ?  If  God  be  resolved  I  shall  perish,  why 
doth  he  thus  seem  to  circumvent  me  ?  why  doth  he  use  such  am- 
bages and  captious  circumstances  of  indicting  me  for  Adam's  sin, 
which  I  never  entered  into  ?  "Were  it  not  far  more  plain  dealing, 
more  direct  proceeding,  to  cast  me  into  hell,  and  to  justify  it  by 
the  mere  arbitrariness  of  his  will,  and  the  irresistibleness  of  his 
power  ?  "Who  can  oppose  the  one,  or  prevail  against  the  other  ? 
But  to  implead  me  before  justice,  and  to  urge  equity  in  condemn- 
ing me  by  a  law  made  on  purpose  to  ensnare  me,  seems  only  the 
contrivance  of  an  almighty  cruelty;  which  yet  might  be  safe  enough 
in  its  own  force,  without  any  such  pretexts  and  artifices." 

Let  every  such  blasphemous  mouth  be  stopped,  and  all  flesh  be- 
come guilty  before  the  Lord.  Tell  me,  thou,  who  thus  disputest 
against  God's  equity,  and  complainest  of  his  severity  in  this  par- 
ticular, tell  me,  wouldst  thou  have  been  content,  or  thought  thy- 
self well  dealt  with,  to  have  been  left  out  of  the  Covenant  of 
"Works,  and  by  name  excepted,  if  Adam  had  continued  in  his 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


181 


integrity?  and,  when  all  others  of  mankind  for  whom  he  en- 
gaged had  been  crowned  with  life  and  happiness,  that  thou  alone 
shouldst  have  no  share  in  their  blessedness,  no  title  to  it,  no 
plea  for  it,  it  being  due  only  upon  a  covenant  -  stipulation  ? 
Wouldst  not  thou  have  thought  that  God  had  dealt  very  hardly 
with  thee,  to  omit,  to  except  thee  only,  for  want  of  thy  express 
consent  ?  so  that,  though  thou  hadst  obeyed,  yet  life  should  not 
have  been  due  to  thee,  nor  couldst  thou  have  had  any  plea  for  it. 
For  I  have  heretofore  showed  you,  that,  if  God  had  not  entered  in- 
to this  Covenant  with  Adam,  though  he  had  observed  all  that  God 
commanded  him,  yet  he  could  not  challenge  life  and  happiness  as 
a  debt  due  to  his  obedience.  And,  indeed,  was  God  severe  in 
threatening  death  to  the  transgressors  of  his  Law,  when  yet  he 
promised  life  to  those  who  observed  it,  which  life  he  was  not  bound 
to  bestow;  and  deposited  this  in  the  hands  of  one,  who  might  as 
easily  have  kept  as  lost  it,  and  whose  interest  did  infinitely  oblige 
him  to  a  punctual  observance  ?  What  more  ecpuitable,  what  more 
reasonable  terms  could  be  offered  than  these,  or  more  favourable 
to  all  mankind  ?  Was  this  severity  ?  Was  this  a  design  to  en- 
trap or  ensnare  us  ?  Wouldst  not  thou  thyself,  hadst  thou  then 
lived,  have  consented  to  this  transaction ;  and  have  infinitely 
blessed  God,  for  the  mercy  of  the  condescension  in  making  such  a 
covenant,  whereby,  if  man  should  prove  any  other  than  a  vast 
gainer  by  it,  it  must  be  through  the  mere  fault  of  his  own  will  ? 
Again,  to  vindicate  the  righteousness  of  God  in  involving  us  in 
the  guilt  of  the  First  Adam,  consider,  Do  you  not  think  it  is  just 
with  God,  to  save  your  souls  from  everlasting  condemnation, 
through  the  merits  of  the  Second  Adam,  Jesus  Christ,  imputed  un- 
to you  ?  and  shall  it  not  then  be  as  just  with  God,  to  account  you 
liable  and  obnoxious  to  it,  through  the  sin  of  the  First  Adam,  im- 
puted to  you  ?  if  the  one  be  just  because  of  the  covenant  made  be- 
tween God  the  Father  and  our  Blessed  Saviour,  this  likewise  is 
just  because  of  the  covenant  made  between  Adam  and  God:  you 
gave  no  more  consent  to  that,  than  to  this  ;  and  Adam  had  as  much 
power  to  appear  and  undertake  for  you  upon  the  account  of  pro- 
duction, as  Christ  had  upon  the  account  of  redemption :  only,  such 
is  the  partiality  of  our  self-love,  that  we  are  ready  to  think  that 
God  is  only  then  just,  when  he  is  merciful ;  and  we  reckon  his  deal- 
ings with  us  equal,  not  by  the  strict  measures  of  justice,  but  by  our 
own  successes,  interests,  and  advantages. 

Let  this,  therefore,  be  an  apology  for  God,  to  vindicate  his  pro- 
ceedings with  us  upon  the  account  of  Adam's  transgression.  I  had 


182 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


not  so  largely  insisted  on  it,  but  that  there  are  secret  heart-risings 
in  the  very  best,  against  the  righteousness  of  God,  in  this  particu- 
lar. Flesh  and  blood  can  hardly  brook  it ;  and,  when  it  hath  noth- 
ing left  to  reply,  yet  still  it  will  be  murmuring  and  rebelling  against 
this  truth.  When  the' mouth  of  carnal  reason  is  stopped,  yet  then 
it  will  vent  itself  in  carnal  repinings.  But  it  becomes  us  to  lay  our 
hand  upon  this  mouth  also,  and  to  give  God  the  glory  of  his  just- 
ice ;  acknowledging  it  is  most  righteous,  that  we  should  be  actually 
and  personally  wretched,  who  were  federally  disobedient  and  re- 
bellious. 

•A.  Many  nice  questions  might  be  here  propounded;  but  because 
they  are  so,  I  shall  only  propound  them. 

As :  if  Adam  had  continued  in  innocence  for  some  certain  time, 
whether  God  would  have  so  confirmed  him  in  grace  as  he  hath 
done  the  holy  angels,  that  he  should  infallibly  have  persevered  in 
his  original  state.  Whether,  though  Adam  had  stood,  his  posterity 
might  have  sinned  and  fallen.  Whether,  upon  their  fall,  their  pos- 
terity had  been  guilty  of  original  sin.  Whether,  if  Adam  had  stood 
some  years  in  innocence,  and  afterwards  had  sinned,  his  children 
born  before  his  fall  had  been  involved  in  it.  Whether,  if  Eve  on- 
ly had  transgressed,  and  not  Adam  by  her  persuasion,  mankind 
had  thereby  been  originally  sinful.  But  these  things,  being  rather 
curious  than  necessary  speculations,  which  are  not  revealed  to  us 
in  the  Scriptures,  I  look  upon  it,  as  an  unprofitable,  so  a  bold  and 
rash  undertaking,  positively  to  determine  what  might  have  been 
in  such  cases ;  and  think  it  safest  and  most  satisfactory,  to  acqui- 
esce in  sober  and  modest  enquiries. 

5.  I  shall,  therefore,  add  no  more  for  the  Doctrinal-  part  of  this 
Covenant  of  Works,  but  shall  close  it  up  with  some  Practical  Ap- 
plication. 

(1)  Is  it  the  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  that  the  man,  which 
doth  those  things  that  the  Law  requires,  he  only  shall  live  by  them? 
This  then  may  be  for  conviction  to  all  the  world. 

It  is  a  doctrine,  that  will  strike  through  all  self-justiciaries,  that 
trust  to  their  own  works  and  righteousness  to  save  them.  Let  the 
Scripture  tell  them  never  so  often,  that  there  is  none  righteous,  no 
not  one ;  that  all  have  sinned  and  are  fallen  short  of  the  glory  of 
God  :  let  God  offer  Christ  unto  them ;  Christ  offer  himself,  his 
righteousness,  his  sufferings,  his  obedience,  and  a  life  ready  pur- 
chased to  their  hands  :  yet  still  they  retreat ;  and  appeal  from  him, 
to  the  works  and  righteousness  of  the  Law,  for  Justification. 

Well,  then,  to  the  Law  they  shall  go.    And,  by  Three  Demon- 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


183 


strations,  I  sliall  convince  men,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for 
tbem  to  be  justified  by  the  Law,  or  according  to  the  terms  of  a 
Covenant  of  Works. 

[1]  It  is  utterly  impossible  for  tbem  to  act  answerably  to  the  ex- 
act strictness  and  holiness  of  the  Law  ;  and,  if  they  fail  in  the  least 
jot,  read  but  that  terrible  sentence  pronounced  against  them.  Gal. 
iii.  10.  Cursed  is  every  one,  that  continueth  not  in  all  things,  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  Law,  to  do  them,.    This  is  the  tenor  of  the  Law- 

And  dare  you  now  maintain  your  plea,  and  bring  it  to  an  issue 
with  God  ?  What  can  you  produce,  that  may  justify  you  accord- 
ing to  this  sentence  ?  Perhaps,  among  many  thousand  works  of 
Darkness  and  of  the  Devil,  may  stand  up  a  few  shattered  prayers,  a 
few  faint  wishes,  a  few  pious  resolutions  ;  but  the  prayers  heartless, 
the  wishes  ineffectual,  and  the  resolutions  abortive.  Is  this  the 
righteousness  of  the  Law,  which  Moses  describes  ?  Is  heaven  grown 
so  cheap,  as  to  be  set  to  sale  for  this  ?  If  you  depend  upon  your 
works  for  life,  bring  forth  an  angelical  perfection.  Can  you  tell 
God,  that  you  never  had  a  thought  in  you,  that  stepped  awry  ?  not 
an  imagination,  tainted  with  any  the  least  vanity,  impertinency, 
frivolousness,  not  to  say  uncleanness,  malice,  blasphemy,  and  athe- 
ism ?  Can  you  say,  that  you  never  uttered  a  word  that  so  much 
as  lisped  contrary  to  the  Law?  that  you  never  did  an  action,  which 
innocence  itself  might  not  own  ?  If  not,  as  certainly  there  is  no 
man  that  liveth  and  sinneth  not,  you  can  expect  nothing  but  con- 
demnation according  to  the  sentence  of  the  Law,  and  the  tenor  of 
the  Covenant  of  Works,  which  thunders  forth  the  curse  against 
every  transgressor. 

[2]  It  is  alike  utterly  impossible  for  you  to  make  any  satisfac- 
tion to  justice  for  the  violation  of  the  Law. 

Thy  own  conscience,  that  tells  thee  thou  hast  sinned,  summons 
thee  before  the  great  and  righteous  Judge,  who  demands  full  satis- 
faction for  the  violation  of  his  laws,  and  thy  offences  committed 
against  him.  Suffering  cannot  satisfy,  unless  it  be  in  thy  eternal 
damnation:  and  all,  that  thou  canst  do,  will  not  satisfy;  for  all. 
that  thou  canst  do,  is  but  thy  duty  however.  And  yet,  without  a 
full  personal  satisfaction,  thou  canst  expect  no  salvation,  according 
to  the  Covenant  of  Works.    Yet,  farther, 

[3]  Could  you  perfectly  obey,  and  in  your  own  persons  meri- 
toriously suffer,  yet  still  there  would  be  a  flaw  in  your  title;  for 
still  there  would  be  original  sin,  which  would  keep  you  from  obtain- 
ing a  legal  righteousness. 

It  is  true,  the  Law  saith,  Do  this,  and  live ;  but  to  whom  doth  it 


184 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


speak  ?  not  to  fallen,  but  to  innocent,  upright  man.  It  is  not  only 
a  Bo  this  can  save  you  ;  but  the  Law  requires  a  "  Be  this,"  too. 
Now  can  you  pluck  down  the  old  building,  and  cast  out  all  the 
ruins  and  rubbish  ?  Can  you,  in  the  very  casting  and  moulding  of 
your  beings,  instamp  upon  them  the  image  of  God's  purity  and  holi- 
ness ?  If  these  impossibilites  maybe  achieved,  then  Justification  by 
a  covenant  of  Works  were  not  a  thing  altogether  desperate.  But, 
whilst  we  have  original  corruption,  which  will  cause  defects  in  our 
obedience ;  whilst  we  have  defects  in  our  obedience,  which  will  ex- 
pose us  to  divine  justice ;  whilst  we  are  utterly  unable  to  satisfy 
that  justice :  so  long  we  may  conclude  it  altogether  impossible  to  be 
justified  by  a  Covenant  of  Works.  Instead  of  finding  life  by  it, 
we  shall  meet  with  nothing  but  death  and  the  curse. 

(2)  This,  therefore,  might  endear  to  us  the  unspeakable  love  of 
God,  in  the  inestimable  gift  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  by  whom  both 
this  Covenant  is  fulfilled,  and  a  better  ratified  for  us.  Either  obliga- 
tion of  the  Law  was  too  much  for  us  :  we  could  neither  obev,  nor 
suffer  :  but  he  hath  performed  both ;  fulfilling  the  precept,  and  con- 
quering the  penalty  ;  and  both,  by  a  free  and  gracious  imputation, 
are  reckoned  to  our  Justification,  and  the  obtaining  of  eternal  life. 

(3)  This  declares  the  desperate  and  remediless  estate  of  those 
who,  by  unbelief,  refuse  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  redemption  he  hath 
purchased  :  for  they  are  still  under  the  Covenant  of  Works  ;  and 
shall  have  sentence  pass  upon  them,  according  to  the  tenor  of  that 
covenant. 

There  are  but  two  covenants  between  God  and  man.  The  one 
saith,  Bo  this  and  live :  the  other  saith,  Believe,  and  live.  Men  are 
left  to  their  own  choice,  to  which  they  will  apply.  BT  they  refuse 
the  conditions  of  the  latter,  they  must  perform  the  conditions  of  the 
former,  or  else  perish  eternally.  Now  every  unbeliever  doth  actu- 
tallv  thrust  Christ  from  him  ■  and  reject  that  great  salvation  which 
he  hath  purchased  :  they  will  not  have  him  to  be  their  Lord  and 
Saviour  :  and  therefore  God  will  certainly  judge  every  such  wretch, 
according  to  the  strictest  terms  of  the  Covenant  of  Works :  and 
then  woe,  everlasting  woe  unto  him.  For  every  the  least  trans- 
gression of  the  least  tittle  of  the  Law  will  certainly,  as  God  s  threat  - 
enings  are  true,  be  punished  with  eternal  death.  And  how  many 
deaths  and  hells  then  must  be  put  together,  and  crowded  into  one, 
to  make  up  a  just  and  fearful  reward  for  him,  who,  scorning  the 
way  of  salvation  by  believing,  shall  put  himself  upon  his  trial  by 
the  Covenant  of  Works  !  Whither  will  such  an  one  fly  ?  what  will 
be  his  refuge  ?  Plead  his  innocence,  he  cannot :  conscience  will  take 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


185 


him  by  the  throat,  and  tell  him  loudly  he  lies.  Plead  the  righte- 
ousness and  satisfaction  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  cannot :  he  scorned  it, 
he  rejected  it ;  and,  therefore,  cannot  expect  it  should  ever  appear 
for  him,  or  avail  him.  There  is  no  hope,  no  remedy  for  such  a 
wretch  ;  but,  being  thus  cast  and  condemned  by  Law,  he  must  for 
ever  lie  under  the  revenges  of  that  wrath,  which  it  is  impossible  for 
him  either  to  bear  or  to  evade. 

And,  thus  much,  concerning  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

TI.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  and  treat  of  the  COVENANT 
OF  GRACE  :  the  sum  and  tenor  of  which  is  delivered  to  us  from 
the  6th  to  the  10th  verse. 

This  Covena-nt  of  Grace  is  propounded  to  us,  upon  a  supposed 
impossibility  of  obtaining  Righteousness  and  Justification  accor- 
ding to  the  terms  of  the  Covenant  of  Works. 

And,  lest  it  might  seem  as  impossible  to  be  justified  by  this  Cove- 
nant, the  Apostle  removes  the  two  great  objections,  that  lie  in  the 
way. 

For,  it  may  be  argued,  That  the  abode  and  residence  of  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  who  is  to  work  out  this  righteousness  for  us,  is  in 
the  highest  heavens ;  and  how  then  shall  he  be  brought  down  to 
earth,  to  fulfil  the  Law  in  our  stead  ? 

To  this  the  Apostle  answers  :  Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who  shall 
ascend  into  heaven?  that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above.  That 
care  is  already  taken ;  and  God,  the  Eternal  Son,  hath  left  those 
glorious  mansions,  to  shroud  and  eclipse  himself  in  our  vile  flesh. 
He  was  born  of  a  woman,  and  made  subject  to  the  Law,  and  hath 
wrought  out  all  righteousness  for  us ;  that,  through  his  obedience 
sinners  might  be  pardoned  and  justified. 

But  then,  again,  it  might  be  objected,  That  whosoever  will  ap- 
pear to  be  our  Surety,  must  not  only  yield  perfect  obedience  to  the 
Law  of  God,  but  pay  down  his  life  to  the  justice  of  God  for  our 
offences :  and,  if  Christ  thus  die  for  us,  how  can  he  then  appear  be- 
fore God  in  our  behalf,  to  plead  our  cause,  to  justify  and  acquit  us  ? 
We  cannot  be  justified  unless  Christ  die  ;  neither  can  we  be  justi- 
fied by  a  dead  Christ :  and  who  is  there,  that  can  raise  this  cruci- 
fied and  murdered  Saviour  to  life  again,  that  we  might  obtain 
righteousness  by  him  ? 

To  this  also  the  Apostle  answers  :  Say  not  in  thine  heart....  Who 
shall  descend  into  the  deep  t  that  is,  into  the  grave,  where  his  body 
lay  entombed ;  or  into  Hades,  the  place  and  receptacle  of  separate 
souls :  or,  if  you  will,  into  both  these  depths  ;  into  Hades,  to  bring 


186 


THE    DOC  T  It  I  X  E    O  F 


back  the  soul  of  Christ  to  his  body ;  and  into  the  grave,  to  raise  his 
body  with  his  soul,  and  to  rescue  him  from  the  power  of  death  and 
corruption.  That  work  is  already  done.  He  hath,  by  his  Al 
mighty  Spirit  and  Godhead,  broken  asunder  the  bands  of  death, 
and  the  bars  of  the  grave  :  it  being  impossible  that  he  should  be 
holden  of  it ;  and  that,  having  discharged  the  debt,  he  should  any 
longer  lie  under  arrest  and  confinement. 

And  thus  the  Apostle,  as  I  conceive,  answers  these  two  objec- 
tions against  the  possibility  of  our  being  justified  by  Christ,  accor- 
ding to  the  terms  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  taken  from  the  grand 
improbability  both  of  his  incarnation  and  resurrection  :  how,  being 
God,  he  should  descend  from  heaven,  and  become  man  ;  and  how, 
being  man,  he  should  ascend  out  of  the  grave,  and  become  a  fit 
Mediator  between  God  and  Men.  And,  therefore,  both  these  being 
done,  though  the  righteousness  of  the  Law  be  impossible,  yet  you 
need  not  despair  of  a  righteousness  :  the  matter  of  your  Justification 
is  already  wrought  out :  Christ,  by  his  incarnation,  hath  subjected 
himself  to  all  obedience  both  of  the  precept  and  penalty  of  the 
Covenant  of  Works  ;  and,  by  his  resurrection  and  intercession,  will 
take  care  to  secure  the  application  of  his  merits  and  righteousness 
unto  you. 

These  two  objections  being  thus  removed,  the  Apostle  proceeds 
on,  in  the  8th  and  9th  verses,  to  give  us  the  sum  and  tenor  of  the 
Covenant  of  Grace. 

What  saith  it  f  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy 
heart:  (expressions  borrowed  from  Moses  concerning  the  delivery 
of  his  Law :  Deut.  xxx.  12,  14,  which  the  Apostle  applies  here 
to  the  Gospel  of  Christ)  and  tells  us,  that  the  word  of  faith,  which  we 
preach,  is,  that,  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  shalt  believe  with  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead,  thou  shalt  he  saved.  As  if  the  Apostle  should  have  said : 
"  God  requires  no  impossible  thing  for  thy  salvation.  He  doth  not 
bid  thee  pluck  Christ  from  heaven,  and  thrust  him  into  a  body. 
He  doth  not  bid  thee  descend  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  there 
rescue  Christ  from  the  power  of  the  grave.  These  are  not  within 
the  compass  of  thy  ability ;  nor  doth  God  require  for  thy  Justifica- 
tion and  Salvation  anything,  that  is  impossible  to  be  done.  No  : 
but  the  word  of  Eighteousness  which  we  preach,  that  is,  the  manner 
of  obtaining  righteousness  which  we  exhibit  in  the  Gospel,  is  no 
other  than  what  lieth  in  the  heart  and  in  the  mouth.  Thou  need- 
est  not  go  up  to  heaven,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  thence  ;  nor 
down  to  the  grave,  to  raise  him  from  the  dead  :  these  things  are 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


187 


already  done  ;  and  thou  needest  go  no  farther  than  thy  heart  and 
thy  mouth  for  salvation.  God  hath  placed  the  conditions  of  it  in 
them  :  that,  if  thou  believest  on  Christ  in  thy  heart,  and  if  thou  con- 
fessest  him  with  thy  mouth,  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

This  I  suppose  is  the  clear  scope  and  intent  of  the  Apostle  in  these 
verses.    Yet  here  we  must  take  notice, 

First.  That,  though  the  Apostle  seem  here  to  make  the  believing 
that  Christ  is  raised  from  the  dead  to  be  a  true,  saving,  and  justify- 
ing faith ;  yet  it  must  not  be  so  understood,  as  if  only  a  dogmatical 
belief  of  this  proposition,  That  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead,  were 
faith  sufficient  to  justify  us :  but,  as  it  is  common  in  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, by  mentioning  one  principal  object  of  faith  to  mean  the  whole 
extent  of  it ;  so,  here,  though  only  the  resurrection  of  Christ  be 
mentioned,  yet  all  his  merits  and  righteousness  are  intended,  which, 
by  virtue  of  his  being  raised  from  the  dead,  may  by  faith  be  effec- 
tually applied  unto  the  soul.  So  that,  "  If  thou  believest  that  Christ 
is  raised  from  the  dead,"  is  no  other,  than  "If  thou  believest  on 
Christ,  who  is  raised  from  the  dead."  And  so  the  Apostle  himself 
expounds  it,  v.  11 ;  Whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed. 
For  saving  faith  is  not  only  a  mere  assent  to  any  proposition  con- 
cerning Christ,  whether  it  be  his  deity,  his  incarnation,  his  death, 
his  resurrection,  or  the  like  ;  for,  so,  the  devils  believe  and  tremble,  and 
many  thousand  wicked  Christians  do  believe  that  God  raised  Jesus 
Christ  from  the  dead,  and  all  the  other  articles  of  their  creed ;  but 
yet,  this  speculative  faith,  being  overborne  by  their  impious  and 
unholy  practices,  will  not  at  all  avail  to  their  Justification :  but,  if 
thou  so  believest  that  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead,  that  this  thy 
faith  hath  an  effectual  influence  to  raise  thee  from  the  death  of  sin 
to  the  life  of  righteousness,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

Secondly.  What  the  Apostle  speaks  here,  of  confessing  Christ 
with  our  mouths,  must  not  be  restrained  only  to  a  verbal  confession 
of  him ;  but  it  comprehends,  likewise,  our  glorifying  him  by  the 
whole  course  of  our  professed  obedience  and  subjection  to  him. 

So  that,  in  these  two,  is  comprehended  the  whole  sum  of  Chris- 
tian Religion ;  faith,  and  obedience ;  the  inward  affections  of  the 
heart,  and  the  outward  actions  of  the  life. 

In  brief,  all,  that  here  the  Apostle  speaks,  falls  into  this,  "If  thou 
wilt  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  if  thou  wilt  sincerely 
obey  him,  thou  shalt  be  saved :"  and  this  he  gives  as  the  sum  and 
tenor  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  and  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 

i.  That  we  may  aright  conceive  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  from 
the  very  first  ground  and  foundation  of  it,  I  shall  LEAD  YOU 
THROUGH  THESE  FOLLOWING  POSITIONS. 


188 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


1.  God  having,  in  his  eternal  decree  of  permitting  it,  foreseen  the 
fall  of  man,  and  thereby  the  breach  and  violation  of  the  Covenant 
of  Works,  graciously  resolved  not  to  proceed  against  all  mankind 
according  to  the  demerits  of  their  transgression,  in  the  execution  of 
that  death  upon  them  which  the  covenant  threatened  ;  but  to  pro- 
pound Another  Covenant  unto  them  upon  Better  Terms,  which  whoso- 
ever would  perform,  should  obtain  life  thereby.  Purposing,  like- 
wise, by  his  grace  and  Spirit  so  effectually  to  work  upon  the  hearts 
of  some,  that  they  should  certainly  perform  the  conditions  of  this 
Second  Covenant,  and  thereby  obtain  everlasting  life. 

God  would  have  some  of  all  those  creatures,  whom  he  made 
capable  of  enjoying  him,  to  be  brought  to  that  most  blessed  and 
happy  fruition.  All  angels  did  not  fall,  but  multitudes  of  them 
kept  their  first  estate  and  glory :  and,  therefore,  as  some  think, 
God  never  found  out  a  means  to  reconcile  those  that  fell.  But  all 
mankind  at  once  sinned,  and  fell  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;  and, 
therefore,  lest  they  should  all  perish,  and  a  whole  species  of  rational 
creatures,  who  were  made  fit  to  behold  and  enjoy  him  in  glory, 
should  for  ever  be  cut  off  from  his  presence  and  the  beatific  vision ; 
he  resolves,  that,  as  the  fall  of  all  was  by  the  terms  of  one  cove- 
nant, so  the  restoring  of  some  should  be  by  and  according  to  the 
terms  of  another.  And,  thus,  in  reference  to  this  eternal  purpose, 
the  Apostle  calls  it  eternal  life,  which  was  promised  be/ore  the  world 
began:  Tit.  i.  2.  And  also,  2  Tim.  i.  9 ;  he  speaks  of  the  purpose 
and  grace  of  God,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus,  before  the 
world  began. 

Now  in  this  design  of  entering  into  another  covenant,  besides 
the  restoring  of  fallen  man,  God  the  Father  intended  the  glorifying 
of  himself  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

(1)  He  intended  to  glorify  himself:  his  manifold  "Wisdom  and 
unsearchable  Counsel:  in  finding  out  a  means,  to  reconcile  justice 
and  mercy,  to  punish  the  sin  and  yet  to  pardon  the  sinner :  his 
Righteousness ;  in  the  remission  of  sins  through  the  propitiation 
of  Christ,  Rom.  iii.  25.  God  hath  set  him  forth  to  be  a  propitiation, 
through  faith  in  his  blood ;  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sins:  and,  likewise,  his  rich  and  abundant  Grace;  in  giving  his 
Son  to  die  for  rebels ;  to  make  him  a  curse,  that  we  might  receive 
the  blessing ;  and  to  make  him  sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  through  him. 

o  o 

(2)  By  the  Covenant  of  Grace  the  glory  of  Christ  Jesus  was  also 
designed  ;  God  appointing  him  to  be  the  Mediator  of  this  new  cove- 
nant ;  and  thereby  giving  a  glorious  occasion  to  demonstrate  the 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


189 


riches  of  Lis  free  Love,  in  subjecting  his  life  to  such  a  death,  and 
his  glory  to  such  a  shame;  and  all  to  purchase  such  vile  and  worth- 
less creatures  as  we  are,  and  to  redeem  us  from  eternal  woe  and 
misery:  to  exalt  likewise  the  glory  of  his  Almighty  Power;  in  sup- 
porting the  human  nature  under  the  vast  load  of  the  wrath  of  God 
and  the  curse  of  the  law :  the  glory  of  his  uncontrolable  Sovereignty, 
in  voluntarily  laying  down  his  life  and  taking  it  up  again ;  of  his 
complete  and  all-sufficient  Sacrifice,  in  fully  perfecting  all  those 
who  are  sanctified ;  of  his  effectual  Intercession,  in  the  gifts  and 
graces  of  his  Holy  Spirit  impetrated  thereby. 

These  may  be  some  of  the  reasons,  why,  after  the  foresight  of  the 
breach  of  the  Covenant  of  Works,  God  purposed  from  all  eternity 
to  establish  another  and  a  better  covenant  with  mankind. 

2.  Upon  this  purpose  of  God  to  abrogate  the  Covenant  of  "Works, 
that  it  should  no  longer  be  the  standing  rule  according  to  which  he 
would  proceed  with  all  mankind,  there  came  in  the  room  and  stead 
thereof  a  Twofold  Covenant. 

A  Covenant  of  Redemption.    A  Covenant  of  Reconciliation. 

The  Covenant  of  Eedemption  was  everlasting,  from  before  all 
time ;  made  only  between  God  the  Father  and  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Covenant  of  Reconciliation  was  temporal ;  made  between 
God  and  Men  through  Christ,  and  took  place  immediately  after  the 
Fall :  of  which  the  first  exhibition  was  that  promise,  that  the  seed 
of  the  woman  should  break  the  serpent's  head. 

The  Covenant  of  Redemption,  or  of  the  Mediatorship,  was  made 
only  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  before  the  foundations  of  the 
world  were  laid.  And,  though  it  was  entirely  for  man's  infinite 
benefit  and  advantage,  yet  he  was  taken  into  it  as  a  party.  The 
form  of  this  eternal  covenant  we  have,  at  large  expressed,  Isa.  liii. 
from  the  10th  verse  to  the  end  :  When  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an 

offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his  days  He 

shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied.....He  shall  di- 
vide the  spoil  with  the  strong  ;  because  he  hath  pioured  out  his  soul  unto 

death  and,  by  his  knowledge,  i.  e.  by  the  knowledge  and  faith  of 

him,  he  shall  justify  many.  All  which  is  spoken  of  the  reward, 
which  God  would  give  unto  Christ,  for  his  great  and  arduous  un- 
dertaking of  the  redemption  of  fallen  mankind. 

From  this  Covenant  of  Redemption  do  flow, 

(1)  Many  of  those  Relations,  wherein  God  the  Father  and  the  Son 
do  stand  mutually  engaged  each  to  other,  which  are  founded  upon 
Christ's  undertaking  our  redemption. 

As,  from  this  eternal  covenant  it  is,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  related 


190 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


unto  God,  as  a  Surety  to  a  Creditor  :  and,  therefore,  IIel>.  vii.  22. 
He  is  called  the  Surety  of  a  letter  testament.  Hence,  likewise,  he 
bears  the  relation  of  an  Advocate  to  a  Judge :  1  John  ii.  1  ■  We 
have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father.  Hence  also,  ariseth  the  relation 
of  a  Servant  to  his  Lord  and  Master :  Isa.  xlii.  1 ;  Behold  my  Ser- 
vant, whom  I  uphold:  and,  again,  It  is  a  tight  tiling  that  thou  shoiddest 

be  my  Servant,  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob  only  /  will  cdso  give 

thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  unto 
the  end  of  the  earth :  Isa.  xlix.  6 :  and  so,  again,  Christ  is  called 
God's  Sei-vant,  The  Branch :  Zech.  iii.  8.  Hence,  likewise,  it  is, 
that,  although  Christ,  considered  essentially  as  God,  be  equal  in 
glory  and  dignity,  yea  the  same  with  the  Father,  John  x.  30 ;  / 
and  my  Father  are  one  ;  yet,  because  he  entered  into  this  Covenant 
of  Redemption,  engaging  himself  to  be  a  mediator  and  his  Father's 
servant,  in  accomplishing  the  salvation  of  his  elect,  therefore  he 
may  be  said  to  be  Inferior  to  the  Father.  In  which  sense,  he  him- 
self tells  us,  John  xiv.  28  ;  My  Father  is  greater  than  I.  It  is  no 
contradiction,  for  Christ  to  be  equal  with  God,  and  yet  inferior  to 
the  Father.  Consider  him  personally,  as  the  Eternal  Son  of  God, 
and  the  Second  Hypostasis  in  the  Ever-Blessed  Trinity  ;  so,  he 
thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God:  Phil.  ii.  6.  Consider  him 
federally,  as  bound  by  this  Covenant  of  Redemption  to  serve  God, 
by  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory  ;  so,  he  thought  it  no  debasement 
to  be  inferior  unto  God.  And,  therefore,  whatsoever  you  meet  with 
in  Scripture,  impbying  any  inequality  and  disproportion  between 
God  the  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  must  still  be  understood 
with  reference  to  this  Covenant  of  Redemption.  For,  essentially, 
tbey  are  one  and  the  same  God :  personally,  they  differ  in  order  and 
original :  but,  immediately,  they  differ  in  authority  and  subjection, 
and  all  the  economy  of  man's  salvation,  designed  by  the  one  and 
accomplished  by  the  other. 

(2)  From  this  Covenant  of  Redemption  flows  the  mutual  Stipu- 
lation or  Agreement  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  upon  terms 
and  conditions  concerning  man's  salvation ;  or  rather,  indeed,  it 
formally  consists  in  it. 

Christ  was  originally  free  ;  and  no  way  obliged  to  undertake  this 
great  and  hard  service,  of  reconciling  God  and  man  together.  He 
well  knew  wdiat  it  would  cost  him  to  perform  it ;  all  the  contempt 
and  reproach,  the  agonies  and  conflict,  the  bitter  pains  and  cruel 
torments,  which  he  must  suffer  to  accomplish  it.  And,  though  the 
deity  was  secure  in  its  own  impassibility  ;  yet  he  knew  that  the 
strict  union  between  his  human  nature  and  divine  would,  by  a  com- 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


191 


nranieation  of  properties,  make  it  the  humiliation  and  abasement 
of  God,  the  sufferings  and  the  blood  of  God.  And,  therefore,  God 
the  Father  makes  Christ  many  promises,  that,  if  he  would  under- 
take this  Avork,  he  should  see  his  seed,  prolong  Ms  clays,  and  the  plea- 
sure of  the  Lord  should  prosper  in  his  hand:  as  in  the  forecited  Isa. 
liii :  yea,  that  all  principality  and  dominion,  both  in  heaven  and 
earth,  should  be  consigned  over  unto  him ;  and  that  he  should  be 
the  Head,  King,  and  Governor,  both  of  his  Church  and  of  the 
whole  "World.  And,  therefore,  when  he  had  fulfilled  and  accom- 
plished this  great  work,  he  tells  his  disciples,  Matt,  xxviii.  18;  All 
power  is  given  unto  me,  both  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  and,  Eph.  i. 
20,  21,  22,  the  Father  set  Christ  at  his  own  right  hand.....Far  above 
all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name 
that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  icorld,  but  also  in  the  world  that  is  to 
come  ;  And  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and  hath  given  him  to 
be  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church.  Upon  these  articles  and  con- 
ditions, Christ  accepts  the  work;  and  resolves  to  take  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,  to  be  made  under  the  authority  of  the  Law, 
and  to  bear  the  curse  of  it,  and  the  whole  load  of  his  Father's  wrath 
due  unto  sin  and  sinners.  He  shall  bear  their  iniquities :  Therefore 
will  I  divide  him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  sha  ll  divide  the  spoil 
with  the  strong  ;  because  he  hath  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death :  Isa. 
liii.  11,  12.  And  thus  the  Covenant  of  Eedemption  is,  from  all 
eternity,  agreed  and  perfected  between  the  Father  and  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  This  undertaking  and  agreement  of  Christ  in  eternity  was  as  valid 
and  effectual  for  procuring  all  the  good  things  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace, 
and  the  making  of  them  over  unto  believers,  as  his  actual  performing 
of  the  terms  afterwards  in  the  fulness  of  time. 

Upon  this  lies  the  stress  of  our  affirming  the  Covenant  of  Grace 
to  be  exhibited  before  Christ's  coming  into  the  world.  For,  had 
not  Christ's  undertaking  been  as  effectual  as  his  actual  fulfilling, 
this  Covenant  of  Grace  could  have  been  of  no  force,  till  his  coming 
in  the  flesh,  and  his  dying  upon  the  cross.  And  therefore  he  was 
the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  to  the  Jewish  believers,  under 
the  administration  of  the  Law ;  to  the  patriarchs,  before  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  Law;  yea,  to  Adam  himself,  instantly  upon  his 
Fall :  because  the  Covenant  of  Redemption,  that  he  had  entered  in- 
to with  his  Father,  gave  him  present  right  and  title  to  enter  upon 
his  office,  and  to  act  as  Mediator  upon  the  account  of  his  future  suf- 
ferings. As  a  man,  that  purchaseth  an  inheritance,  may  presently 
enter  upon  the  possession,  though  the  day  for  the  payment  of  the 
price  be  not  yet  come :  so  Christ,  upon  the  contract  and  bargain 


192 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


made  with  the  Father,  of  purchasing  the  whole  world  to  himself  at 
the  price  of  his  death  and  blood,  entered  presently  upon  his  pur- 
chase, though  the  day  set  for  the  payment  of  the  price  was  some 
thousand  years  after.  And  thus  Christ  is  called  a  Lamb,  slain  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world:  Eev.  xiii.  8;  though  some,  indeed,  would 
refer  these  words,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  the  writing  of 
the  names,  and  not  to  the  slaying  of  the  Lamb ;  making  the  sense 
thus,  Whose  names  were  not  written  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  :  and  for  this  interpre- 
tation they  allege,  Rev.  xvii.  8,  yea,  certainly,  this  slaying  of  the 
Lamb  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  may  well  be  understood 
concerning  the  death  of  Christ,  either  typically  represented  in  those 
sacrifices  of  lambs  which  Abel  offered  in  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  or  else  decreed  in  God's  purpose  from  all  eternity,  and  there- 
upon valid  to  procure  redemption  for  believers  in  all  ages,  even 
before  his  actual  suffering  of  it. 

These  things  I  premise,  that,  in  them,  you  might  see  upon  what 
bottom  stands  the  whole  transaction  between  God  and  man,  in  en- 
tering into  a  Covenant  of  Grace.  That  man  is  at  all  restored,  can 
be  founded  upon  nothing  but  God's  absolute  purpose  of  having 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.  That  this  restoring  him  to  grace 
and  favour,  and  consequently  to  eternal  life,  should  be  by  a  Cove- 
nant of  Grace  sealed  and  confirmed  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  is 
founded  only  on  the  eternal  Covenant  of  Eedemption  made  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  The  Covenant  of  Eeconciliation  is  built 
upon  the  Covenant  of  Redemption ;  the  covenant  between  God  and 
Man,  on  the  covenant  between  God  and  Christ. 

(1)  Here,  possibly,  some,  instead  of  glorifying  the  infinite  wisdom 
of  God  in  thus  laying  the  model  and  platform  of  our  salvation,  may 
be  apt  to  cavil  against  the  tediousness  of  the  proceeding.  "  For, 
might  not  God,  by  one  act  of  sovereign  mercy,  have  pardoned  our 
sins  and  remitted  the  punishment,  though  Christ  had  never  died  to 
satisfy -justice  ?  Might  he  not  have  accepted  the  sinner  to  favour 
and  salvation,  though  Christ  had  never  been  sent  to  work  out  a 
perfect  righteousness  for  him  ?  "What  needed  then  this  long  and 
troublesome  method,  of  designing  him  from  eternity  to  be  a  Me- 
diator, of  appointing  his  own  Son  to  so  base  a  humiliation  and  so  * 
cursed  a  death ;  since  all,  that  is  now  purchased  for  us  at  so  mighty 
a  rate,  might  have  been  conferred  upon  us  by  a  free  and  absolute 
act  of  mercy  ?"    Thus,  possibly,  the  thoughts  of  men  may  work. 

But  to  this  I  answer, 

[1]  It  is  saucy  and  unwarrantable  presumption,  for  us  to  dis- 


THE    T  W  O    COVENANT  S. 


193 


pute  whether  God  could  have  saved  us  otherwise  ;  since  it  is  infi- 
nite love  and  mercy,  that  he  will  vouchsafe  to  save  us  any  way. 
And,  if  so  be  it  were  not  simply  necessary  that  Christ  should  die 
to  bring  us  to  glory,  this  should  the  rather  engage  us  to  admire 
and  adore  the  supererogation  of  the  divine  love :  which  designed 
him  primarily  a  gift  to  men,  as  well  as  a  sacrifice  to  God ;  and 
sent  him  into  the  world,  not  so  much  upon  the  necessity  of  satis- 
fying justice,  as  of  demonstrating  infinite  love  and  mercy: 
John  iii.  16. 

[2]  Whether  God  might,  according  to  his  absolute  pleasure, 
have  saved  us,  without  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  is  not  necessary 
for  us  to  know  :  since  it  is  clearly  revealed  in  Scripture,  that  this 
is  the  way,  that  God  designed  from  all  eternity ;  and,  by  which,  in 
the  fulness  of  time,  he  accomplished  our  salvation.  Who  can  per- 
emptorily determine,  what  God  might  or  might  not  do,  in  this 
particular?  Can  we  set  limits  to  his  power,  or  bound  his  preroga- 
tive ?  It  should  satisfy  our  enquiries,  that  this  way  of  salvation 
is  attainable ;  and  that  God  is  resolved  to  save  us  no  other  way 
than  this.  There  is  none  other  name  under  heaven,  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved:  Acts  iv.  12. 

[3]  Yet,  if  any  be  farther  inquisitive,  only  out  of  an  awful  rev- 
erence to  search  out  the  wonderful  mystery  of  his  redemption,  I 
assert  that  it  is  most  probable  that  God  might,  according  to  his 
absolute  power  and  good  pleasure  have  saved  fallen  mankind, 
though  Christ  had  never  been  appointed  to  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, nor  any  Covenant  of  Grace  been  made  with  us  in  him.  Nor 
doth  this  position  hold  any  correspondence  with  Socinianism  ; 
since  we  absolutely  maintain,  that  it  is  God's  revealed  will  and 
purpose  to  save  none,  but  through  the  satisfaction  of  Christ. 

(2)  If  it  be  said,  that  "  No  other  way  could  be  consistent  with 
God's  justice ;  and  that  therefore  the  Apostle  tells  us,  Eom.  iii.  26, 
that  Christ  was  set  forth  as  a  propitiation  to  declare  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  those  that 
believe  :  and  how  could  God  be  just,  if  he  should  pardon  sin  with- 
out a  satisfaction  ;  and  by  whom  should  this  satisfaction  be  made, 
but  by  Christ  the  Mediator?" 

To  this  I  answer,  that  the  Justice  of  God  may  be  considered,  In 
its  Absolute  Nature,  as  an  infinite  attribute  and  perfection  of  the 
divine  essence.  As  to  the  External  Expressions  of  it  in  punitive 
acts,  taking  vengeance  on  offenders. 

If  we  take  the  justice  of  God  in  the  Former  respect,  so  it  is  es- 
sential to  him,  yea  the  same  with  him :  and  it  is  as  blasphemous 

Vol.  ii.— 13 


194 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


a  contradiction,  to  say  that  God  can  be,  and  jet  not  be  just ;  as  to 
say,  that  he  may  be,  and  yet  not  be  holy,  wise,  almighty,  &c. 

But,  if  we  take  the  justice  of  God  for  the  Eternal  Expressions 
of  it  in  a  vindicative  way  upon  offenders,  I  can  see  no  contradic- 
tion nor  absurdity,  in  affirming  that  God  might,  if  he  had  so  pleased, 
have  pardoned  sinners  without  any  satisfaction.  If  he  punish  with- 
out pardoning,  he  is  just ;  and,  if  he  should  have  pardoned  with 
out  punishing,  still  he  had  been  just.  God  created  this  world,  to 
declare  his  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness;  yet  still  he  had  been 
essentially  almighty,  wise,  and  good,  if  he  had  never  expressed 
these  attributes  in  any  effects  of  them.  So  God  punisheth  sin,  to 
declare  and  glorify  his  justice;  yet  he  would  have  been  as  essen- 
tially just,  had  he  remitted  it  without  exacting  any  punishment. 
And  why  should  it  be  unjust  with  God,  to  acquit  a  guilty  person 
without  punishment ;  seeing  it  is  not  unjust  with  him,  to  assign  an 
innocent  person,  his  own  Son,  to  bear  the  punishment  of  the  guilty? 
Certainly,  there  was  no  more  natural  necessity,  antecedent  to  the 
free  determination  of  his  own  will,  to  punish  another,  that  he  might 
show  mercy  unto  us ;  than  there  was,  to  show  mercy  to  another, 
only  with  a  design  to  punish  us :  and,  therefore,  there  was  no  more 
need  that  God  should  punish  Christ,  that  he  might  pardon  us ;  than 
there  was,  that  he  should  pardon  Christ  all  the  sins  imputed  to  him, 
that  he  might  justly  punish  us.  For,  if  punitive  justice  be  natural 
to  God,  so  also  is  pardoning  mercy.  Yet  I  suppose  none  will  deny 
that  God  might,  without  wrong  to  his  nature,  have  damned  all 
men  for  sin,  without  affording  pardon  to  any  of  them :  and  there 
can  be  no  reason  imagined,  why  it  should  be  more  natural  to  God 
to  punish,  than  to  pardon  ;  unless  we  would  make  him,  as  the  Mar- 
cionites  and  Manichees  of  old  did,  a  ssevus  et  intimitis  Deus.  Sin 
doth,  indeed,  naturally  and  necessarily  deserve  punishment ;  but  it 
doth  not  therefore  follow,  that  God  must,  by  the  necessity  of  his 
nature,  punish  it :  for  then  it  would  be  as  necessary  for  him  to  par- 
don, because  the  sinner  deserves  it  not ;  because  a  sinner,  deserv 
ing  punishment,  is  as  much  the  object  of  mercy,  as  of  justice;  both 
being  equally  essential  attributes  of  the  divine  nature. 

The  truth  is,  that  though  all  the  divine  perfections  be  natural 
and  necessary  to  God,  yet  his  will  governs  the  external  expressions 
of  them :  omnipotence,  wisdom,  justice,  and  mercy,  are  in  God 
naturally,  and  not  subject  to  the  determination  of  his  will :  so  that 
it  is  not  from  his  will  that  he  is  almighty,  nor  all-wise,  nor  holy 
and  righteous  ;  but  from  his  nature.  But  the  outward  expressions 
of  these  are  arbitrary,  and  subject  to  his  will :  omnipotence  is  nat- 


THE    TAVO  COVENANTS. 


195 


ural  and  essential  unto  God ;  yet  it  is  his  will  that  applies  his  power 
to  such  and  such  effects :  so,  likewise,  though  it  be  natural  and  ne- 
cessary that  God  be  just ;  yet  the  particular  expression  and  mani- 
festation of  his  justice,  in  a  vindicative  manner,  is  not  necessary, 
but  subject  to  the  free  determination  of  his  will.  As  God  will  have 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hard- 
ens :  so,  he  will  have  vengeance  on  whom  he  will  have  vengeance, 
and  whom  he  will  he  might  have  pardoned,  and  that  merely  by  the 
prerogative  of  his  will. 

(3)  And  if  it  be  said,  that  "  God,  being  a  Holy  God,  must  neces- 
sarily hate  sin,  and  therefore  punish  it :" 

I  answer,  that,  though  God's  holiness  doth  necessarily  infer  his 
utmost  hatred  of  sin,  yet  that  hatred  of  sin  doth  not  necessarily  in- 
fer his  punishing  of  sinners.  For  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that 
God  may  hate  sin,  odio  simplici,  et  non  redundanti  in  personam:  i.  e. 
"  with  a  simple  abhorrency  and  detestation  of  it,  yet  not  with  any 
ireful  effects  flowing  from  it  upon  the  sinner."  It  is,  indeed,  abso- 
lutely necessary,  that  sinners  should  deserve  punishment :  this 
flows  not  from  the  will  and  constitution  of  God,  but  from  the 
nature  of  the  thing  itself.  But,  that  they  be  actually  punished  ac- 
cording to  their  deserts,  depends  wholly  upon  the  determination 
of  the  divine  will.    That  is  the  Third  Position. 

4.  Whether  this  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  were  simply  and  abso- 
lutely necessary,  or  no:  yet,  certain  it  is,  that  no  other  way  could  be  so 
suited  to  the  advancement  of  God's  glory  as  this ;  and,  therefore,  it  was 
most  congruous,  and  morally  necessary,  that  our  salvation  should  be 
wrought  out  by  his  sufferings  and  satisfaction.  For, 

(1)  This  is  the  most  decent  and  becoming  way,  that  God  could 
take  to  reconcile  sinners  unto  himself. 

So  the  Apostle  says  expressly :  Heb.  ii.  10 ;  For  it  became  him, 
for  whom  are  all  things  and  by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many 
sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  Salvation  perfect  through 
sufferings.  It  would  not  become  the  Great  Majesty  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  whose  sovereign  authority  was  so  heinously  violated  by 
such  a  vile  and  base  creature  as  man  is,  to  receive  him  into  his 
love  and  favour  without  some  repair  made  unto  his  honour.  And, 
if  there  must  intervene  a  satisfaction,  there  is  none  who  could  make 
it  but  only  Jesus  Christ. 

(2)  No  other  way  could  so  jointly  glorify  both  the  mercy  and 
the  justice  of  God,  as  this  of  bringing  men  to  salvation  by  Christ. 

If  God  had  absolutely  remitted  punishment,  and  accepted  the  sin- 
ner to  life  by  his  mere  good  pleasure,  this  indeed  had  been  a  glori 


196 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


ous  declaration  of  his  merer,  but  justice  had  lain  obscured.  If 
God  had  made  a  temporary  punishment  serve  for  an  expiation  of 
sin,  here  indeed  both  justice  and  mercy  had  been  glorified ;  justice 
in  punishing,  mercy  in  relaxing  the  eternity  of  the  punishment : 
but  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  had  been  glorified  to  the  utmost 
extent  of  them.  But.  in  this  redemption  by  Christ,  justice  hath  its 
full  glory ;  in  that  God  takes  vengeance  on  the  sin  to  the  very  ut- 
termost :  and  yet  mercy  is  likewise  glorified  to  the  full ;  for  the 
sinner  is,  without  his  own  sufferings,  pardoned,  accepted,  and  saved. 
That  none  but  Christ  could  do  this  is  evident,  because  no  mere 
creature  could  bear  an  infinite  punishment  so  as  to  eluctate  and 
finish  it,  and  no  finite  punishment  could  satisfy  an  infinite  justice : 
he  must  be  a  Man,  that  satisfies ;  else,  satisfaction  would  not  be 
made  in  the  same  nature  that  sinned:  he  must  be  God,  likewise: 
else,  human  nature  could  not  be  supported  from  sinking  under  the 
infinite  load  of  divine  wrath :  and,  unless  we  would  have  either  the 
Father  or  the  Holy  Ghost  to  become  incarnate,  this  work  of  man's 
redemption  must  rest  on  Christ.  And,  indeed,  who  so  fit  to  be- 
come a  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  as  the  middle  Person  in 
the  Godhead  ?  Thus  then  we  see  how  expedient  and  fit  it  is,  that 
our  redemption  should  be  accomplished  by  Christ  Jesus:  and, 
therefore,  because  the  divine  wisdom  takes  that  way  which  is  most 
expedient,  it  is,  in  a  moral  sense,  necessary  that  it  should  be  by 
him  brought  to  pass ;  though,  simply  and  absolutely,  God  might 
have  laid  another  design  for  our  salvation.  Potv.it  aliter  fieri  de 
potentia  medici,  sed  rum  potuit  commodiw  out  doctius  prseparari  ut 
esset  medicina  segroti.    August.  Serm.  iii.  de  Annunt.  Dom. 

And  this,  certainly,  may  commend  the  infinite  love  of  God  unto 
us  :  since  he  would  not  go  the  thriftiest  way.  in  accomplishing  our 
salvation.  Although  it  were  not  simply  necessary,  yet,  if  it  be 
more  conducible  to  make  the  mercy  of  our  redemption  glorious, 
the  Son  of  God  must  become  the  Son  of  Man,  and  the  Son  of  Man 
a  Jfan  of  Sorrows.  He  gives  his  natural  Son.  to  gain  adopted  ones. 
He  punisheth  a  righteous  person,  that  he  might  pardon  the  guilty. 
God  spares  nothing,  he  saves  nothing ;  that  he  might  spare  and 
save  fallen  man,  in  a  way  most  adapted  to  glorify,  both  the  severity 
of  his  justice,  and  the  riches  of  his  grace  and  mercy. 

I  shall  not  any  longer  detain  you  with  preliminary  truths. 
You  see  upon  what  the  Covenant  of  Grace  is  grounded,  viz,  the 
Covenant  of  Eedemption ;  and  how  far  forth  it  was  necessary, 
that  Jesus  Christ  should  be  our  Redeemer,  and  the  Mediator  of 
this  Covenant  of  Reconciliation. 


T  II  E    TWO    C  O  V  E  N  A  X  T  S. 


197 


iii.  TO  COME  NOW  MORE  IMMEDIATELY  TO  THE  SUBJECT  INTENDED, 

we  must  know,  that  the  Covenant  of  Grace  made  by  God  with  man, 
is  twofold.  There  is  the  Absolute  Covenant  of  Grace :  and  the 
Conditional. 

Indeed,  if  we  lay  stress  upon  the  words,  as  some  do,  there  can 
be  no  such  thing  as  an  Absolute  Covenant ;  because  every  cove- 
nant supposeth  conditions  and  a  mutual  stipulation :  but,  yet,  we 
may  be  well  contented  with  the  impropriety  of  the  word  so  long 
as  we  use  Scripture  language. 

1.  Frequent  mention  is  made  of  this  Absolute  Covenant:  Jer.  xxxii. 
38 — 41.  Ezek.  xi.  17- — 20  :  but,  most  fully  and  clearly,  Jer.  xxxi. 
33,  34.  This  shall  be  the  covenant,  that  I  will  make  with  the  house,  of 
Israel,  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord;  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  in- 
ward parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people:  which  the  Apostles  quotes  and  transcribes. 
Heb.  viii.  10. 

It  is  not  this  Absolute  Covenant,  or  Promise,  call  it  which  you 
will,  that  I  intend  to  insist  on  ;  and,  therefore,  I  shall  only  give 
you  some  brief  remarks  concerning  it,  and  so  proceed  to  treat  of 
the  Conditional  Covenant. 

(1)  That  this  Absolute  Covenant  is  made  only  to  those,  whom 
God  foreknew  according  to  his  eternal  purpose :  but  the  Conditional 
Covenant  is  made  with  all  the  world. 

God  hath  promised  a  new  heart,  only  to  some  :  but  he  promiseth 
life  and  salvation  to  all  the  world,  if  they  convert  and  believe.  And 
hence  it  follows,  that  the  Absolute  Covenant  is  fulfilled  to  all,  with 
whom  it  is  made  :  but  the  most  part  of  mankind  fall  short  of  ob- 
taining the  benefits  of  the  Conditional  Covenant,  because  they  wil- 
fully fall  short  of  performing  the  conditions. 

(2)  The  Absolute  Covenant  of  Grace  is  so  called,  because  the 
mercies  promised  in  it  are  not  limited  nor  restricted  to  conditions. 

For  though,  in  the  ordinary  method  of  God's  sanctifying  grace, 
a  sedulous  and  conscientious  use  of  the  means  is  necessary  to  our 
conversion,  and  the  making  of  a  new  heart  and  spirit  in  us ;  yet 
these  means  are  not  conditions,  because  God  hath  not  limited  him- 
self thereto.  It  is  certain  and  infallible,  that  no  man  shall  ever  at- 
tain salvation  without  faith,  repentance,  and  obedience  :  but  no  man 
can  say  it  is  impossible,  that  any  should  attain  a  new  heart,  faith, 
and  conversion  without  preparations  and  previous  dispositions. 

(3)  Faith  is  the  very  mercy  itself  promised  in  the  Absolute  Cove- 
nant :  but  it  is  only  a  condition  for  obtaining  the  mercy  promised 
in  the  Conditional  Covenant. 


198 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


In  this,  God  promiseth  salvation  to  all  men,  if  they  will  believe  ; 
in  the  other,  he  promiseth  grace  to  his  elect,  to  enable  them  to  be- 
lieve. All  the  benefits  of  the  Conditional  Covenant  we  receive  by 
our  faith  ;  but  our  faith  itself  we  receive  by  virtue  of  the  Absolute 
Covenant :  and  therefore  it  follows,  by  necessary  consequence  that 
though  no  man  can  plead  the  promise  of  the  Absolute  Covenant  for 
obtaining  the  gift  of  the  first  grace,  yet  likewise  no  man  can  receive 
comfort  by  the  Conditional  Covenant,  till  he  be  assured  that  the  prom- 
ise of  the  Absolute  be  performed  to  him. 

(4)  In  brief,  the  Absolute  Covenant  promiseth  the  first  grace  of 
conversion  to  God  :  the  Conditional  promiseth  life,  if  we  be  con- 
verted. The  Conditional  promiseth  life,  if  we  believe  :  the  Abso- 
lute promiseth  faith,  whereby  we  may  believe  to  the  saving  of  our 
souls. 

And  therefore  it  is  called  an  Absolute  Covenant,  because  the  first 
grace  of  conversion  unto  God  cannot  be  given  upon  conditions. 
It  is  indeed  commonly  wrought  in  men  by  the  right  use  of  means ; 
as  hearing  the  word,  meditation,  prayer,  &c,  but  these  means  are 
not  conditions  of  grace,  because  we  have  found  that,  in  some  in- 
stances, God  hath  not  limited  himself  to  them.  And,  indeed,  what 
is  there,  that  can  in  reason  be  supposed  as  a  condition  of  God's  be- 
stowing the  first  grace  upon  us  ?  Either  it  must  be  some  act  of  grace, 
or  of  mere  nature :  not  of  grace  ;  for  then  the  first  grace  would  be 
already  given  :  nor  of  nature  ;  for  then  grace  would  be  given  accor- 
ding to  works,  which  is  the  sum  and  upshot  of  Pelagianism. 
"Whence  it  follows,  that  the  Absolute  Covenant,  of  giving  grace  and 
a  new  heart,  is  made  only  to  those,  who  shall  be  saved ;  but 
the  Conditional  Covenant,  of  giving  salvation  upon  faith  and  obedi- 
ence, is  made  with  all  the  world,  and  Ave  may  and  ought  to  propound 
it  to  every  creature,  If  thou  wilt  believe,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

2.  It  is  not  the  Absolute,  but  the  Conditional  Covenant  that  the 
Apostle  speaks  of  in  the  text. 

For  life  and  salvation  are  here  promised  upon  the  terms  and  con- 
ditions, of  believing  on  Christ  with  the  heart,  and  confessing  him 
with  the  mouth  ;  that  is,  of  faith  and  obedience,  as  hath  before  been 
explained :  and,  therefore  it  is  called  the  Conditional  Covenant, 
because  these  conditions  must  be  first  fulfilled  on  our  part,  beforo 
any  engagagement  can  lie  upon  God  to  give  us  the  salvation  prom- 
ised.   Here  observe, 

(1)  That  the  Salvation,  which  the  text  mentions,  when  it  saith 
"  If  thou  believest  in  thy  heart,  and  confessest  with  thy  mouth,  thou 
shalt  be  saved,"  comprehends  in  it  all  the  benefits  of  the  Covenant 
of  Grace. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


199 


Not  only  Glorification,  which  it  doth  most  signally  denote ;  but 
also  Pardon,  Justification,  Reconciliation,  and  Adoption :  all  which 
are  called  Salvation,  because  they  all  tend  thereunto,  and  termi- 
nate in  it. 

(2)  Though  conditions  are  required  on  our  part,  yet  the  mercies 
of  the  coveuant  are  promised  to  us  out  of  mere  free  grace. 

For,  therefore,  saith  the  Apostle,  are  Justification  and  Salvation  of 
faith,  that  they  might  be  of  grace:  Rom.  iv.  16.  For  God's  grace 
and  free  mercy,  in  enabling  us  to  believe  and  obey,  and  thereupon 
saving  us,  is  altogether  as  glorious,  as  if  he  should  save  us  without 
requiring  faith  and  obedience  from  us  at  all. 

(3)  Though  faith  and  obedience  are  the  conditions,  which  God 
requires  for  the  obtaining  of  salvation,  yet  these  conditions  are 
themselves  as  much  the  free  gift  of  God,  as  the  salvation  promised 
upon  them. 

By  whom  they  are  required,  by  the  same  God  they  are  effectu- 
ally wrought  in  the  hearts  of  all  those  who  shall  be  saved.  And, 
therefore,  as  there  is  no  Absolute  Covenant,  properly  so  called ;  so 
neither,  in  strictness  of  speech,  is  there  any  Conditional  Covenant 
between  God  and  man:  because  a  condition,  to  which  a  promise  is 
annexed,  must,  in  propriety,  be  somewhat  of  our  own,  and  within  our 
own  power  ;  otherwise,  the  promise  is  but  equivalent  to  an  absolute 
denial.  But,  the  conditions  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  are  not  simply 
in  our  power  to  work  them  in  ourselves  ;  but  to  those,  who  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation,  they  are  made  possible  by  grace :  to  the  rest 
they  were  once  possible  ;  which  power  they  have  lost,  nor  is  God 
bound  to  repair  it. 

If  it  be  said,  "  True  :  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  believe,  unless  God 
enable  us  ;  yet  this  doth  not  prove  that  it  is  not  in  our  own  power 
to  believe :  for  without  the  assistance  of  God,  and  his  influence,  we 
cannot  think,  nor  speak,  nor  move :  In  him,  saith  the  Apostle,  ice 
live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being  :  yet  who  is  so  unreasonable  as  to 
say,  that,  because  these  are  God's  gifts,  therefore  we  do  not  perform 
them  by  our  own  power  ?  So,  likewise,  though  faith  be  the  gift  of 
God,  yet  it  may  also  be  in  the  power  of  nature." 

This  is  the  refuge  of  some,,  to  which  they  retire,  when  they  are 
forced  by  Scripture  evidence  to  acknowledge  that  faith  is  the  gift 
of  God  :  as  if  a  common  providential  influence  were  alike  sufficient 
to  enable  men  to  believe,  and  to  perform  any  ordinary  and  natu- 
ral action. 

To  this,  therefore,  I  answer  :  That  some  actions  depend  only  upon 
the  concurrence  of  Common  Providence ;  others,  upon  the  influence 


200 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


of  Special  Grace.  And  this  I  apprehend  to  be  the  true  difference 
between  these  two :  that  the  former  are  wrought  in  us  by  God,  with- 
out the  reluctance  and  opposition  of  our  natural  faculties ;  but  the 
latter,  against  the  bent  and  bias  of  our  natures,  which  are  now  cor- 
rupted by  the  Fall.  And,  therefore,  we  may  affirm,  that  the  obe- 
dience, which  Adam  performed  during  his  continuance  in  the  state 
of  innocence,  was  but  a  common  work  wrought  in  him  by  God's 
common  influence;  but  our  faith,  and  the  same  obedience  in  us, 
though  it  be  far  more  imperfect,  is  from  special  grace  :  because,  in 
him,  it  was  wrought  suitably  to  the  tendency  of  his  nature ;  but,  in 
us,  contrary  to  all  its  appetites  and  inclinations,  which  in  this  lapsed 
state  of  mankind  are  wholly  evil  and  corrupt.  And,  thus  much, 
the  Apostle  intimates  unto  us  concerning  faith  :  Eph.  i.  18,  19,  20 ; 
That  ye  might  know. ...what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to- 
wards us  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power, 
Which  he  wrougld  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead:  there- 
fore was  the  power,  which  God  declared  in  raising  Christ  from  the 
dead,  an  extraordinary  and  special  power,  because  it  was  contrary 
to  the  course  of  nature,  and  far  above  the  ability  of  any  created 
agent  to  effect ;  and  such,  saith  he,  is  the  power  that  worketh  faith 
in  us.  And  so,  again,  Col.  ii.  12  ;  Ye  are  risen  with  Christ  through 
the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead: 
by  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  we  may  rather  understand  the 
faith  of  God's  operation,  that  is,  which  he  worketh  and  implant eth  in 
us,  than  our  faith  in  God's  operation  of  raising  Christ  from  the  dead:  so 
that  the  scope  of  the  place  is  plainly  this  :  As  Christ  is  raised,  so  are 
we  raised  with  him  by  faith ;  which  faith  is  wrought  in  us  by  the  same 
almighty  operation,  that  raised  him  from  the  grave,  and  therefore 
wrought  in  us  by  the  supernatural  efficacy  of  divine  grace.  Hence 
all  those  places,  which  mention  faith  to  be  the  gift  of  God,  must  be 
understood  not  as  of  a  gift  of  course,  and  of  common  influence  ;  but 
of  extraordinary  power  and  special  influence.  So  Phil.  i.  29 ;  Unto 
you  it  is  given....not  only  to  believe....but  also  to  suffer:  where,  though 
it  may  seem  that  to  suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ  denotes  not  any 
special  work  of  God  ;  yet,  to  suffer  from  a  right  principle  and  to  a 
right  end,  to  suffer  with  a  calm  submission  and  a  conquering  pa- 
tience, is  not  less  a  gift  and  a  special  privilege  bestowed  upon  us 
by  the  special  and  supernatural  grace  of  God,  than  we  assert  faith 
itself  to  be.  So,  2  Pet.  i.  1.  3  ;  To  them  who  have  obtained  like  preci- 
ous faith  with  us,  through  the  righteousness  of  God...A.ccording  as  his 
divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and 
godliness.  I  omit  Eph.  ii.  8.  Yea  are  saved  by  faith  ;  and  that  not 
of  yourselves:  it  is  the  gift  of  God;  because,  though  this  place  be 


THE    T  TV  O  COVENANTS. 


201 


commonly  produced  to  prove  that  faith  is  God's  gift,  yet  I  suppose 
that  the  word  gift  refers  rather  to  salvation,  than  to  faith :  for  so  it 
must  needs   be,  according  to   grammatical   construction:  Eft 

oteugptvot    J  ia     ?  r;  s  u{,   scat    unto   Q  c  n  Supov;     else  it 

would  not  be  t «  t  o,  but  avcy.  so  that  the  words  do  of  necessity  carry 
it,  that  this  expression,  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  must  be 
understood,  that  the  salvation,  which  we  obtain  by  faith,  is  not 
of  ourselves,  but  God's  free  gift. 

And  thus  you  see  that  it  is  very  well  consistent,  for  faith  and 
obedience  to  be  conditions  on  our  part,  and  gifts  on  God's. 

iii.  These  things  being  premised,  that  which  I  shall  now  pursue 
is,  to  open  to  you,  what  concueeence  faith  and  obedience 

HAVE  INTO  OUK  JUSTIFICATION  AND  SALVATION.     "Which  certainly 

is  as  difficult  a  point  to  be  explained,  as  it  is  necessary  to  be 
understood. 

And,  in  order  to  this,  I  shall  enquire  into  the  nature  of  Justifi- 
cation itself:  what  it  is,  and  signifies.  Of  justifying  and  saving 
Faith.  Of  that  Obedience,  which  the  Covenant  of  Grace  requires 
from  believers,  as  necessary  to  salvation.  And,  lay  down  some 
Positions,  in  answer  to  the  Question. 

And  this  I  shall  do  with  all  the  brevity  and  perspicuity,  that  the 
subject  will  permit. 

1.  Justification,  therefore,  in  the  most  general  and  comprehensive 
notion  of  it,  signifies  the  making  of  a  man  just  and  righteous. 

(1)  And  this  may  be  done  Two  ways. 

[2]  By  making  a  real  change  in  a  man's  Nature,  through  the 
infusion  of  the  inherent  qualities  of  holiness  and  righteousness. 

[2]  By  making  a  relative  change  in  his  State,  in  respect  of  the 
sentence  of  the  Law  :  that  is,  when  the  Law  acquits  and  absolves  a 
man  from  punishment,  whether  he  hath  committed  the  fact  or  not. 

The  former  may  be  termed  a  Physical  Justification  ;  the  latter, 
a  Legal.  The  former  Justification  is  opposed  to  unholiness ;  the 
latter,  to  condemnation :  the  one  properly  removes  the  filth  ;  the 
other,  the  guilt  of  sin. 

Now  when  we  speak  of  the  Justification  of  a  sinner  before  God, 
it  must  still  be  understood  of  Justification  in  this  latter  sense,  viz., 
as  it  signifies  a  judicial  absolution  of  a  sinner  from  guilt  and  pun- 
ishment, according  to  a  legal  process,  either  at  the  bar  of  God  or  of 
conscience. 

And  herein  lies  the  great  error  of  the  Papists  in  the  doctrine  of 
Justification,  that  they  will  not  understand  it  as  a  law  phrase,  and 
a  relative  transaction  in  the  discharge  of  a  sinner  ;  but  still  take  it 


202  THE    DOCTRIXE  OF 

for  a  real  change  of  a  man's  nature,  by  implanting  in  him  inherent 
principles  of  holiness.  "We  grant,  indeed,  that,  in  order  of  nature, 
Sanctification  is  before  Justification ;  for  we  are  justified  by  faith, 
which  faith  is  one  great  part  of  our  Sanctification ;  but,  in  respect 
of  time,  Sanctification  and  Justification  are  together ;  for,  in  the 
very  same  instant  that  we  believe,  we  are  justified.  Yet  Justifica- 
tion is  not  the  making  of  a  man's  person  inherently  just  or  holy: 
if  it  were,  certainly  the  Wise  Man  would  not  have  said,  Prov.  xvii.  15 ; 
He,  that  justifieth  the  wicked,  and  he,  that  condemneth  the  just,  even  they 
both  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord:  that  man  certainly  would  not 
be  an  abomination  to  the  Lord,  who  should  be  serviceable  to  the 
implanting  habitual  holiness  in  another;  since  Daniel  tells  us, 
ch.  xii.  ver.  3  ;  They,  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  shall  shine  as 
the  stais  for  ever  and  ever.  .Many  differences  might  be  assigned  be- 
tween these  two  Justifications;  but  the  chief  are  these  :  that  man  is 
the  subject  of  the  one,  because  holiness  is  wrought  in  him  ;  but  he 
is  the  subject  of  the  other,  for  the  judicial  sentence  of  absolution  is 
an  act  in  God  terminated  upon  the  creature  :  the  one,  is  by  inherent 
grace  ;  the  other,  by  imputed  righteousness  :  the  one,  is  gradual ; 
the  other,  complete  at  once :  in  brief,  they  differ  as  much  as  sancti- 
fying our  nature  differs  from  acquitting  and  absolving  our  persons. 

(2)  This  Justification  doth  always  presuppose  a  righteousness  in 
the  person  justified :  for  God  doth  not  make  a  man  inwardly  righteous, 
because  he  justifies  him ;  but  therefore  he  justifies  him,  because  he 
is  righteous. 

The  righteousness  therefore,  that  a  man  must  have  before  he  can 
be  justified,  is  either, 

[1]  A  Eighteousness  of  Innocency,  whereby  he  may  plead  the 
non-transgression  of  the  Law,  and  that  it  was  never  violated  by 
him.  Or, 

[2]  A  Eighteousness  of  Satisfaction ;  whereby  he  may  plead, 
that,  though  the  command  were  transgressed,  yet  the  penalty  is 
borne  and  the- Law  answered. 

These  two  respect  the  avoiding  of  the  punishment  threatened.  Or, 

[3]  A  Eighteousness  of  Obedience,  which  he  may  plead  for  the 
obtaining  of  the  good  things  promised ;  and  this  respects  the  re- 
ward propounded. 

Xow  accordingly  as  any  man  can  produce  any  of  these  righteous- 
nesses, so  shall  he  be  justified.  Innocency  cannot  be  pleaded ;  for  all 
have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God:  neither  can  we  pro- 
duce a  personal  Satisfaction,  nor  a  personal  Obedience  wrought  out 
by  ourselves  :  and,  therefore,  our  Justification  is  either  utterly  im- 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


203 


possible  for  want  of  a  righteousness,  or  else  we  must  be  justified  by 
the  righteousness  of  another  imputed  unto  us. 

(3)  Christ,  therefore,  as  our  Surety,  hath  wrought  out  for  us, 

[1]  A  Kighteousness  of  Satisfaction,  which,  in  the  eye  and  ac- 
count of  the  Law,  is  equivalent  to  innocency.  And,  by  this,  we 
are  freed  from  the  penalty  threatened  against  our  disobedience. 

[2]  A  Kighteousness  of  Obedience,  whereby  we  may  lay  claim 
to  the  reward  of  eternal  life. 

I  am  now  the  briefer  in  these  things,  because  I  have  before  opened 
them  at  large. 

(4)  We,  therefore,  having  this  twofold  righteousness  given  to  justify 
us,  our  Justification  must  accordingly  consist  of  two  parts :  the  Par- 
don and  Eemission  of  our  Sins ;  our  Acceptation  unto  Eternal  life. 

[1]  Our  Justification  consists  in  the  Pardon  of  Sin. 

And  thi,s  flows  from  the  righteousness  of  Christ's  satisfaction  im- 
puted to  us.  For  guilt  is  nothing  else  but  our  obligation  to  pun- 
ishment ;  and  therefore  pardon,  being  the  removal  of  guilt,  must 
needs  remove  our  obligation  to  punishment.  But  no  man  can  be' 
justly  obliged  to  that  punishment,  which  he  hath  already  satisfac- 
torily undergone.  And,  therefore,  Christ  having,  satisfactorily 
undergone  the  whole  punishment  that  was  due  to  us,  and  God 
graciously  accounting  his  satisfaction  as  ours,  it  follows,  that  we  lie 
under  no  obligation  to  punishment;  and  are  therefore,  by  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ's  satisfaction,  pardoned  and  justified,  ransomed 
and  delivered  from  bearing  the  penalty  of  the  Law.  It  is  true,  a 
pardon  and  full  satisfaction  are,  in  themselves,  aav  $  ata  and  incon- 
sistent :  if  a  man  receive  satisfaction  for  an  injury  done  unto  him, 
he  cannot  be  said  to  pardon  and  remit  it :  how  then  can  God  be 
said  to  pardon  sin,  since  his  justice  is  fully  satisfied  by  Christ  ?  I 
answer :  those  very  sins,  which  God  doth  pardon  to  the  justified, 
he  did  not  pardon  to  Christ,  when  they  were  made  his  by  imputa- 
tion :  for  his  justice  seized  on  him,  and  demanded  and  received  the 
utmost  farthing  of  all  the  debts  he  was  surety  for.  And,  therefore, 
pardon  of  sin  is  indeed  inconsistent  with  personal  satisfaction ;  but 
not  with  the  satisfaction  of  another  imputed  to  us :  if  God  had 
satisfied  his  justice  on  us  for  our  sins,  then  he  could  not  have  par- 
doned them  :  but  to  satisfy  his  justice  on  another  for  our  sins,  was 
at  once  to  take  punishment,  and  vouchsafe  pardon ;  to  punish  our 
Surety,  and  to  pardon  us.  That  is,  therefore,  the  first  part  of  our 
Justification,  viz.,  Pardon  of  Sin. 

[2]  In  Justification,  there  is  the  imputation  of  the  active  right- 
eousness and  obedience  of  Christ,  whereby  we  obtain  a  Eight  and 
Title  and  are  accepted  unto  Eternal  Life. 


204 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


He  hath  fulfilled  all  righteousness  for  us,  and  we  are  accepted  in 
the  Beloved.  The  Law  saith,  Do  this,  and  live;  and  God  accounts 
Christ's  doing  it  as  ours.  And,  therefore,  believers  have  as  just  a 
claim  to  life,  as  Adam  could  have  had,  had  he  never  transgressed. 
I  shall  not  again  discuss,  whether  the  right,  which  Justification 
gives  us  to  eternal  life,  flow  from  Christ's  righteousness  of  obedience 
or  of  satisfaction :  to  me,  it  seems  to  be  from  his  obedience,  and 
not  so  directly  from  his  sufferings :  for,  though  his  sufferings  be 
ours,  yet  the  Law  saith  not-  Suffer  this,  and  live,  but  Do  this,  and 
live  ;  as  I  observed  before. 

And  if  it  be  objected,  that,  by  a  man's  not  being  accounted  a  sin- 
ner, he  must  needs  be  accounted  righteous ;  by  his  not  being  liable 
to  damnation,  he  must  needs  have  a  right  to  salvation ;  and,  there- 
fore, that  there  is  no  more  required  unto  Justification,  than  the  im- 
putation of  Christ's  satisfaction,  which  carries  with  it  both  pardon 
and  acceptation  to  eternal  life  :  To  this  I  answer, 

1st.  That  pardon  of  sins,  through  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  doth 
give  a  man  a  negative  righteousness  :  i.  e.  he  is  no  longer  accounted 
unrighteous,  and  therefore  not  liable  to  punishment :  but  this  gives 
him  no  positive  righteousness,  which  consists  in  a  conformity  to 
the  precepts  of  the  Law,  by  that  active  obedience,  which  should 
entitle  him  to  the  promised  reward. 

2dly.  Though  damnation  and  salvation  be  contrary  states,  so 
that  he,  who  is  not  liable  to  the  one,  hath  right  to  the  other ;  yet 
they  are  not  immediate  contraries  in  their  own  nature,  but  only  by 
divine  appointment  and  institution.  And,  therefore,  though  a  man 
should  not  be  liable  to  damnation,  yet  his  right  to  salvation  dotn 
not  naturally  result  from  this,  but  from  God's  appointment.  It  is 
true,  if  it  be  not  night,  it  must  be  day :  if  the  line  be  not  crooked, 
it  must  be  straight :  because  those  are  naturally  opposite,  and  the 
one  follows  upon  the  denial  of  the  other.  But  it  is  not  true,  that  a 
man  must  either  be  liable  to  eternal  death,  or  have  a  right  to  eter- 
nal life,  because  these  states  are  not  naturally  and  immediately  op- 
posite :  for  God,  after  he  had  pardoned  a  sinner,  might  justly  an- 
nihilate him ;  or  otherwise  dispose  of  him,  without  bestowing  up- 
on him  the  eternal  joys  of  heaven. 

And,  therefore,  pardon  of  sin  and  acceptation  unto  eternal  life, 
being  two  such  distinct  things,  may  well  be  allowed  to  proceed 
from  distinct  causes :  the  one,  from  the  imputation  of  Christ's  sat- 
isfaction ;  the  other,  from  the  imputation  of  his  active  obedience. 

(5)  So  that  you  may  take  a  brief  description  of  Justification  in 
these  terms :  It  is  a  gracious  act  of  God,  whereby,  through  the 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


£05 


righteousness  of  Christ's  satisfaction  imputed,  he  freely  remits  to 
the  believing  sinner  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  his  sins;  and, 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ's  perfect  obedience  imputed,  he 
accounts  him  righteous,  and  accepts  him  into  love  and  favour,  and 
unto  eternal  life.  This  is  Justification  :  which  is  the  very  sum  and 
pith  of  the  whole  Gospel,  and  the  only  end  of  the  Covenant  of 
Grace.  For,  wherefore  was  there  such  a  covenant  made  with  us 
through  Christ,  but,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us,  Acts  xiii.  39,  that,  by  him, 
all  that  believe  might  be  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  they 
could  not  be  justified  by  the  Law  of  Moses  ? 

Possibly  some  things  may  occur,  in  the  opening  of  this  point,  hard 
and  rugged :  and,  though  this  doctrine  be  in  itself  sweet  and  re- 
freshing, and  like  rivulets  of  water  to  the  dry  and  parched  earth  ; 
yet  this  water  must  be  smitten  out  of  a  rock.  Rivers,  generally, 
the  deeper  they  are,  the  more  smoothly  do  they  flow :  but  these 
waters  of  the  sanctuary  are  of  a  quite  different  nature,  and  the 
deeper  they  are,  usually  the  more  rough  and  the  more  troubled. 
But  beware  you  do  not  think  every  thing  unnecessary,  that  is  not 
plain  and  obvious.  It  is  the  fault  of  many  Christians,  and  a  fault 
that  deserves  reproof,  to  pass  slightly  over  the  great  mysteries  of 
religion,  under  a  vilifying  conceit  which  they  have  of  them  as  un- 
profitable and  unpracticable  notions.  They  do  not  find,  when  they 
sit  under  such  discourses  as  these,  that  their  affections  are  so  moved, 
their  hearts  so  warmed,  their  love  so  inflamed,  their  desires  made 
so  spiritually  vehement,  their  whole  souls  so  wrought  upon  and 
melted,  as  when  threatenings  are  thundered,  duties  pressed,  prom- 
ises applied,  and  the  more  affecting  part  of  religion  dispensed  ;  and 
so  they  go  away,  reckoning  they  have  but  lost  their  time,  and  the 
opportunity  of  an  ordinance.  For  my  part,  it  should  be  my  im- 
portunate prayer,  that  all  Christians  were  so  taught  of  God  and 
built  up  in  the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  that  there  might  need  no  more 
instruction,  but  only  admonition,  exhortation,  reproof,  comfort,  and 
the  more  practical  part  of  the  ministerial  work :  but,  when  we  see 
so  many  old  babes,  so  many  monstrous  and  misshapen  Christians, 
whose  heads  are  the  lowest  and  most  inferior  part  about  them,  still 
we  find  abundant  cause  and  need  to  inculcate  truths,  as  well  as  to 
raise  desires ;  that  so,  their  zeal  and  affections  may  be  built  upon, 
and  regulated  according  to,  knowledge.  Certainly,  .the  more  you 
know  of  God  and  Christ,  and  the  way  of  your  salvation  through 
an  imputed  righteousness,  the  more  will  you  admire,  adore,  and  ad- 
vance divine  love  and  wisdom,  and  the  more  humble  and  abase 
yourselves.    And,  though  some  of  these  things  be  difficult,  yet  it  is 


206 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


very  unworthy  of  a  Christian  not  to  take  some  pains  to  understand 
what  God,  if  I  may  be  allowed  so  to  speak,  took  so  much  pains  to 
contrive. 

2.  Having  thus  showed  you  what  Justification  is,  the  next  thing 
propounded  was  to  open  the  Xature  of  Justifying  and  Saving  Faith, 
which  is  the  great  condition  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 

And,  indeed,  of  all  Gospel  Truths,  it  is  most  necessary  to  have  a 
clear  and  distinct  knowledge  of  this :  for  it  is  in  vain  to  press  men 
to  this  duty  of  believing,  as  that  whereon  the  whole  weight  of  their 
salvation  depends,  if  yet  they  know  not  what  this  Grace  of  Faith  is, 
nor  what  it  is  to  believe.  There  is  no  one  duty,  that  the  Gospel 
doth  more  frequently  command  or  ministers  inculcate,  or  hath  so 
great  a  stress  laid  upon  it :  and,  yet,  because  men  know  not  what 
it  is,  and  how  they  must  act  it,  this  ignorance  either  discourageth 
them  into  an  utter  neglect,  or  else  misleads  them  to  exert  other 
acts  for  saving  faith,  and  to  build  their  hopes  of  heaven  and  eternal 
happiness  upon  a  wrong  foundation. 

And,  truly,  it  is  a  point  of  some  difficulty,  precisely  to  state 
wherein  lies  the  formal  nature  of  this  grace.  For, 

(1)  Many  formerly,  and  those  of  the  highest  remark  and  emi- 
nency,  have  placed  true  faith  in  no  lower  a  degree  than  Assurance ; 
or  the  secure  persuasion  of  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  the  acceptation 
of  their  persons,  and  their  future  salvation. 

But  this,  as  it  is  very  sad  and  uncomfortable  for  thousands  of 
doubting  and  deserted  souls,  concluding  all  those  to  fall  short  of 
grace,  who  fall  short  of  certainty ;  so  hath  it  given  the  Papists  too 
great  advantage  to  insult  over  the  doctrine  of  our  first  reformers 
as  containing  most  absurd  contradictions.  Nor,  indeed,  can  their 
argument  be  possibly  avoided  or  answered :  for,  if  Pardon  and 
Justification  be  obtained  only  by  faith,  and  this  faith  be  only  an 
assurance  or  persuasion  that  I  am  pardoned  and  justified,  then  it 
will  necessarily  follow,  that  I  must  believe  I  am  pardoned  and 
justified,  that  I  may  be  pardoned  and  justified  :  that  is,  I  must  be- 
lieve I  am  pardoned  and  justified,  before  I  either  am  or  can  be ; 
which  is  to  believe  a  lie.  This  will  necessarily  follow  upon  limit- 
ing faith  to  assurance.  Faith  therefore  is  not  assurance  :  but  this 
doth  sometimes  crown  and  reward  a  strong,  vigorous,  and  heroic 
faith ;  the  Spirit  of  God  breaking  in  upon  the  soul  with  an  evidenc- 
ing light,  and  scattering  all  that  darkness  and  those  fears  and 
doubts  which  before  beclouded  it. 

(2)  Some  again  place  faith  only  in  an  act  of  Affiance  or  Incum- 
bence  upon  the  Mercies  of  God  and  the  Merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  re- 
posing all  our  hope  for  heaven  and  happiness  in  them  alone. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


207 


This  indeed  must  be  allowed  to  be  one  act  of  a  true  and  saving 
faith,  but  eannot  be  the  entire  and  adequate  notion  of  it. 

(3)  Others  make  faith  to  consist  in  an  undoubting  Assent  to  the 
Truths  and  Promises  of  the  Gospel.  An  assent,  not  only  forced 
and  compelled  by  the  mere  evidence  and  light  of  the  truths  therein 
delivered  :  for  so,  the  devils  believe  and  tremble ;  and,  from  their 
natural  sagacity  and  woeful  experience,  know  the  great  truths  of 
the  Gospel  to  be  unquestionably  so,  as  they  are  there  revealed. 
But  an  assent,  wrought  in  the  soul  from  the  reverend  and  due  re- 
gard of  God's  authority  and  veracity ;  yielding  firm  belief  to  all 
that  the  Scripture  propoundeth,  because  of  the  testimony  of  that 
God,  who  can  neither  deceive,  nor  be  deceived :  such-  an  assent  to 
truth;  as  prevails  upon  the  conscience,  and  influenceth  the  conver- 
sation :  a  belief,  that  is  not  overborne  by  corrupt  and  vile  affec- 
tions, but  conforms  the  life  and  practice,  and  makes  them  suitable, 
to  the  rules  of  God's  "Word. 

This  many,  and  that  with  a  great  deal  of  reason,  make  to  be  the 
proper  notion  of  a  True  and  Saving  Faith.  And  the  Scripture 
doth  so  far  affirm  that  such  an  assent  as  this  is  true  faith,  that,  in 
very  many  places,  it  seems  to  require  no  more  than  barely  to  be- 
lieve those  truths  concerning  God  and  Christ,  which  are  revealed 
in  it :  as,  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God ;  that  he  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners  :  1  John  iv.  15  ;  and  chap.  v.  5  ;  and  that  God  raised 
him  from  the  dead.  Yet  these  places  must  not  be  so  understood, 
as  if  nothing  more  were  required  to  constitute  a  true  believer,  be- 
sides a  mere  assent  to  these  things  ;  but  that  this  assent  is  then  true 
faith,  when  it  overcomes  the  will,  seasons  the  affections,  and  regu- 
lates our  lives  and  actions.  He  hath  true  and  saving  faith,  who 
believes  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  and  the  true  Messiah,  is 
come  into  the  world,  and  submits  his  conscience  and  his  conversa- 
tion to  the  consequences  of  such  a  belief ;  that  is  to  say,  to  love 
and  obey  him  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  World. 
Now  the  very  reason,  why  the  Scripture  doth  express  faith  by  an 
assent  unto  certain  propositions,  is,  not  that  such  a  dogmatical  faith 
as  rests  only  in  notion  and  speculation  will  suffice  to  bring  any  to 
heaven  and  happiness,  but  because  the  Holy  Ghost  aimed  chiefly 
at  that,  which  was  least  known  and  most  gainsayed  by  the  Jews 
and  the  unbelieving  world :  for  it  was  not  at  all  unknown  or  con- 
tradicted by  them,  that,  if  Jesus  Christ  were  the  Son  of  God  all 
adoration  and  obedience  ought  to  be  paid  unto  him ;  but  they  de- 
nied that  Jesus  was  this  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  World. 
Therefore  the  Scripture  reqxiires  an  assent  unto  these  propositions : 


203 


THE    DOCTRIXE  OF 


that  Jesus  is  the  Christ:  that  he  died  for  our  sins  and  rose  again  from 
the  dead:  and  calls  this  true  and  saving  faith,  because,  wheresoever 
this  assent  hath  its  due  and  proper  effect  to  engage  us  to  the  per- 
formance of  all  those  duties  which  naturally  depend  upon  it  and' 
flow  from  it,  there  this  faith  is  undoubtedly  justifying  and  saving. 

(4)  Some  make  faith  to  consist  in  the  hearty  and  sincere  Accept- 
ance of  Christ  Jesus,  in  his  Person  and  Offices ;  as  he  is  represented 
and  tenders  himself  unto  us,  in  his  Gospel. 

These  Offices  of  Christ  are  three. 

[1]  He  is  our  Prophet,  to  instruct  us  in  the  will  of  God,  and  to 
declare  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation. 

[2]  He  is  our  Priest,  to  expiate  our  sins  and  reconcile  us  unto 
God  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  and  to  present  our  duties  and  ser- 
vices to  God  by  his  prevailing  and  eternal  intercession. 

[3]  He  is  our  King,  to  rule  and  govern  us,  by  the  laws  of  his 
"Word,  and  by  the  conduct  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 

And  whosoever  he  be,  that  doth  cordially  and  entirely  receive 
Christ  in  all  these  offices  and  submit  his  soul  to  the  authority  of 
them,  he  is  the  person,  whose  faith  will  justify  him  ;  for  he  believes 
to  the  saving  of  his  soul. 

Now  between  this  description  of  faith  and  the  former,  there  is  no 
such  difference,  but  that  they  may  very  amicably  conspire  and  be 
joined  in  one.  For  he,  that  gives  a  firm  Assent  to  all  the  Truths 
of  the  Gospel,  doth  thereby  own  his  subjection  to  the  prophetical 
office  of  Christ,  as  the  great  teacher  and  doctor  of  his  Church.  And 
if  this  assent  influence  both  his  affections  and  his  conversation,  it 
will  make  him  likewise  submit  to  the  priestly  office  of  Christ,  in 
relying  only  upon  his  merits  for  the  pardon  of  his  sins  and  eternal 
salvation ;  and  also  to  his  kingly  office,  in  submitting  to  his  scep- 
tre and  conforming  his  heart  and  life  according  to  his  holy  laws. 

Yet,  to  proceed  a  little  more  exactly  in  this  matter,  let  us  ob- 
serve, that  when  we  speak  of  a  true,  saving,  and  justifying  faith,  it 
is  not  any  one  single  act,  either  of  knowledge  or  will ;  but  a  com- 
plicated grace,  made  up  of  many  particular  acts,  and  is  nothing  else 
but  the  motion  of  the  whole  soul  towards  God  and  Christ.  Por  we 
are  not  now  speaking  of  faith,  philosophically  taken ;  for  that  is 
no  other  than  a  bare  act  of  the  understanding,  assenting  to  the  truth 
of  a  testimony :  but  we  speak  of  faith  in  a  theological  and  moral 
sense ;  and  so,  though  it  bear  the  name  but  of  one  grace,  yet  it 
consists  of  many  acts  of  the  soul.  It  supposes  knowledge :  it  con- 
notes assent :  it  excites  love,  and  engages  to  obedience :  yet  still, 
that,  which  gives  it  the  formal  denomination  of  Faith,  is  Assent  to 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


209 


the  Truth.  As  for  Assurance,  I  look  upon  that,  not  as  a  distinct 
part  of  faith,  but  a  high  and  exalted  degree  and  measure  of  it :  not 
vouchsafed  to  all,  scarseto  any  at  all  times ;  but  only  to  some  few, 
through  the  special  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  with  their  spirits. 

So  that,  if  we  would  at  once  see  in  brief  what  a  True  and  Saving 
Faith  is,  we  may  take  the  sum  of  it  in  this  description.  It  is  when 
a  sinner,  being,  on  the  one  hand,  thoroughly  convinced  of  his  sins, 
of  the  wrath  of  God  due  to  him  for  them,  of  his  utter  inabilit}^ 
either  to  escape  or  bear  this  wrath ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  being 
likewise  convinced  of  the  sufficiency,  willingness,  and  designation 
of  Christ  to  satisfy  justice,  and  to  reconcile  and  save  sinners  ;  doth 
hereupon  yield  a  firm  assent  unto  these  truths  revealed  in  the 
Scripture,  and  also  accepts  and  receives  Jesus  Christ  in  all  his 
offices :  as  his  Prophet,  resolving  to^  attend  unto  his  teaching ;  as 
his  Lord  and  King,  resolving  to  obey  his  commands ;  and  as  his 
Priest,  resolving  to  rely  upon  his  sacrifice  alone ;  and  doth  accord- 
ingly submit  to  him,  and  confide  in  him  sincerely  and  persever- 
ingly.  This  is  that  faith,  which  doth  justify  ;  and  will  certainly 
save  all  those,  in  whom  it  is  wrought. 

3.  The  nest  thing  propounded,  was  to  open  the  Nature  of  that 
Obedience,  which  the  Covenant  of  Grace  requires  as  necessary  to  Sal- 
vation. 

This  I  shall  do  very  briefly.  And,  therefore,  I  take  it  for  granted, 
that  obedience  is  required  under  the  Covenant  of  Grace  as  strictly 
as  ever  it  was  under  the  Covenant  of  "Works ;  and  required,  not 
only  to  show  our  gratitude  and  thankfulness,  but  necessarily  and 
indispensibly  in  order  to  the  obtaining  of  heaven  and  eternal  life. 

If  I  should  quote  to  you  all  the  Scriptures,  which  are  plain  proofs 
for  this,  I  should  repeat  a  great  part  of  the  Bible.  The  Moral  Law 
requires  perfect  obedience  from  us,  and  condemns  every  failure  as 
sinful :  and  this  Moral  Law  is  still  in  force  even  to  believers  them- 
selves ;  commanding  and  requiring  from  them  the  highest  degree 
of  obedience,  as  absolutely  and  authoritatively  as  if  they  were  to  be 
saved  by  a  Covenant  of  Works :  for  faith  makes  not  void  the  pre- 
ceptive part  of  the  Law.  But  the  Covenant  of  Grace  insists  not  so 
much  on  the  measure  and  degree  of  our  obedience,  as  on  the  qual- 
ity and  nature  of  every  degree,  that  it  be  sincere  and  upright. 

Yet,  certainly,  that  is  not  sincere  obedience,  which  doth  willingly 
and  allowedly  fall  short  of  the  highest  degree  of  perfection.  For 
this  sincerity  consists  in  an  universal  hatred  of  all  sin,  without 
sparing  or  indulging  ourselves  in  any ;  and  in  an  universal  regard 
of  every  command  of  God's  Law,  not  dispensing  with  nor  exempt- 

Vol.  ii. — 14 


210 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


ing  ourselves  from  the  most  difficult,  severe,  and  opposite  duty  to 
flesh  and  blood,  that  is  therein  enjoined  us. 

Lie,  whose  conscience  can  thus  testify  to  him,  that,  though  he 
doth  too  often  transgress  and  offend,  yet  he  ever  hates  what  he 
sometimes  doth  ;  that  he  abhors  every  false  way  ;  that  he  opposes 
and  resists,  and  is  rather  through  the  subtlety  of  Satan  and  the  de- 
ceitfulncss  of  sin  surprised  unawares,  than  voluntarily  and  pre- 
mcditalcly  contrives  and  determines  to  sin;  and,  though  he  doth 
fall  infinitely  short  of  the  exact  strictness  and  holiness  of  the  Law, 
yet  that  he  hath  a  cordial  respect  to  all  God's  commandments,  and 
doth  both  desire  and  endeavour  to  conform  his  life  and  conversa- 
tion to  that  most  perfect  rule;  that  man  may  certainly  know,  that, 
let  his  obedience  be  more  or  less  perfect,  according  to  the  greater 
or  less  measures  of  sanctifvim*  ^race  received  from  God,  vet  it  is 
such  as  the  Covenant  of  Grace  requires,  and  God  will  accept  unto 
his  salvation.  But,  let  no  one  take  this  for  an  encouragement  of 
sloth  and  nesdisrence  in  God's  service:  for  let  not  that  man  think 
that  his  obedience  is  sincere,  who  doth  not,  with  unwearied  pains 
and  industry,  strive  to  his  very  utmost  to  please  and  serve  God  in 
all  things.  But,  for  those,  w  hose  consciences  bear  them  witness 
that  they  do  so,  let  them  know,  for  their  comfort,  that,  though  they 
fall  far  short  of  what  they  should  and  would  be,  yet  the  sincerity 
of  their  obedience  is  accounted  and  accepted  with  God  for  perfection. 

When  God  first  established  the  Moral  Law,  which  was  when  he 
first  wrote  it  upon  the  heart  of  Adam,  he  made  it  a  covenant,  that 
whosoever  should  answer  the  perfection  of  that  law  should  obtain 
life:  but,  by  the  Fall  we  having  lost  the  power  of  obedience,  the 
grace  of  the  Gospel  promiseth  acceptance  to  our  imperfect  obedi- 
ence, if  performed  sincerely.  The  Law  requires,  as  necessary  to 
our  conformity  to  God's  purity  and  holiness,  that  our  duties  be  per- 
fect :  the  corruption  of  our  nature  makes  them  imperfect  and  de- 
fective, both  from  their  rule  and  pattern.  The  Covenant  of  Grace 
requires,  as  necessary  to  salvation,  that  that  obedience,  which  ought 
to  be  perfect  according  to  the  rule,  but  is  imperfect  by  reason  of 
our  corruption,  should  be  sincere  and  upright :  and  this,  God  will 
accept  and  crown  with  eternal  life  and  glory. 

And  thus  I  have  opened  to  you,  as  briefly  and  clearly  as  I  could, 
both  what  Justification,  Faith,  and  Evangelical  Obedience  are. 

■i.  There  remaineth  but  one  thing  more,  which  when  I  have  fin- 
ished, I  shall  close  up  this  subject  of  the  Doctrine  of  th«  Cove- 
nants :  and  that  is,  to  show  what  influence  Faith  and  Obedience  have 
into  our  Justification  and  Salvation.    And  here, 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


211 


(1)  I  shall  lay  down  these  following  Positions. 

[1]  That  faith  doth  not  justify  us,  as  it  is  in  itself  a  Work  or 
Act  exerted  by  us. 

It  is  true,  the  Apostle  tells  us,  Eom.  iv.  22,  that  Abraham's  faith 
was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness :  but  this  cannot  be  understood 
literally  and  properly,  as  if  the  very  act  of  believing  were  his  right- 
eousness ;  for  then  it  would  contradict  many  other  places  of  Scrip- 
ture, asserting  that  Christ  Jesus  is  our  righteousness.  It  must 
therefore  be  taken  tropically,  as  relating  to  Christ :  that  is,  faith  is 
our  righteousness  no  otherwise,  than  as  it  makes  over  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  unto  us  ;  and  not  as  it  is  in  itself  a  work  or  grace. 
For,  did  it  justify  us  as  a  work,  then  the  Apostle,  Eom.  iv.  5,  had 
very  incongruously  opposed  him  that  worketh,  to  him  that  believeth : 

To  him  that  icorketh  not,  but  believeth  his  faith  is  counted  for  right- 

.  eousness :  for  were  faith  our  righteousness  as  a  work,  then  he,  that 
believeth,  would  be  he,  that  worketh ;  and  his  work  would  be  ac- 
counted to  him  for  righteousness.  Neither,  indeed,  is  it  any  whit 
less  absurd,  to  think  that  our  faith,  which  is  an  imperfect  grace,  can 
yet  be  a  perfect  and  complete  righteousness :  for  faith  itself  hath 
its  manifold  failings,  and  is,  as  one  saith  well,  like  the  hand  which 
Moses  stretched  out  in  working  of  miracles ;  for,  as  that  hand  was 
smitten  with  leprosy,  to  show  that  it  was  no  efficacy  in  the  hand 
itself  that  wrought  those  wonders,  so  even  the  faith  that  justifies 
hath  a  leprosy,  an  uncleanness  cleaving  to  it,  to  show  that  it  justi- 
fies not  by  its  own  virtue,  not  as  it  is  a  work  and  act  of  ours,  for 
so  itself  needeth  justification. 

[2]  Neither  doth  faith  justify,  as  it  is  the  Fulfilling  of  the  Con- 
dition of  the  Covenant  of  Grace  :  He,  that  believeth  shall  be  saved. 

For,  as  I  have  observed  before,  faith  is  not  properly  and  imme- 
diately the  condition  of  this  covenant,  but  remotely  and  secondarily. 
For  we  must  resolve  this  covenant  thus :  He  that  can  produce  a 
perfect  righteousness,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he,  that  believes,  shall 
have  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ  made  his  :  so,  from  the  first 
to  the  last,  Me,  that  believeth  shallbe  saved.  Where  it  is  to  be  noted, 
that  faith  is  not  made  the  immediate  condition  of  salvation ;  but 
only  it  is  the  immediate  condition  of  obtaining  an  interest  in  a  per- 
fect righteousness,  by  which  we  are  justified  and  saved. 

[3]  Faith  justifying  neither  as  a  work  nor  as  a  condition,  and 
therefore  not  as  being  itself  our  righteousness,  it  remains,  that  it 
must  needs  justify  as  it  gives  us  a  Right  and  Title  to  the  Righte- 
onsness  of  another,  even  of  Jesus  Christ. 

So  that  we  are  not  so  properly  justified  by  faith,  as  by  the  righte- 


212 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


ousness.  which  faith  apprehends  and  applies  :  for,  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  being  made  ours,  God  is  engaged  in  justice  to  justify  us, 
because  then  we  are  righteous  persons.  This  virtue,  that  faitli  hath 
to  justify,  is  not  its  own;  neither  proceeds  from  itself,  but  from  the 
object,  which  it  apprehends  and  makes  ours,  viz.,  the  Righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  by  which  we  arc  justified,  directly  and  immediately; 
but  by  faith,  only  correlativcly  and  metonymically,  as  it  relates 
unto  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  When  the  woman  was  healed 
only  by  touching  of  Christ's  garments,  the  virtue  that  healed  her 
proceeded  not  from  her  touch,  but  from  him  whom  she  touched: 
yet  our  Saviour  tells  her,  that  her  faith  had  made  her  whole : 
Matt.  ix.  22,  which  can  no  more  be  properly  understood  of  her  faith, 
than  of  her  touch  ;  for  still  the  healing  virtue  was  from  Christ,  con- 
veyed to  her  by  her  faith,  and  that  faith  testified  by  her  touch  :  so, 
when  we  say  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  we  must  understand  that, 
faith  doth  it  not  through  its  own  virtue,  but  by  virtue  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  which  is  conveyed  to  us  by  our  faith.  This  Righte- 
ousness of  Christ,  as  I  have  observed  before,  is  both  a  Righteous- 
ness of  Satisfaction  and  of  Obedience  ;  for  we  need  both  unto  our 
Justification  :  and  these  must  be  made  ours,  or  else  we  can  never 
be  justified  by  them:  ours,  they  cannot  be  naturally,  as  wrought 
out  by  ourselves ;  consequently,  they  must  be  ours  legally,  and  by 
imputation ;  the  Law  looking  upon  what  our  Surety  hath  done,  as 
though  we  had  done  it,  and  accordingly  dealing  with  us. 

Now  if  we  can  but  apprehend  Iioav  faith  makes  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  to  be  ours,  it  will  be  very  easy  and  obvious  to  apprehend 
the  way  and  manner  how  we  are  justified. 

To  clear  up  this,  therefore, 

[4]  Faith  makes  the  righteousness  of  Christ's  satisfaction  and 
obedience  to  be  ours,  as  it  is  the  Bond  of  that  Mystical  Union,  that 
there  is  between  Christ  and  the  believing  soul. 

If  Christ  and  the  believer  be  one,  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
may  well  be  reckoned  as  the  righteousness  of  the  believer.  Nay, 
mutual  imputation  flows  from  mystical  union :  the  sins  of  believers 
are  imputed  to  Christ,  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  them ; 
and  both  justly,  because  being  united  each  to  other  by  mutual  con- 
sent (which  consent  on  our  part  is  faith)  God  considers  them  but  as 
one  person.  As  it  is  in  marriage,  the  husband  stands  liable  to  the 
wife's  debts,  and  the  wife  stands  interested  in  the  husband's  pos- 
sessions; so  it  is  here:  faith  is  the  marriage-band  and  tie  between 
Christ  and  a  believer  ;  and,  therefore,  all  the  debts  of  a  believer  are 
chargeable  upon  Christ,  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  instated 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


213 


upon  the  believer  :  so  that,  upon  the  account  of  this  marriage-union, 
he  hath  a  legal  right  and  title  to  the  purchase  made  by  it.  Indeed 
this  union  is  a  high  and  inscrutable  mysterj ;  yet  plain  it  is,  that 
there  is  such  close,  spiritual,  and  real  union  between  Christ  and  a 
believer  :  the  Scripture  often  both  expressly  affirms  it,  1  Cor.  vi.  17  ; 
He,  that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit ;  and  also  lively  illus- 
trates it  by  several  resemblances.  It  is  likewise  plain,  that  the 
band  of  this  union,  on  the  believer's  part,  is  faith :  consult  Rom. 
chap.  xi.  ver.  17,  compared  with  the  20th  verse.  And,  therefore, 
from  the  nearness  of  this  union,  there  follows  a  communication 
of  interests  and  concerns  :  insomuch,  that  the  Church  is  called  Christ, 
1  Cor.  xii.  12;  So  also  is  Christ;  and  their  sufferings  called  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  Col.  i.  24.  Acts  ix.4.  So,  likewise,  from  this  mystical 
union,  the  sins  of  believers  are  laid  upon  Christ,  and  his  righteousness 
imputed  unto  them  :  see  this  as  to  both  parts,  2  Cor.  v.  21 ;  He  hath 
made  him  to  he  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin  ;  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him :  and,  Gal.  iii.  13, 14.  He  hath  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  Law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us....That  the  blessing 
of  Abraham  might  come  on  us.  It  is  still  upon  the  account  of  this 
union,  that  Christ  was  reckoned  a  sinner,  and  we  are  reckoned  as 
righteous.  And,  therefore,  as  Faith  is  the  bond  and  tie  of  this 
union,  so  it  is,  without  more  difficulty,  the  way  and  means  of  our 
Justification  :  by  faith,  we  are  united  unto  Christ ;  by  that  union, 
we  have  truly  a  righteousness ;  and,  upon  that  righteousness,  the 
justice  of  God,  as  well  as  his  mercy,  is  engaged  to  justify  and 
acquit  us. 

And  thus  you  see  this  great  truth  explained,  of  Justification  by 
Faith ;  which  hath,  indeed,  been  as  great  a  torment  and  vexation 
to  men's  understandings  to  conceive  how  it  should  be,  as  it  hath 
been  peace  and  quiet  to  their  consciences  in  the  certainty  it  was  so. 
And,  if  these  things  were  duly  pondered,  they  might  perhaps  put 
a  speedy  issue  to  many  laborious  and  testy  disputes ;  especially 
concerning  faith's  instrumentality  and  causality  in  our  Justification. 

(2)  Concerning  Obedience,  or  Good  Works,  two  things  remain 
to  be  inquired  into.  Their  Necessity  and  Influence  into  Salvation, 
or  our  obtaining  the  state  of  eternal  glory.  Their  Necessity  and 
Influence  into  Justification,  which  gives  us  a  right  and  title  to  that 
eternal  glory. 

[1]  The  Covenant  of  Grace  requires  Good  Works  of  Believers, 
as  Necessary  to  Salvation. 

There  is  a  lazy  and  lethargic  error,  that  hath  seized  on  many, 
who  make  Christ  not  only  their  Surety  to  work  out  a  righteous- 


2U 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


ness,  but  also  their  Servant  to  work  out  an  obedience  and  holiness 
for  them.  "What  need  they  pray,  or  hear,  or  perform  any  other 
duty  of  religion  or  obedience  ;  for  Christ  hath  done  all  for  them, 
and  if  they  believe  they  are  sure  of  being  accepted  and  saved  ?  and, 
therefore,  they  count  it  the  sign  of  a  legal  spirit,  to  do  any  more 
than  idly  sit  down,  and  believe  ;  expecting  to  be  carried  to  heaven 
in  such  a  vain  dream  and  contemplation.  Here, 

1st.  It  is  true,  that  obedience  is  not  necessary  as  the  Procuring 
or  Meritorious  Cause  of  salvation. 

In  respect  of  merit,  we  are  to  sit  down  and  believe ;  and  those 
good  works  are  saucy  and  sacrilegious,  that  aim  at  heaven  upon  the 
account  of  desert :  Eph.  ii.  8,  9  ;  By  grace  are  ye  saved....not  of  works. 
Indeed  the  Scripture  doth  frequently  call  salvation  by  the  name 
of  a  reward :  Col.  iii.  24  ;  Of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  reward  of 
the  inheritance.  Heb.  xi.  26  ;  He  had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of 
the  reward.  And  it  doth  as  frequently  call  the  obedient  worthy  of 
this  reward  :  Luke  xx.  35  ;  They  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to 
obtain  the  world  to  come,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  2  Thess 
i.  5  ;  That  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Yet 
neither  of  these  expressions  doth  amount  to  a  proper  merit ;  such  as 
commutative  justice  may  require,  where  the  price  must  full  y  answer 
the  value  of  the  thing  purchased  :  but  only  such  a  merit  and  worthi- 
ness, as  ariseth  from  the  free  promise  of  God.  God  hath  promised 
salvation  to  those,  who  obey  him  ;  and,  therefore,  because  of  this 
promise,  it  is  bestowed  upon  them  as  a  reward  of  their  obedience  : 
and  they  are  said  to  be  worthy  of  such  a  reward,  not  because  their 
obedience  is  in  itself  worthy  of  it ;  but,  rather,  because  it  is  worthy  of 
God  to  stand  to  his  word,  and  to  fulfil  the  promise  he  hath  made. 

2dly.  Good  works  are  necessary  to  eternal  salvation,  though  not 
as  the  meritorious  cause  of  the  reward,  yet  as  the  Disposing  Cause 
of  the  Subject ;  for  these  are  they,  which  do  dispose  and  prepare 
us  for  salvation. 

And  therefore  the  Apostle,  Col.  i.  12,  speaks  of  being  made  meet 
to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  Avith  the  saints  in  light,  If  a  wicked 
person  should  be  made  partaker  of  this  inheritance,  how  strange, 
how  vexatious  a  thing  would  it  be  to  him,  to  spend  an  eternity 
there  in  holiness,  who  had  here  spent  all  his  time  in  sin  and  wicked- 
ness! And,  therefore,  God  accustoms  them,  whom  he  saves  by 
ordinary  means,  unto  the  work  of  heaven  while  they  are  here  on 
earth.  Let  those  consider  this,  to  whom  holiness  is  so  irksome  and 
unsuitable  now :  it  is  utterly  impossible,  that  such  men  can  be  made 
happy  and  blessed ;  for,  if  God  should  take  them  up  to  heaven  with 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


215 


their  natures  unchanged,  unrenewed,  he  would  only  free  them  from 
a  painful  hell,  to  sentence  them  to  a  troublesome  one.  How  shall 
they  sing  the  Song  of  the  Lamb,  who  never  had  their  hearts  and 
voices  tuned  unto  it  ?  Or  how  shall  they  endure  to  behold  the 
glorious  majesty  of  God  face  to  face,  who  never  before  saw  him  so' 
much  as  darkly  through  a  glass  by  the  eye  of  faith  ?  It  is  a  perfect 
torture,  for  eyes,  locked  up  in  a  long  and  dismal  darkness,  to  be 
suddenly  stretched  open  against  the  bright  beams  of  the  sun ;  and 
so  would  it  be,  if  men,  who  have  long  lived  in  a  blind  and  wicked 
state,  should  suddenly  be  stricken  with  the  dazzling  glory  of  hea- 
ven flashing  in  their  faces.  And  therefore  God  usually  prepares 
them,  both  to  do  the  work  and  to  bear  the  reward  of  heaven,  be- 
fore he  brings  them  thither.  It  is  said  of  the  godly,  Rev.  xiv.  13, 
that  thejT  rest  from  their  labours,  and  their  works  do  follow  them :  this  is 
especially  meant,  I  doubt  not,  of  the  reward  of  their  works ;  but 
yet  it  holds  true  also  of  the  works  themselves  :  though,  in  heaven, 
they  rest  from  their  labour  in  working  ;  in  working  against  temp- 
tations, against  corruptions,  and  under  afflictions  ;  yet  they  rest  not 
from  their  working,  for  those  very  works,  in  which  they  employed 
themselves  on  earth,  they  also  perform  in  heaven,  so  far  forth  as 
they  have  there  an  object  for  them.  "Were  it,  therefore,  only  to 
dispose  and  qualify  the  soul  for  the  everlasting  work  of  heaven,  this 
were  reason  and  ground  enough,  to  require  obedience  and  good 
works  as  necessary  to  salvation. 

3dly.  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  good  works  are  necessary,  upon 
the  absolute  and  sovereign  Command  of  God. 

If  God  should  command  good  works  for  no  other  end,  but  to 
show  the  authority  which  he  hath  over  us,  and  for  us  to  show  our 
obedience  again  unto  him ;  yet  that  cannot  be  any  longer  an  un- 
necessary thing,  which  the  Great  God  of  Heaven  and  Earth  en- 
joins. 1  Thess.  iv.  3  ;  This  is  the  will  of  God:  i.  e.  this  is  the  great 
command  of  his  revealed  will,  even  your  sanctification.  And  we  are 
said  to  be  the  workmanship  of  God,  created. ....unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them:  Eph.  ii.  10. 

4thly.    They  are  necessary,  as  a  Debt  of  Gratitude. 

If  we  had  no  other  law,  yet  Christian  Ingenuity  would  oblige  us 
to  obey  that  God,  who  hath  already  done  so  much  for  us,  and  from 
whom  we  expect  such  great  things  for  the  future.  Hath  God  given 
us  a  spiritual  life  in  present  possession,  and  an  eternal  life  in  re- 
version ;  and  is  it  possible  we  should  be  careless  of  his-honour  and 
service  ?  Certainly,  the  love  of  Christ  must  constrain  us  to  live  nr> 
longer  to  ourselves;  but  to  him,  who  died  for  us:  as  the  Apostle 
urgeth  it,  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15.    It  is  such  a  powerful  and  persuasive 


216 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


motive,  that  we  cannot  resist  it,  Avithout  the  blackest  brand  of  clis- 
ingenuity.  and  ingratitude.  Thus,  again,  the  Apostle  urgeth,  1  Cor. 
vi.  20 ;  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price :  therefore  glorify  God  in  your 
body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's.  So  that,  upon  the  account 
of  our  redemption,  we  are  obliged,  by  the  strictest  and  most  sacred 
bonds  of  gratitude,  to  serve  and  glorify  our  Redeemer.  Yet,  though 
this  be  the  sweetest,  it  is  not  the  only  tie  to  duty.  It  will  indeed 
be  so,  when  we  come  to  heaven :  but,  whilst  we  have  the  mixture 
of  a  base  and  sordid  spirit,  God  hath  not  left  his  service  to  stand  at 
the  courtesy  of  our  ingenuity ;  but  hath  laid  as  absolute  and  per 
emptory  commands  upon  us,  as  though  he  dealt  only  with  slaves 
and  vassals ;  and  yet  urgeth  it  as  much  upon  our  gratitude  and  in- 
genuity, as  if  the  only  prerogative  he  hath  over  us,  were  but  love 
and  friendship. 

5thl}-.  Obedience  and  good  works  are  necessary,  as  the  Way  and 
Means  whereby  we  must  obtain  salvation. 

And  so,  though  they  have  no  necessity  of  causality  in  procuring 
it  by  their  own  merit,  yet  they  have  a  necessity  of  order  or  method, 
according  to  which  God  will  bestow  it,  and  not  otherwise.  And 
therefore  the  Apostle  tells  us,  that  God  hath  fore-ordained  good 
works,  that  we  should  walk  in  them.  They  are  the  pathway,  that  he 
hath  chalked  out  for  us  to  heaven ;  and,  therefore,  as  ever  we  will 
arrive  thither,  it  is  necessary  that  we  walk  in  this  way.  Yea,  should 
it  be  supposed  that  an  elect  or  a  regenerate  person  should  forsake 
this  way  of  obedience,  and  betake  himself  unto  the  broad  way 
wherein  the  most  walk,  we  affirm  that  he  is  going  the  direct  and 
ready  road  to  hell ;  and  hell  he  cannot  escape,  unless  he  stop  and 
return.  Let  their  mouths,  therefore,  be  for  ever  silenced,  who  ex- 
claim against  the  doctrine  of  Justification  and  Salvation  by  Faith, 
as  that,  which  destroys  the  necessity  of  Good  Works.  We  are  far 
from  that  libertinism,  to  conclude,  that,  because  Christ  hath  obeyed 
the  whole  Law  for  us,  therefore  we  are  exempted  from  obedience. 
He  hath  done  for  us  whatsoever  was  required,  in  order  to  merit 
and  satisfaction ;  yet  he  hath  not  done  for  us  whatever  was  re- 
quired, in  order  to  obedience  and  a  holy  conversation ;  that  is, 
Christ  hath  done  his  own  work  for  us ;  but  he  hath  not  done  our 
work  for  us:  he  hath  done  the  work  of  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer; 
but  he  never  did  the  work  of  a  sinner,  that  stood  in  need  of  a  Re- 
deemer, so  as  to  excuse  him  from  it.  And,  therefore,  though  men 
may  be  justified  by  a  surety,  yet  they  cannot  be  sanctified  by  a 
surety,  but,  still,  holiness,  obedience,  and  good  works  must  be  per- 
sonal, and  not  imputative. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


217 


Thus  then  you  see  the  absolute  necessity  of  good  works,  in  those 
who  are  capable  of  performing  them,  in  order  unto  eternal  salva- 
tion. They  are  necessary,  not  indeed  as  the  meretorious  cause  of 
it,  but  as  a  preparing  and  disposing  cause ;  necessary,  by  God's 
absolute  and  indispensable  command  ;  as  a  debt  of  gratitude ;  and, 
lastly,  as  the  way  and  means,  by  which  alone  it  can  be  obtained. 
Thus  the  Apostle,  Heb.  v.  9  ;  Christ  is  become  the  Author  of  eternal 
salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him. 

[2]  The  next  thing  to  be  inquired  into,  is,  the  Necessity  and  In- 
fluence of  Obedience  and  Good  "Works,  into  our  Justification. 

And,  in  order  to  this,  I  shall  lay  down  these  following  particulars. 

1st.  Good  works,  or  obedience,  doth  not  justify  us  in  the  sight 
of  God,  as  it  is  itself  our  righteousness. 

This  is  the  main  scope  and  drift  of  the  whole  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans, and  of  a  great  part  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  It  were 
endless  to  cite  all  the  texts :  see  only  Eom.  iii.  20  ;  By  the  deeds  of 
the  Law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight:  and  v.  28,  the 
Apostle  lays  down  this  great  conclusion  as  the  upshot  of  his  dis- 
pute, Therefore  we  conclude,  saith  he,  that  a  man  is  justified.....without, 
the  deeds  of  the  Law :  and,  Gal.  ii.  16;  Knowing  that  a  man  is  not 
justified  by  the  deeds  of  the  Law.    It  is  needless  to  add  more. 

And,  therefore,  I  shall  only  answer  an  objection  or  two,  drawn 
from  Scripture,  against  this  doctrine.  For, 

(1st)  Some  may  say  that  the  Scripture  seems  to  attribute  Justi- 
fication unto  Works,  as  well  as  unto  Faith :  for  it  is  said  of  Phin- 
eas,  Psal.  cvi.  30,  31,  that  he  executed  judgment  (viz.,  in  killing 
Zimri  and  Cosbi)  and  that  was  imputed  unto  him  for  righteousness. 

But,  to  this,  the  answer  is  easy :  That  the  Psalmist  speaks  only 
of  the  righteousness  of  that  particular  act  of  Phineas,  that  it  was 
imputed  to  him  for  righteousness :  i.  e.  it  was  accounted  by  God  as 
a  righteous  deed ;  though,  perhaps,  others  might  censure  it,  as  pro- 
ceeding from  rash  and  unwarrantable  zeal,  acting  without  a  com- 
mission. But, 

(2dly)  The  great  place,  most  urged  and  insisted  on,  for  Justifi- 
tion  by  Works,  is  James,  chap,  ii.,  from  the  14th  verse  to  the  end  ; 
especially  verse  24  ;  Ye  see,  then,  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justi- 
fied, and  not  by  faith  only. 

Here  the  grand  difficulty  is,  how  we  shall  reconcile  St.  Paul,  as- 
serting, that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only  without  works,  with  St. 
James,  affirming  we  are  justified  by  works,  and  not  by  faith  only. 

To  this  I  answer :  That  there  is  no  opposition  at  all  between  the 
two  Apostles.    For  St.  Paul  only  excludes  works,  from  being  the 


218 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


■way  and  means  of  our  Justification  ;  and  St.  James  only-  excludes 
that  faith,  which  is  without  works.  St.  Paul  disputes  against  Le- 
galists and  Self-justiciaries,  who  trusted  to  their  own  works  to  just- 
ify them ;  and,  against  them,  he  lays  down  this  conclusion,  That  it 
is  faith,  and  not  works,  that  doth  justify :  but  St.  James  disputes 
against  the  Gnostics  and  Libertines,  who  trusted  to  an  outward  and 
fruitless  profession  of  faith,  or  rather  indeed  to  a  vain  fancy  instead 
of  faith ;  and,  against  them,  he  lays  down  this  conclusion,  That  not 
by  faith  only,  but  by  works,  a  man  is  justified.  St.  Paul's  scope 
is,  to  show  by  what  we  are  justified ;  and  that,  he  tells  us,  is  by 
faith  :  St.  James's  scope  is  to  show  what  kind  of  faith  that  is,  which 
must  justify  us ;  not  an  empty,  vain,  fantastical  faith,  but  such  as 
is  operative  and  productive  of  good  works :  his  intent  is  not,  to  ex- 
clude faith  from  our  justification,  no  nor  so  much  as  to  join  works 
with  it  in  partnership  and  commission  ;  for,  verse  23,  he  tells  us, 
tive  Scripture  was  fulfilled,  which  saith,  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it 
was  imputed  unto  him  for  righteousness :  the  very  place,  which  St. 
Paul,  Eom.  iv.  3,  Gal.  iii.  6,  makes  use  of  to  prove  Justification  by 
Faith :  and,  therefore,  when  he  saith  a  man  is  justified  by  works, 
he  contends  for  nothing  else  but  a  "Working  Faith :  Abraham,  saith 
he,  w as  justified  by  works,  ver.  21  :  if  you  ask  how  that  doth  appear, 
he  tells  you  it  "was  because  his  faith  was  imputed  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness: now  let  any  man  declare,  that  can,  what  sense  there  can 
be  in  this  proof,  if,  by  being  justified  by  faith,  he  should  mean  any 
thing  else  besides  a  working  faith.  So  that  the  upshot  of  all  that 
St.  James  here  intends,  is,  to  show  us,  that  the  faith,  which  justifies 
us,  must  be  a  faith  bringing  forth  good  works ;  and  that,  we  grant 
and  contend  for :  and,  likewise,  to  exclude  a  barren  speculative 
faith,  which  is  not  accompanied  with  good  works ;  to  exclude  it,  I 
say,  from  having  any  influence  into  our  Justification.    So,  in  the 

14th  verse,  What  doth  it  profit  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and 

have  no  works  ?  Can  faith  save  him?  i.  e.  Can  such  a  faith  as  hath 
no  works  save  him?  This  faith  he  calls  a  dead  faith  :  v.  17;  the 
faith  of  devils :  v.  19 ;  and  the  faith  of  a  vain  man :  v.  20 :  now  a 
dead  faith,  a  faith  that  may  be  in  devils  and  vain  men,  is  no  true 
faith,  nor  can  any  affirm  that  it  will  justify.  Thus  you  see  St. 
Paul  and  St.  James  fully  accorded,  about  this  doctrine  of  Justifica- 
tion by  Faith.  St.  Paul  affirms,  that  it  is  faith  alone  that  justifies: 
St.  James  denies,  that  a  lonely  faith  can  justify  :  and  we  assent  to 
both  as  true  ;  for  the  faith,  which  alone  justifies  us,  is  not  a  lonely 
or  solitary  faith,  but  accompanied  and  attended  by  good  works. 

That  is  the  first  particular.  Good  works  are  not  the  righteous- 
ness by  which  we  are  justified. 


THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 


219 


2dly.  Though  we  are  not  justified  by  works,  yet  good  works  are 
necessary  to  our  Justification,  so  that  we  cannot  possibly  be  justi- 
fied without  them. 

There  must,  at  least,  be  those  inward  good  works  of  sorrow  for 
sin,  hatred  of  it,  true  repentance  and  humiliation,  hope  in  the  par- 
doning mercy  of  God  though  Jesus  Christ.  Yea,  faith  itself  must 
be  in  the  soul  as  it  is  a  good  work,  before  it  can  justify  :  this  is  evi- 
dent; fur  if  faith  justify,  and  a  justifying  faith  be  a  good  work 
(though  it  doth  not  justify  as  it  is  so)  then  some  good  work  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  Justification.  Yea, 

3dly.  Good  works  are  absolutely  necessary,  to  perserve  the  state 
of  Justification  when  once  obtained. 

It  is  impossible  that  we  should  maintain  our  Justification,  with- 
out believing,  repenting,  mortifying  the  deeds  of  the  body,  and 
performing  the  duties  of  new  obedience  ;  all  which  are  good  works  ; 
and  the  reason  is,  because,  as  soon  as  these  cease,  their  contraries, 
which  are  utterly  inconsistent  with  a  justified  estate,  succeed  in  the 
room  of  them.  If  faith,  repentance,  and  mortification  cease,  it  is 
impossible  that  Justification  can  be  preserved ;  otherwise,  a  man 
might  be  a  justified  unbeliever,  a  justified  impenitent,  a  justified 
slave  to  his  lusts ;  which  is  a  contradiction.  You  see  then  that 
good  works  are  necessary,  both  for  the  first  obtaining  of  Justifica- 
tion, and  for  the  preservation  of  it  when  obtained.    Hence,  then, 

4thly.  "VVe  may  easily  determine  that  much  debated  question, 
Whether  good  works  be  required  in  the  Covenant  of  Grace  as  a 
condition  of  Justification. 

For  if,  by  a  Condition  of  J  ustification  we  negatively  understand  that, 
without  which  we  cannot  be  justified,  then  certain  it  is,  that,  in  this 
sense,  good  works  are  a  condition  of  it.  But,  if  we  take  condition  posi- 
tively, for  that,  whereby  we  are  justified,  so  not  works,  but  a  work- 
ing faith,  is  the  condition.  We  are  not  justified  by  works,  neither 
can  we  be  justified  without  them.  And,  therefore,  when  the  Apos- 
tle tells  us,  Rom.  iii.  28,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  without  the 
deeds  of  the  Law,  this  must  not  be  understood  without  the  presence 
of  works,  for  that  I  have  shown  you  is  necessarily  required,  but 
without  their  causality  and  influence  into  our  Justification.  Con- 
ditions we  may  call  them,  in  a  large  sense,  because  they  are  indis- 
pensable required  in  the  person  justified ;  but  they  are,  in  no  wise, 
causes  or  means  of  our  Justification. 

So  that,  you  see  the  doctrine  of  Justification  by  Faith  is  no  pat- 
ronage for  looseness  and  libertinism.  Good  works  are  now  as  ne- 
cessary under  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  as  ever  they  were  under  the 


220  THE    TWO  COVENANTS. 

Covenant  of  "Works ;  "but  only  to  other  ends  and  purposes.  The 
Covenant  of  Works  required  them,  that  we  might  be  justified  by 
them  ;  but  the  Covenant  of  Grace  requires  them,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  faith.  Let  none  think,  that  the  Covenant  of  Grace 
gives  any  dispensation  from  working ;  or  that  an  airy  and  specu- 
lative faith,  and  a  barren  and  empty  profession,  are  enough  to  an- 
swer the  terms  of  this  covenant :  Can  faith  save  him  ?  and  yet  what 
other  is  the  faith  of  many  professors  ?  Should  I  bid  them  show  me 
their  faith  by  their  works,  I  much  doubt,  that,  besides  phrases  and 
canting,  we  should  have  but  very  slender  evidences  of  +heir  Chris- 
tianity ;  and  yet  these  men  are  very  apt  to  condemn  others  for  carnal 
legalists,  and  low  attainers.  But  let  such  notionists  flatter  them- 
selves as  they  please ;  yet,  certainly,  they  will  find  such  low  attain- 
ers, who  work  out  their  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  more 
exalted  saints  in  glory,  than  those,  who  think  both  working,  fear, 
and  trembling  too  slavish  and  servile,  and  below  the  free  spirit  of 
the  gospel. 

Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the 

everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you 

that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight  through  Jesus  Christ:  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 


THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY  OF 


REGENERATION" ;    OR,    THE    NEW  -  BIRTH. 


Jesus  answered,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  lorn  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
John  iii.  5. 

The  former  part  of  this  chapter,  in  which  division  these  words 
fall,  reports  the  conference  that  passed  betwixt  Christ  and  Nicode- 
mus.  Their  discourse  is  concerning  the  great  mystery  of  the  New- 
Birth  ;  of  which  this  night-disciple  had  but  a  dark  and  midnight 
conception.  In  the  third  verse,  our  Saviour  startles  him;  and  as- 
serts, as  he  doth  again  in  the  text,  the  absolute  necessity  of  this 
great  change :  Except  a  man  be  horn  again,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.  In  the  verse  following,  Nicodemus  objects  against 
it ;  and  thinks  to  refute  the  Second  Birth,  by  such  pitifuj.  doting 
arguments,  as  might  alone  prove  him  twice  a  child :  Can  a  man, 
says  he,  he  horn  when  he  is  old?  Can  he  enter  the  second  time  into  his 
mothers  womb,  antd  he  born  f  No  doubt  but  this  learned  Rabbi 
thought  he  had  brought  a  gravelling  instance  against  this  new  doc- 
trine of  the  New-Birth.  Such  ignorant  pieces  are  the  most  wise 
and  learned,  when  they  attempt  by  reason  to  search  out  those  mys- 
terious effects  of  God's  Spirit,  which  cannot  be  known  otherwise 
than  by  illumination  and  experience.  Our  Saviour,  therefore,  in 
the  words  of  the  text,  takes  off  this  gross  and  ill-conceited  objec- 
tion :  and  tells  him,  that  he  speaks  not  of  a  carnal,  but  of  a  spirit- 
ual regeneration  and  birth ;  whereby  we  are  begotten  again  to  a 
lively  hope,  and  are  made  the  children  of  God :  and  so  silenceth 
those  impertinent  impossibilities,  on  which  Nicodemus  insisted : 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  can  in  no  wise 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

These  words  are  a  description  of  a  Christian's  New-Birth  :  which 
is  here  set  forth  both  by  the  Efficient  Cause  of  it,  Water  and  the 
Spirit:  and  also  by  the  absolute  Necessity  of  it  unto  eternal  life; 
without  this  no  man  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  that  is, 
into  heaven,  the  place  where  the  throne  of  God's  kingdom  is  es- 
tablished. 

To  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  may  admit  of  a  double  in- 
terpretation :  for  either, 

First.  By  Water  is  meant  Baptism ;  the  element  being  put  for 
the  ordinance,  which  is  the  sacrament  of  our  regeneration :  and  . 
thus  you  have  it  in  Eph.  v.  26.  where  the  Church  is  said  to  be 

(221J) 


222 


OP  REGENERATION: 


sanctified  and  cleansed,  through  the  washing  of  water.  There  is,  in- 
deed, a  Baptismal  Kegeneration,  whereby  all,  that  are  made  par- 
takers of  that  ordinance,  are,  according  to  Scripture  language,  sanc- 
tified, renewed,  and  made  the  children  of  God,  and  brought  within 
the  bond  of  the  covenant :  but  all  this  is  but  after  an  external  man- 
ner ;  as  being,  in  this  ordinance,  entered  members  of  the  Visible 
Church.  This  external  regeneration  by  water  entitles  none  to  eter- 
nal life ;  but,  as  the  Spirit  moves  upon  the  face  of  these  waters,  and 
doth  sometimes  secretly  convey  quickening  virtue  through  them. 

Now  if  you  take  this  being  born  of  water  to  signify  external  re- 
generation in  the  ordinance  of  Baptism,  the  question  will  be,  how 
it  can  be  verified,  that,  without  this,  none  can  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

It  was  a  mistake  of  some  of  the  Fathers,  and  among  them  of  St. 
Austin,  who  excluded  all,  both  infants  and  adult,  out  of  heaven 
that  died  without  Baptism ;  although  by  no  default  of  their  own, 
but  by  an  insuperable  necessity ;  unless  they  were  such  as  died 
martyrs,  their  being  baptized  with  their  own  blood,  as  St.  Austin 
speaks,  serving  them  instead  of  baptism  by  water.  But  this  opin- 
ion is  unwarrantable,  and  contrary  to  the  most  received  judgment 
of  the  Church  in  the  Primitive  Times  :  who,  if  they  had  thought 
this  Baptismal  Regeneration  was  indispensibly  necessary  to  salva- 
tion, would  not  certainly  have  stinted  and  confined  the  adminis- 
tration of  it  only  to  two  times  of  the  year,  Easter  and  Pentecost ; 
thereby  to  bring  upon  themselves  the  blood  of  their  souls,  that 
should  in  that  interim  have  died  without  Baptism.  Therefore  that 
opinion  was  rather  private,  than  the  public  judgment  of  the  Church, 
though  learned  men  were  of  it. 

Therefore,  if  you  will  understand  Baptism  by  being  born  of  wa- 
ter, if  it  be  true  that  none  are  saved  that  are  not  born  of  water ;  we 
must  distinguish  of  being  unavoidably  and  inevitably  deprived  of 
the  opportunity  of  Baptism,  and  a  wilful  contempt  of  it :  and,  in 
this  latter  sense,  must  our  Saviour's  assertion  be  understood.  He, 
that  contemns  being  born  by  Baptism,  and  out  of  that  contempt 
finally  neglects  being  baptised,  shall  never  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God:  but,  for  others,  whom  not  contempt,  but  necessity,  deprives 
of  this  ordinance,  the  want  of  it  shall  not  in  the  least  prejudice 
their  salvation. 

Secondly.  To  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  may  denote  to  us 
the  manner  of  the  Spirit's  proceeding  in  the  work  of  regeneration. 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit :  that  is,  except  he 
be  renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  working  as  water ;  leaving  the 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIKTIf. 


223 


same  effect  upon  the  soul  in  cleansing  and  purifying  it  from  sinful 
defilements,  as  water  cloth  upon  the  body  in  washing  off  contracted 
dirt  and  filth.  Nor,  indeed,  is  this  manner  of  expression  strange 
to  the  Holy  Scriptures  :  for  John  Baptist,  St.  Matt.  iii.  11,  speaking 
of  Christ,  tells  them,  that  he  should  baptize  them  with  the  Unhj 
Ghost  and  with  fire :  that,  is,  he  should  baptize  them  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  working  as  fire  :  for,  as  fire  eats  out  and  consumes  the  rust 
and  dross  of  metals  ;  so  those,  that  are  baptized  with  the  Spirit,  are 
as  it  were  plunged  into  that  heavenly  flame,  whose  searching  energy 
devours  all  their  dross,  tin,  and  base  alloy.  So  then,  here  also,  to 
he  horn  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  may  be  no  more  than  to  be  born 
of  the  Spirit,  purifying  the  soul,  even  as  water  purifies  the  body 
So  variously  is  the  efficiency  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  work  of 
regeneration,  expresse  in  Scripture  language :  it  consumes  our 
dross  as  fire,  and  washeth  off  our  filth  as  water. 

These  two  interpretations  may  be  given  of  the  text,  Except  a  man 
he  horn  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit:  that  is,  except  he  be  externally 
regenerated  by  Baptism,  when  he  hath  such  an  opportunity  to  re- 
ceive that  ordinance,  that  nothing  but  his  own  wilful  contempt  of 
it  can  hinder  it ;  and  be  also  internally  regenerated  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  working  a  mighty  and  thorough  change  upon  his  heart ;  he 
shall  never  be  saved.  Or,  again,  it  may  be  understood  thus  :  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  renewed  by  the  efficacy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  cleans- 
ing the  inward  man  from  sin,  as  water  cleanseth  the  outward  man 
from  filth,  he  shall  never  enter  into  heaven.  In  either  of  which 
senses  you  take  it,  the  words  will  well  bear  it. 

Having  given  you  this  explication  of  the  words,  for  the  more 
full  and  clear  prosecution  of  this  Doctrine  of  Begeneration,  it  wil 
be  expedient  to  show  you, 

I.  WHAT  THIS  NEW-BIRTH  OR  REGENERATION  IS. 

And  that  I  shall  do,  both  Negatively  and  Positively. 

i.  Negatively.    And,  here,  to  be  Born  Again  or  New-Born, 

1.  Is  not  to  have  any  essential  change  p>ass  upon  the  essential  parts 
of  human  nature. 

The  essential  parts  of  human  nature  I  call  the  soul  and  body  ; 
which  remain  the  same,  for  substance,  after  Regeneration,  as  they 
were  before.  Indeed  Flagicius  Illyricus,  that  held  original  sin  to 
be  of  the  substance  of  the  soul,  was  driven  by  force  of  consequence 
also  to  affirm,  that  Regeneration  made  a  change  in  the  substance 
and  essence  of  the  soul :  and  the  Familists,  of  late,  have  entertained 
strange  and  blasphemous  conceits  concerning  Regeneration,  as  if 
it  were  a  metamorphosis  of  the  creature  into  the  very  being  and 


224 


OF  REGENERATION: 


nature  of  God ,  making  that  change,  that  is  wrought  thereby,  to 
be  not  so  much  a  new  creature,  as  a  new  deity.  But  these  are  wild 
and  uncouth  fancies :  for,  if  Eegeneration  wrought  any  such  chango 
upon  man,  as  that  he  is  not  now  the  same  person  regenerated,  as  he 
was  unregenerated  ;  how  doth  the  Apostle  say,  1  Tim.  i.  13  ;  I  was 
before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and  injurious?  then  also  grace,  in- 
stead of  converting,  destroyed  the  sinner ;  and,  consequently, 
sinner  yet  was  or  shall  be  saved.  But  enough  of  this.  Grace, 
therefore,  makes  no  such  physical  change  upon  the  natural  being 
or  essence  of  man:  but  the  understanding,  will,  and  affections  are 
the  same  for  nature  and  essence,  in  the  regenerate  as  in  the  unre- 
geuerate;  but  only  they  are  rectified  and  endowed  with  infused 
habits. 

2.  Regeneration  is  not  a  conversion  from  an  idolatrous  and  an  erro- 
neous way  of  worship,  to  the  profession  and  aclcowledgment  of  the  true 
faith. 

Much  less,  then,  is  it  not  a  conversion  from  one  sect  and  party 
of  Christians  to  another :  as  many  ignorant  persons  suppose,  that, 
when  they  are  won  over  from  one  truth  it  may  be  to  an  error,  pre- 
sently they  think  they  are  converted  by  it,  because  they  join  in 
with  another  party  of  Christians.  But  there  may  be  Proselytes 
gained  over  to  the  Church,  either  from  Heathenism  or  from  Popish 
Idolatry,  whose  souls  notwithstanding  may  never  be  gained  over 
unto  Christ.  As  travellers,  that  come  into  a  foreign  land,  still  re- 
main subjects  to  their  natural  lord :  so  these  may  come  into  the 
Church,  which  is  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  upon  Earth ;  and  yet  still 
remain  slaves  to  their  natural  lord,  the  Devil.  Indeed,  I  find  in 
Scripture,  that,  when  Christ  and  his  Apostles  laboured  to  convert 
the  Jews  or  others  unto  the  profession  and  acknowledgment  of 
Christ,  and  to  bring  them  to  a  thorough  work  of  Regeneration,  the 
chief  thing  that  they  insisted  on  was,  to  persuade  them  to  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  "World. 
Now,  though  this  Dogmatical  Faith  is  not  Eegeneration,  yet  it  was 
then  almost  an  infallible  test  of  it ;  and,  to  persuade  them  to  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  was  to  prevail  upon  them  to  be 
truly  and  really  converted.  It  was  seldom  seen  among  those  Primi- 
tive Christians,  Avhere  there  were  no  carnal  respects  nor  outward 
advantages  that  could  commend  the  Gospel  to  the  secular  interests 
of  men ;  when  the  only  reward  of  professing  Christ,  was  reproaches, 
persecution,  and  martyrdom  :  seldom  was  it  seen,  that  any  were 
won  over  from  Heathenism  or  Judaism,  to  make  profession  of  the 
despised  name  of  Christ,  but  such,  as  were  inwardly  renewed  by 
that  almighty  grace,  that  can  conquer  all  the  despites  and  affronts 


OR,   THE   NEW  BIRTH. 


225 


of  the  world :  few  were  so  foolish  as  to  profess  Christ  in  hypocrisy, 
when  that  hypocrisy,  would  endanger  their  own  lives ;  and  yet,  be- 
cause it  was  but  in  hypocrisy,  it  could  gain  them  no  benefit  by  his 
death.  Therefore  it  is,  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of  those,  that 
made  a  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ,  as  if  they  were  regener- 
ated, because  it  was  then  almost  an  infallible  mark  of  it :  thus  you 
have  it  in  1  John  iv.  15.  Whosoever  shall  con/ess  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God:  so,  again,  in  chap. 
V.  1 ;  He,  that  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  horn  of  God.  But 
now,  when  the  very  name  of  a  Christian  is  become  a  title  of  honour, 
and  the  same  punishments  do  now  attend  the  denying  of  Christ 
that  then  attended  the  acknowledgment  of  him,  men  may  indeed 
be  called  by  his  name  that  never  were  effectually  called  by  his 
grace,  and  may  make  a  profession  of  the  true  faith  and  yet  remain 
Christian  Infidels. 

3.  The  reformation  of  a  dissolute  and  debauched  life,  falls  short  of 
this  spiritual  New-Birth. 

This  is  that,  with  which  many  do  soothe  up  themselves,  when 
they  reflect  back  upon  the  wild  extravagances  of  their  former  times: 
how  outrageously  wicked  they  were ;  drunkards,  unclean,  riotous, 
blasphemers,  swearers,  and  the  very  worst  of  sinners :  and,  now 
that  they  find  themselves  deadened  to  these  things,  and  that  they 
are  grown  men  of  stayed  and  sober  lives  and  conversations,  straight 
they  conclude,  that,  certainly,  such  a  great  change  as  this  is  could 
never  be  made  on  them  otherwise  than  by  a  renewing  work  of  the 
Spirit :  and,  yet,  this  amendment  there  may  be,  where  there  is  no 
Eegeneration.  Men  may  gather  up  their  loose  and  dissolute  lives 
within  the  compass  of  civility  and  moral  honesty,  and  yet  they 
may  be  utter  strangers  to  a  work  of  true  and  saving  grace :  and 
this  may  be  ascribed  to  two  grounds ;  partly,  to  the  convictions  of 
God's  Spirit  awakening  natural  conscience  to  see  the  horror,  and 
to  foresee  the  danger,  that  is  in  such  infamous  sins ;  and,  partly,  to 
prudence,  gained  from  the  frequent  experiences  that  they  have  had 
of  the  manifold  inconveniences  brought  upon  themselves  by  such 
sins  formerly.  These  two  may  make  a  great  amendment  in  men's 
lives  and  conversations ;  and,  yet,  both  these  convictions  and  pru- 
dence fall  far  short  of  true  regenerating  grace. 

All  the  seeming  amendment  of  such  men's  lives  may  be  effected 
two  ways  :  either  by  changing  their  sins,  or  by  tiring  out  the  sinner. 

(1)  The  life  may  seem  to  be  reformed,  when  men  only  change 
their  rude  and  boisterous  sins,  for  such  as  are  more  demure  and 
sober. 

•Vol.  ii. — 15 


OF  REGENERATION.: 


"When  men,  from  riotous,  grow  worldly  ;  when  from  profane  and 
irreligious,  they  grow  superstitious  and  hypocritical ;  from  atheists, 
to  be  heretics ;  when  men  make  this  change  of  boisterous  and 
roaring  sins,  for  those  that  are  more  demure  and  sober,  they  are  apt  to 
think  that  this  change  must  be  a  change  of  their  natures  :  whereas, 
indeed,  it  is  but  only  a  changing  and  bartering  of  their  sins ;  and 
usually  it  is  such  a  change  too,  that,  though  it  render  the  life  more 
inoffensive,  yet  it  makes  the  soul  more  incurable.  St.  Austin,  long 
since,  hath  told  us,  That  vices  may  give  place,  when  yet  no  virtue 
takes  it ;  but  one  vice  gives  place  to  another. 

(2)  The  life  may  seem  to  be  reformed,  when  men  are  only  tired 
out  with  the'r  ;ins,  or  have  outgrown  their  sins. 

There  are  sins,  that  are  proper  and  peculiar  to  such  a  state  and 
season  of  a  man's  life,  upon  the  altering  of  which  they  vanish  and 
disappear.  The  sins  of  youth  drop  off  in  declining  age,  being  then 
incongruous.  This  is  that,  which  deceives  many  :  when  they  look 
back  upon  those  numberless  vanities  that  they  have  forsaken  and 
shaken  off,  and  find  how  deadened  their  hearts  are  to  those  sinful 
ways  which  before  they  delighted  in,  they  conclude,  that,  certainly, 
this  great  change  must  needs  proceed  from  true  grace ;  whereas, 
indeed,  they  do  not  leave  their  sins  but  their  sins  leave  them,  and 
drop  off  from  them  as  rotten  fruit  from  a  tree  :  the  faculties  of  their 
souls  and  the  members  of  their  bodies,  that  before  were  instruments 
of  sin  unto  unrighteousness,  are  it  may  be  blunted  and  become 
unserviceable.  This  maim  of  nature  is  far  from  regenerating 
grace :  that  doth  not  disable  a  man  from  the  service  of  sin ;  but 
only  sets  him  free  from  it. 

4.  To  le  endowed  with  eminent  gifts  and  with  the  common  graces 
of  the  Spirit,  is  not  to  be  Regenerated. 

These  may  be  bestowed  upon  the  worst  of  men.  There  is  grace, 
that  renders  a  man  lovely  in  God's  eyes ;  and  there  is  grace,  that 
renders  a  man  lovely  only  in  men's  eyes.  Of  both  these,  one  and 
the  same  Spirit  is  the  author.  In  some,  the  Spirit  sanctifies  the 
heart ;  and,  in  others,  it  only  illuminates  the  head.  Balaam  was 
irradiated  with  the  supernatural  light  of  prophecy.  Judas  was 
dignified  with  the  extraordinary  office  of  the  apostleship ;  and  sent 
out  to  work  miracles,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  Apostles. 

Yea,  so  much  are  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  the  operations  of  the 
Spirit,  that  they  are,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  called  the  Holy  Ghost 
himself.  See  this  in  Acts  i.  4.  Christ  commands  his  Disciples 
there,  to  wait  at  Jerusalem  for  the  promise  of  the  Father:  that  is  for 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit ;  for  that  was  the  promise  of  the  Father :  and 


OB,   THE   N  E  W-B  IETH. 


227 


he  tells  them,  in  the  eighth  verse,  that  they  should  receive  power  af- 
ter that  the  Holy  Ghost  was  come  upon  them :  certain  it  is,  that  they 
had  already  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  sanctifying  graces  of 
it :  we  cannot  think  that  they  were  in  an  unregenerate,  unconverted 
estate,  after  Christ's  death  ;  but  they  had  not  as  yet  received  the 
plentiful  effusion  of  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  of 
speaking  with  tongues,  of  a  bold  and  ready  utterance,  of  working  of 
miracles,  and  the  like,  which  were  then  necessary  to  qualify  them  for 
the  successful  spreading  of  a  new  doctrine.  And  this  is  more  clear 
in  Acts  viii.,  when  Philip  preached  at  Samaria,  it  is  said  he  con- 
verted many,  in  verse  12,  so  that,  doubtless,  many  of  them  had 
received  the  Spirit  already,  in  its  saving  graces ;  and  yet  it  is  said, 
in  verse  16,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  fallen  upon  any  of 
them :  that  is,  though  they  were  converted,  yet  they  were  not  endowed 
with  those  wonderful  gifts  of  the  Spirit  before  mentioned,  which 
afterwards  they  received.  Had  we  been  among  them,  and  heard 
them  speak  of  Christ  and  Gospel  Mysteries  with  affections  and  con- 
victions beyond  natural  capacities  ;  had  we  heard  them  speak  un- 
studied languages,  and  seen  them  working  miracles,  healing  the 
sick,  raising  the  dead  ;  could  we  have  thought,  that  it  was  possible 
for  any  of  those,  who  were  so  favoured  and  filled  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  to  be  yet  in  an  unregenerate  state,  in  a  state  of  wrath  and 
damnation  ?  Yet,  that  there  might  some  of  them  be  so  is  clear : 
for  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  like ;  such,  who  had  tasted  of  the  hea- 
venly gift  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet  might 
fall  away,  Heb.  vi.  4,  6 :  that,  is,  there  were  those,  in  those  Primi- 
tive Times,  that  had  an  effusion  of  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  poured  out  upon  them ;  of  speaking  with  tongues,  of  a 
bold  and  ready  utterance,  of  working  of  miracles,  and  the  like ; 
and  yet  such  as  these,  that  had  tasted  of  these  heavenly  gifts,  and 
were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  fell  away,  that  is,  they 
were  never  truly  regenerate. 

And,  certainly,  if  these  extraordinary  gifts  might  be  found 
separate  from  true  grace,  much  more  may  those  inferior  gifts,  that 
the  Spirit  now  dispenseth  among  Christians  be  without  true  regen- 
erating grace.  A  man  may  discourse  of  spiritual  mysteries  copi- 
ously and  clearly :  he  may  have  gifts  of  knowledge  and  utterance : 
he  may  preach  with  evidence  and  demonstration,  and  pray  with 
enlargement  and  affection ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  all  this,  be  an 
utter  stranger  to  a  saving  work  of  grace.  Gifts  prove  nothing : 
these  gifts  may  be  but  the  gilding  of  a  rotten  post,  the  varnish  of 
a  corrupt  heart.    As  it  was  a  custom  of  old  to  crown  those  beasts' 


228 


OF  REGENERATION: 


heads  with  garlands  of  flowers,  that  were  ordained  to  be  a  sacrifice : 
so  God  may  sometimes  crown  the  heads  of  wicked  men  with  flowery 
parts  and  gifts,  whom  yet  he  intends  to  make  a  sacrifice  of  to  his 
wrath  and  justice. 

5.  A  civil  and  harmless  demeanor,  is  not  this  state  of  Regeneration. 

There  are  many,  that  are  of  a  good  nature,  that  live  blamelessly 
as  to  the  world,  and  that  nearly  resemble  grace :  such  as  St.  Paul 
was  ;  who,  speaking  of  himself  saith,  touching  the  Law,  he  was  blame- 
less :  and  such  was  the  young  man  in  the  Gospel,  that  came  to  Christ 
and  demanded  what  further  lesson  he  should  take  out ;  having 
obeyed  all  the  commands,  as  he  thought:  and,  yet,  this  also  is  short 
of  the  regenerating  grace  of  the  Spirit,  and  argues  only  a  sweet 
disposition,  not  a  gracious  heart. 

And  thus  you  see  how  easily  men  may  mistake  themselves  in 
the  great  work  of  regeneration,  upon  which  depends  their  eternal 
happiness ;  for,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  shall  never  see  the 
kingdom  of  God:  and  yet  it  is  too  much  to  be  feared,  that  many, 
yea  very  many,  rest  upon  these  things ;  and  think  the  great  deter- 
mining change  is  certainly  wrought  upon  them,  only  because  they 
are  morally  honest,  or  eminently  gifted,  or  much  reformed,  or 
gained  over  to  the  profession  of  the  truth  with  such  a  sect  or  party 
of  professors  ;  whereas,  indeed,  the  New-Birth  consists  in  none  of 
all  these  things. 

ii.  Briefly,  therefore,  to  inform  you  what  it  IS,  you  may  take 
it  thus : 

Regeneration  is  a  change  of  the  whole  man,  in  every 
part  and  faculty  thereof,  from  a  state  of  sinful  nature, 
to  a  state  of  supernatural  grace  ;  whereby  the  image  of 
god,  that  we  defaced  and  lost  by  our  first  transgression, 
is  again,  in  some  good  measure,  restored. 

1.  Now,  as  every  science  hath  its  Proper  Terms,  that  are  as  so 
many  keys  to  unlock  the  mysteries  contained  in  it :  so,  especially, 
divinity  abounds  with  terms,  that  are  peculiar  to  its  own  doctrine ; 
and,  in  no  one  point,  more  than  in  this  of  the  great  change,  that  a 
sinner  undergoes,  when  he  is  translated  from  a  state  of  nature  to  a 
state  of  grace. 

That  grace,  that  concurs  unto  this  great  change,  is  of  two  sorts : 
Either  such,  as  alters  the  relations,  wherein  we  stand  unto  God ; 
or  such,  as  alters  the  dispositions  and  habit  of  our  souls. 

Of  the  former  sort,  are  Election,  which  is  antecedent  to  our  Faith ; 
and  Reconciliation,  Justification,  Adoption,  and  Mystical  Union, 
which  are  consequents  unto  it.    Of  these  graces  it  is  not  my  busi- 


OR,    THE    N  E  W-B  IRTH. 


229 


ness  now  to  treat,  because  they  lodge  only  in  the  breast  of  God  ; 
and  their  formal  effect  is  not  a  supernatural  infusing  of  any  new 
habits  or  principles,  but  only  of  new  relations.  When  we  speak 
of  a  person  justified  and  adopted,  the  true  adequate  noti(fh  of  these 
terms  doth  not  declare  how  his  heart  is  changed  towards  God,  but, 
if  I  may  so  speak,  how  God's  heart  is  changed  towards  him;  not 
that  he  stands  otherwise  affected  unto  God,  but  otherwise  related 
to  God,  than  formerly :  of  a  guilty  malefactor,  he  becomes  ac- 
quitted and  accepted,  by  the  grace  of  Justification ;  and,  of  an  alien, 
he  becomes  a  son  and  heir,  by  the  grace  of  Adoption. 

But  then  there  are  other  graces,  that  are  inherent  in  us,  and 
work  a  mighty  change  in  our  moral  habits  and  principles ;  and 
whereby  we  also,  though  not  so  properly,  are  denominated  gracious. 
God  is  denominated  gracious,  by  the  grace  of  Justification,  Adop- 
tion, Mystical  Union,  and  Election :  and  we  are  denominated  graci- 
ous, by  the  habitual  graces,  that  his  Spirit  infuseth  into  us  and 
worketh  in  us.  And  these  are  every  where  besparkled  up  and 
down  in  the  Scripture,  where  it  speaks  of  Faith,  Love,  Patience, 
Self  denial,  Meekness,  Knowledge,  Temperance,  and  the  rest  of 
them :  these,  as  so  many  stars,  ought  continually  to  shine  forth  in 
a  Christian's  life,  and,  though  they  may  appear  very  differently, 
some  obscure  and  cloudy  and  others  bright  and  glittering,  some  at 
one  season  setting  and  others  at  another  season  rising,  yet  they  all 
make  up  but  one  constellation,  whereby  we  are  translated,  as  the 
Scripture  speaks,  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light. 

Now  the  framing  of  this  complexion  or  body  of  grace  in  the 
heart,  is  that,  which  we  call  Eegeneration ;  it  being  a  fixed  con- 
stellation of  all  the  several  graces  of  the  Spirit  in  the  heart. 

The  Scripture  gives  it  divers  other  appellations.  It  is  called 
the  new  man,  in  Eph.  iv.  24 :  the  new  creature:  Gal.  vi.  15  :  a  trans- 
formation into  the  image  of  God :  2  Cor.  iii.  18  :  a  participation  of 
the  divine  nature :  2  Pet.  i.  4 :  and,  in  other  places,  too  long  to  be 
insisted  on  now,  it  is  called  Conversion,  Effectual  Calling,  Sancti- 
fication,  and  Renovation :  and  sometimes,  too,  it  is  termed  by  the 
name  of  two  principal  graces,  the  two  greatest  limbs  of  the  New 
Man,  Faith  and  Repentance,  which  are  often  put  for  the  whole  wort 
of  Regeneration. 

All  these  expressions  set  forth  the  same  work  of  grace  upon  the 
heart,  though  they  may  be  understood  under  different  notions.  The 
New  Man  denotes  the  greatness  and  entireness  of  the  change.  The 
New  Creature  denotes  that  almighty  power,  whereby  that  entire 
change  is  wrought.    The  Image  of  God  and  the  Divine  Nature  de- 


230 


OF  REGENERATION: 


note  that  conformity,  that  is  thereby  made  in  us  to  the  holy  will 
and  nature  of  God.  Effectual  Calling  and  Conversion  denote  our 
returning  to  God,  after  our  wandering  and  straying  from  him. 
Sanctification  denotes  that  influence,  which  this  great  change  hath 
to  set  us  apart  for  God  from  common  uses ;  for  sanctification,  in 
propriety  of  speech,. signifies  a  separation  of  a  person  or  thing  from 
profane  and  ordinary  uses  to  the  service  and  glory  of  God :  indeed 
Sanctification  doth,  in  strictness  of  speech,  differ  from  Eegenera- 
tion,  though  commonly  we  use  them  promiscuously ;  for  Eegene- 
ration  is  the  implanting  of  the  habits  and  principles  of  grace,  but 
Sanctification  is  properly  the  strengthening  and  increasing  of  them : 
it  is  the  progress,  that  a  holy  soul  makes,  when  it  passes  on  from 
one  degree  of  grace  to  another. 

Eegeneration  is,  in  nature,  before  Justification ;  but  Sanctifica- 
tion follows  it. 

And,  hence,  we  may  observe  the  order,  in  which  the  Apostle 
rangeth  them  in  that  famous  place,  that  climax,  in  Eom.  viii.  29, 
30,  where  every  grace  is  a  round  of  the  scala  cxli,  that  Jacob's 
ladder,  whereby  we  ascend  up  to  heaven.  It  is  a  place,  if  any  in 
the  Book  of  God,  that  deserves  our  most  serious  thoughts.  Says 
the  Apostle,  Whom  he  did  foreknow,  them  he  also  did  predestinate. 
If  you  ask  wherein  God's  prescience  and  foreknowledge  differ  from 
predestination,  a  question  that  hath  caused  much  strife,  I  answer : 
Prescience  here  respects  the  end  :  predestination  respects  the  means, 
how  to  obtain  it.  So  that  the  sense  is  this  :  Whom  God  foreknew  that 
he  would  save,  them  he  did  predestinate  to  the  means  of  salvation. 
He  hath  predestinated  us,  says  the  Apostle,  that  we  might  be  confor- 
med to  the  image  of  his  Son :  that  is,  he  pre  lestinated  them  to  grace, 
which  is  the  way  and  means  to  glory.  So,  then  where  it  is  said 
whom  God  foreknew,  that  signifies  God's  purpose  and  intention  of 
saving  some :  where  it  is  said,  those  he  did  predestinate,  that  sig- 
nifies God's  purpose  of  calling  those,  whom  he  did  intend  to  save, 
unto  the  knowledge  of  his  Son,  and  to  the  means  whereby  he  might 
save  them.  It  follows,  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called: 
that  is,  with  an  effectual  call,  which  is  the  same  with  regeneration : 
whom  he  predestinated,  them  he  regenerated ;  and  whom  he  thus 
called,  or  regenerated,  them  he  also  justified.  Here  you  see  Justifica- 
tion is  put  after  Eegeneration,  though,  indeed,  in  order  of  nature, 
it  follows  Eegeneration  :  for  we  are  justified  by  faith ;  now  faith  is 
part  of  that  new  nature,  that  is  bestowed  upon  us  in  Eegeneration : 
we  are  justified  by  faith  ;  wherefore  faith  is  before  our  Justification, 
and  is  part  of  our  Eegeneration.    The  Apostle  now  proceeds  to  the 


OB,    THE    N  E  W-B  I  B  T  II. 


231 


last  link  of  this  golden  chain :  Whom  he  justifies,  them  he  also  glo- 
rifies :  where  we  may  observe,  that  it  is  at  least  probable,  that  the 
glorification,  that  the  Apostle  here  speaks  of,  may  not  be  the  Glory 
of  Heaven,  because  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  already  past  and  done  ; 
whom  he  hath  justified  he  hath  glorified  :  we  may,  without  offering 
violence  to  the  words,  interpret  it  of  Sanctification  ;  whom  he  hath 
justified,  them  he  hath  glorified,  that  is  sanctified  :  so  that  glorifi- 
cation here  is  no  more  than  Sanctification ;  for  Sanctification  is  also 

called  glory,  in  2  Cor.  iii.  18.    We  also  beholding  the  glory  of  the 

Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by 
the  Sjnrit  of  the  Lord  ;  from  glory  to  glory,  that  is,  from  one  degree  of 
Sanctification  to  another ;  for,  indeed,  holiness,  that  is  our  Sancti- 
fication, and  the  glory  of  heaven,  are  but  one  and  the  same  thing 
for  substance,  differing  in  degrees  and  circumstances. 

So  much  now  for  the  Names,  whereby  this  great  change  is  called. 

2.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the  Nature  of  it. 

Which,  because  it  is  a  mutation  of  the  whole  man,  we  cannot 
better  do,  than  by  considering  the  terms,  both  from  which  and  to 
which,  this  mutation  or  change  passeth. 

Let  us,  therefore,  first  take  a  view  what  man  is,  in  his  unregenerate 
state ;  and,  then,  behold  him,  as  he  is  new,  and  as  he  bears  the  g  o- 
rious  lineaments  of  God's  image  upon  his  soul. 

(1)  In  his  Unregenerate  State. 

I  shall  not  consider  him,  as  he  is  obnoxious  to  divine  wrath  and 
vengeance  ;  for,  so,  he  is  a  child  of  wrath,  an  heir  of  hell  ani  l  per- 
dition. But  I  shall  conside"  him,  as  he  stands  alienated  from  the 
divine  holiness  and  purity  ;  and  as  he  is  despoiled  of  all  those  choice 
perfections,  wherewith  his  nature  was  at  first  endowed. 

And,  here,  give  me  leave  to  represent  to  your  eyes  a  wretched 
and  sad  spectacle.  Whose  bowels  cannot  but  yearn,  to  read  that 
description,  which  the  Prophet  makes,  Ezek.  xvi.  4,  5,  of  a  poor, 
forsaken  infant,  swathed  in  its  own  blood,  cast  out  into  the  open 
field,  helpless  for  its  own  weakness,  and  loathsome  for  its  deformity  ? 
This  is  the  very  emblem  of  what  we  ourselves  are,  in  our  unregen- 
eracy ;  cast  out  to  the  loathing  of  our  persons,  rolling  ourselves  in 
our  own  filth,  and  impotent  that  we  cannot  help  ourselves. 

But  I  shall  not  stand  to  represent  it  to  you  in  generals.  To 
came  therefore  to  particulars,  I  shall  give  you  these  following  posi- 
tions ;  which  may  clear  up,  both  wherein  consists  the  state  of  unre- 
generacy,  and  also  the  misery  of  such  a  state. 

[1]  The  corruption  of  an  unregenrate  state  consists,  in  blottin  r 
out  the  Divine  image  ;  that  resemblance  of  God,  which  was  stamped 
upon  our  souls  in  our  first  creation. 


232 


OP  REGNERATION: 


What  the  Image  of  God  is,  I  shall  more  clearly  show  you  after- 
wards ;  and  how  it  is  again  restored  to  us  in  Regeneration.  In  the 
mean  time,  it  may  suffice,  that,  by  the  Image  of  God,  I  mean  those 
spiritual  habits  of  knowledge  and  holiness,  that  were  conferred  on 
Adam  in  his  first  creation,  and  on  us  in  him.  These  habits  were 
natural  to  him,  and  concreated  with  him  ;  whereby  his  understand- 
ing was  raised  to  a  clear  and  satisfying  knowledge  of  divine  truths, 
and  his  will  inclined  to  a  free  and  unforced  performance  of  divine 
and  spiritual  actions :  in  this  consisted  a  great  part  of  the  Image 
of  God.  It  consisted  also,  in  the  harmonious  subordination  of  the 
inferior  faculties  to  the  superior ;  the  will  being  subject  to  the  dic- 
tates of  the  understanding,  and  the  affections  subject  to  the  com- 
mands and  sovereignty  of  the  will.  But,  now,  all  this  is  lost :  in 
our  unregenerate  state  we  are  deprived  of  it ;  and  there  is  nothing, 
but  ruin  and  an  undigested  chaos  left  in  an  unregenerate  soul. 
Darkness  covers  the  face  of  the  understanding,  that  great  deep ;  and 
disorders  and  tumults  sway  the  affections  contrary  to  the  guidance 
of  the  will,  and  these  sway  the  will  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  rea- 
son :  so  that  it  is  a  state  of  mere  confusion,  disorder,  and  rebellion; 
as  of  man  against  God,  so  also  of  man  against  himself.  It  is  a  state 
of  utter  blindness  and  impotency  :  When  we  were  weak,  then  God 
sent  his  Son  in  the  likeness  of  flesh.  Yea,  it  is  not  only  a  state  of 
weakness,  but  it  is  also  a  state  of  spiritual  death :  You  hath  he 
quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins:  Eph.  ii.  1. 

[2]  The  corruption  of  an  unregenerate  state  consists,  in  our  aver- 
sion from  God,  and  in  our  inordinate  conversion  to  the  creature. 

And  this  necessarily  follows,  upon  the  loss  of  God's  Image.  The 
soul  of  man  is  still  an  active,  busy  creature;  and  must  still  be  put- 
ting itself  forth  in  actions  suitable  to  its  own  nature.  Now  while 
it  did  enjoy  God's  Image,  it  had  power  to  point  every  motion  of 
the  soul  to  God,  and  to  fix  upon  God  both  as  the  object  and  end  of 
all  its  actions,  and  that  made  them  all  to-be  holy  and  divine :  but, 
being  now  deprived  of  the  Image  of  God,  the  soul  grovels  here  be- 
low ;  and,  instead  of  aspiring  unto  God,  pitches  its  affections  and 
thoughts  only  upon  the  creature  :  and  this  becomes  sin  and  misery 
to  it ;  not  because  it  affects  the  creature  simply,  but  because  it  af- 
fects the  creature  in  an  inordinate  manner,  that  is,  without  affect- 
ing God  the  Creator.  Briefly  and  plainly,  the  soul  must  have  an 
inclination  and  propension,  one  way  or  other :  to  incline  to  the 
obeying  and  loving  of  God,  it  cannot  now,  without  the  Image  of 
God,  that  should  raise  up  the  affections  of  the  soul  to  a  spiritual 
pitch.    Now  this  Image  of  God  we  are  deprived  of,  and  that  justly 


OK,   THE   NEW- BIRTH. 


233 


too,  by  our  Fall :  and,  therefore,  now  the  whole  bent  and  inclina- 
tion of  the  soul,  that  ought  to  be  carried  out  to  God,  but  cannot, 
pitcheth  upon  what  it  can,  and  that  is  upon  the  creature ;  those 
things,  that  please  the  carnal  sensual  appetite,  and  that  in  an  inor- 
dinate manner,  to  the  neglect  and  slighting,  yea  to  the  contempt 
and  hating,  of  God.  And  this  is  the  state  of  the  soul  in  its  unre- 
generacy. 

[3]  This  corruption  of  an  unregenerate  state  is  spread  over  every 
power  and  faculty  of  the  soul ;  not  one  escaping  the  contagion  of  it. 

But,  yet,  as  the  sea  is  called  by  divers  names,  according  to  the 
divers  countries  and  shores  that  it  flows  along  by  ;  so  also  this  cor- 
ruption of  our  nature  is  termed  diversely,  according  to  the  divers 
faculties  and  powers  of  the  soul  that  it  hath  depraved.  In  the  un- 
derstanding, it  is  called  blindness  and  darkness ;  in  the  will,  stub- 
bornness and  perverseness :  in  the  affections,  it  is  called  disorder, 
sensuality,  and  irregularity :  and  yet,  still,  it  is  the  same  corrup- 
tion of  unregeneracy,  in  every  one  of  them,  the  same  body  of  sin 
and  death ;  though  styled  thus  diversely,  according  to  the  divers 
faculties  that  it  doth  infect. 

[4]  This  corruption  of  an  unregenerate  state  is  unweariedly 
working  out  itself,  in  every  act  and  motion  of  our  souls. 

Not  so  much  as  one  good  thought  could  ever  yet  escape  to  heaven 
free  from  it.  It  is  as  a  corrupt  fountain,  continually  sending  forth 
corrupt  and  bitter  streams  ;  and,  though  these  streams  take  several 
courses,  and  wander  severally  into  several  ways  and  channels,  yet 
they  all  taste  of  the  same  brackishness :  so,  though  the  soul  is  va- 
rious in  its  actions,  yet  all  its  actions  have  a  taint  and  relish  from 
the  same  corruption,  that  corruption  that  hath  tainted  the  fountain. 

[5]  Hence  it  follows,  that,  whatsoever  an  unregenerate  man  doth, 
it  becomes  sin  to  him. 

And  that,  whether  you  consider  his  religious,  or  his  civil  and 
ordinary  actions.  If  you  take  the  most  splendid  and  gorgeous  du- 
ty of  an  unregenerate  man,  when  it  is  performed  with  the  most 
pomp,  when  his  affections  are  most  upon  the  wing,  when  he  is  in 
the  highest  elevation  of  soul;  yet  this  glittering  duty  is  nothing 
else  but  the  steam  and  reeking  of  corruption,  and  so  becomes  of- 
fensive unto  God,  there  being  nothing  of  grace  in  it  to  perfume  it. 
Hence  the  Psalmist  speaks,  in  Psal.  cix.  7 ;  Let  his  prayer  become 
sin :  and,  says  the  Wise  Mao,  The  prayer  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomi- 
nation to  the  Lord;  Prov.  xv.  8.  The  best  duties  of  unregenerate 
men  are  no  better,  in  God's  account  and  acceptance,  than  abomina- 
tion, the  cutting  off  a  dog's  neck,  or  as  the  offering  up  of  swine's  blood, 


234 


OF  REGENERATION: 


or  whatever  else  the  soul  of  God  doth  most  abhor ;  and  how  then 
might  such  unresrenerate  men  wish  themselves  rather  stocks  or 
stones,  senseless  and  unacted  things,  than  such  as  they  are,  men  of 
vigorous  and  active  principles ;  since  every  imagination  of  their 
hearts,  and  ever}'  motion  of  their  souls,  is  only  evil  before  God ! 
There  is  nothing,  that  such  men  do,  in  the  whole  course  of  their 
lives,  but,  at  the  Last  Day,  it  will  be  found  in  God's  register-book 
among  the  catalogue  of  their  sins.  Yea,  even  their  commendable 
and  necessary  actions :  The  'plowing  of  the  wicked,  says  the  "Wise 
Man,  is  cui  abomination  to  the  Lord:  this  man  eats  and  drinks,  plows 
and  sleeps,  and  hath  done  so  many  thousands  of  such  and  such 
natural  actions ;  but  he  hath  done  them  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy, 
and  therefore  they  stand  all  upon  the  account  for  so  many  thou- 
sand sins.  Nay,  he  hath  prayed  so  often,  and  heard  so  often,  made 
so  many  prayers,  and  heard  so  many  sermons,  and  done  many  good 
works ;  but  yet,  all  this  while,  he  was  in  an  unconverted  estate : 
these,  therefore,  are  set  down  in  God's  day-book,  in  black ;  and 
they  are  registered  among  those  sins,  that  he  must  give  an  account 
for,  not  for  the  substance  of  the  actions  themselves,  but  because 
they  come  from  rotten  principles,  that  defile  the  best  actions  which 
he  can  perform.  His  eating,  as  well  as  his  gluttony ;  his  drink- 
ing, as  well  as  his  drunkenness;  his  converse,  negotiation,  and 
trafficing,  as  well  as  his  covetousness,  and  inordinate  love  of  the 
world ;  are  all  set  down,  and  reckoned  by  God  for  sins,  and  such 
sins  as  he  must  reckon  for  with  God. 

I  speak  not  these  things  to  discourage  any,  that  may  suspect 
themselves  to  be  in  an  unconverted  estate,  from  the  performance 
either  of  the  duties  of  religion,  or  the  necessary  and  civil  affairs  of 
this  life :  you  cannot  possibly  sit  still  and  do  nothing  :  or,  if  you 
do  sit  still  and  do  nothing,  yet  your  idleness  will  be  a  sin.  But  I 
speak  this  only  to  show  the  absolute  necessity  of  Regeneration ; 
for,  without  this  inward  principle  of  grace,  no  action,  how  moral, 
how  precious,  how  religious  or  necessary  soever,  but  will  be  cata- 
logued down  m  God's  day-book  among  the  number  of  men's  sins. 

(2)  Having  now  considered  the  terminum  a  quo,  from  which  we 
pass  to  this  great  change,  let  us  now  consider  what  it  is,  that  we 
acquire  by  the  term  to  which  we  pass.  And  that  I  told  you,  when 
I  gave  you  the  description  of  Regeneration,  is  the  Image  of  God. 
Of  this  I  spake  somewhat  before,  but  shall  now  do  it  more  fully. 

The  image  of  God  is  taken,  in  Scripture,  in  two  senses. 

First.  For  the  Essential  and  Coeternal  Image  of  God  the  Father. 
And,  so,  Christ  is  called  the  Image  of  God,  in  Col.  i.  15.    He  is  the 


OB,    THE  NEW-BIRTH, 


235 


image  of  the  invisible  God,  says  the  Apostle.  So  also,  Heb.  i.  3.  lie 
is  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  that  is,  of  God's  glory ;  and  he  is  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person.  Indeed,  it  is  infinitely  past  our  reach,  to 
conceive  what  a  wonderful  impression  that  was,  that  stamped  the 
Image  of  the  Father  upon  the  Son,  in  such  a  sort,  as  to  be  the  same 
in  substance  and  duration  with  the  original  itself. 

Secondly.  Therefore,  to  come  nearer  to  our  purpose,  the  Image 
of  God  is  taken  sometimes,  in  Scripture,  for  that  Eesemblance  of 
God,  that  is  upon  the  Soul  of  Man.  And  so  it  is  said,  in  Gen.  i. 
27  ;  that  God  created  man  in  his  own  image.  Now,  to  be  this  image, 
implies  two  things.  First:  a  likeness  and  similitude,  that  man 
bears  unto  God.  Secondly  :  it  implies,  that  God  made  himself  the 
pattern  and  exemplar,  when  he  drew  this  likeness  of  himself  upon 
man.  Two  things,  or  two  persons  may  be  like  each  to  other,  which 
yet  properly  are  not  said  to  be  the  one  the  image  of  the  other,  un- 
less the  one  be  made  purposely  to  resemble  and  represent  the  other: 
as  milk  is  said  to  be  like  milk,  but  yet  one  part  is  not  said  to  be 
image  of  the  other.  So,  then,  when  it  is  said,  God  made  man  after 
his  own  image,  it  implies  a  likeness  in  him  unto  God ;  and  it  im- 
plies also,  that  this  likeness  is  wrought  in  him  by  God,  purposely 
to  resemble  him. 

Now,  here,  to  clear  our  passage,  I  shall  consider  Three  things. 

Wherein  the  Image  of  God  consisted,  in  which  man  was,  in  his 
primitive  state,  created.  "What  parts  of  that  Image  are  lost  and 
defaced  by  the  Fall ;  and  what  of  it  still  remains  upon  the  soul. 
And,  "What  of  that  Image  is  again  renewed  and  restored,  in  our 
Eegeneration. 

[1]  "What  that  primitive  Image  of  God  was,  in  which  he  created 
man.    I  answer  Negatively  and  Positively. 

1st.  Negatively.  The  image  of  God  doth  not  consist  in  any  cor- 
poreal resemblance  of  him,  or  bodily  similitude  to  him. 

For  our  bodies,  though  they  are  of  an  admirable  composure,  yet 
they  carry  in  them  no  resemblance  of  God,  who  is  a  spirit,  and  who 
is  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh.  The  learned  do  well  distinguish, 
betwixt  Imago,  and  Vestigium  Dei.  There  are  qusedam  vestigia  Dei, 
"certain  footsteps  of  God,"  printed  upon  every  creature ;  by  the 
tracing  of  which  footsteps,  we  may  find  out  his  infinite  power  and 
godhead,  as  the  Apostle  speaks.  Thus,  there  is  not  the  least  pile  of 
grass  but  points  upwards  to  God,  as  its  wise  and  powerful  Maker : 
there  is  not  the  least  leaf,  but  hath  written  upon  it  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  God.  Every  creature,  brute  and  inanimate,  bears  the 
print  of  God's  footsteps  upon  it.  And,  of  this  rank,  are  our  bodies ; 


236 


OF  REGENERATION": 


bearing  upon  them  qusedam  vestigia,  some  footsteps  and  tracks  of 
God :  and,  by  how  much  the  more  wonderfully  they  are  framed 
and  organized,  in  which  respect  the  Psalmist  saith,  /  am  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made;  by  so  much  the  more  discernible  are  the 
footsteps  of  God  seen  in  our  bodies,  than  in  the  bodies  of  other 
creatures :  but  yet  this  is  not  sufficient  to  make  them  Images  of 
God ;  for  they  have  not  in  themselves  any  resemblance  of  the  di- 
vine nature,  neither  are  they  spirits  nor  intellectual  substances  a& 
God  is ;  and  therefore,  though  they  are  said  to  bear  the  print  of 
God's  footsteps,  yet  they  are  not  said  to  bear  God's  Image  :  indeed 
there  were  some,  that  were  called  Anthropomorphites,  that  fancied 
God  to  be  corporeal ;  and  that  ascribed  to  him  all  members  in  pro- 
priety, that  the  Scripture  ascribed  to  him  in  condescension,  as  hands, 
head,  eyes,  and  feet,  and  the  like ;  and,  consequently,  thought  that 
God  framed  man's  body,  according  to  the  image  of  his  own :  but 
this  is  a  stupid  error ;  and  a  heathen  orator  had  more  true  infor- 
mation in  this  point,  when  he  tells  us,  That  the  virtues  of  man 
make  him  to  be  more  like  to  God,  than  his  shape  doth  :  so,  then,  it 
is  not  the  body  of  man,  that  is  the  Image  of  God. 

2dly.  Positively.  And  so  we  may  take  notice,  that  the  Image 
of  God  consists, 

(1st)  In  such  perfections,  as  are  spiritual :  I  say,  in  such  spiritual 
perfections,  as  are  essential  and  necessary  to  man  as  man :  such  as 
the  rational  soul  itself,  together  with  those  powers  and  faculties 
that  are  necessarily  subjected  and  seated  in  it ;  as  the  understand- 
ing, will,  and  affections. 

For,  by  these,  man  may  be  said  to  bear  the  Image  of  God,  be- 
cause these  have  in  them  some  faint  glimpses  and  shadows  of  divine 
essence.  The  soul  is  a  spirit ;  and  so  is  God :  the  soul  is  an  intel- 
lectual and  free  agent ;  and  so  is  God.  Indeed  the  resemblance 
betwixt  God  and  us,  even  in  this  very  thing  in  which  we  bear  some 
resemblance  of  God,  is  infinitely  unsearchable  and  great.  Mark 
that  place,  for  the  confirmation  of  this,  in  Gen.  ix.  6.  He,  that 
sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed:  for  in  the  image 
of  God  made  he  man.  Wherein  lies  the  force  of  this  reason  ?  Do 
not  all  affirm,  that  man  lost  the  Image  of  God,  by  his  sin  and  fall  ? 
Or,  did  God  hereby  intend  to  secure  the  lives  of  the  regenerate, 
that  have  this  image  again  restored  to  them  ?  No,  but  the  weight 
of  the  reason  lies  in  this,  that  every  man,  whether  regenerate  or 
wicked,  still  bears  the  Image  of  God,  even  in  this,  that  he  hath  a 
spiritual  soul,  and  that  he  hath  an  intellectual  mind,  that  he  hath  a 
free  and  self-determining  will :  and,  therefore,  whosoever  murders 


OR,    THE    NEW  BIRTH. 


237 


man  deserves  death,  because  lie  murders  God  in  Effigies ,  lie  mur 
ders  the  Image  of  God.  This  now  is  one  part  of  the  Image  of  God  ; 
the  spiritual  soul,  and  the  rational  powers  and  faculties  of  it. 

(2dly)  Another  part  of  God's  Image  consists  in  those  habitual 
perfections  of  man's  human  nature,  that  were  not  essential  to  him  : 
but  rather  ornamentive ;  and  necessary,  not  simply  to  his  being, 
but  rather  to  his  well-being. 

To  make  man  a  rational  creature,  it  was  simply  necessary  to 
breathe  into  him  a  rational  soul ;  and  it  was  also  necessary,  that  that 
rational  soul  should  be  endowed  with  faculties,  with  understanding, 
will,  and  affections. 

But,  over  and  above  these  necessary  things,  God  gave  him  right- 
eous habits,  that  might  rectify  those  faculties :  and  these  are  Three : 

[1st]  God  darted  into  his  Understanding  a  clear  and  exact  know- 
ledge ;  not  only  of  those  things  that  are  natural,  but  of  those  things 
that  are  divine  also. 

Of  his  knowledge  in  things  that  are  natural,  we  have  a  clear  in- 
stance ;  when,  as  all  creatures  passed  before  Adam  as  servants  to 
do  homage  to  their  lord,  he  was  able,  by  a  transient  view  and  in- 
tuition of  them,  to  give  them  all  names  according  to  their  several 
natures.  And  his  knowledge  of  the  divine  nature  appeared  hence, 
because  his  love  of  him  was  perfect :  and  how  could  he  love  God, 
if  he  had  not  known  him  ?  Now,  in  this  particular  of  knowledge, 
man  nearly  resembled  God,  in  his  first  estate :  for  God's  infinite  de- 
light is  in  the  knowledge  and  contemplation  of  himself,  and  of  his 
works ;  and  so  also  was  man's.  But  yet  this  knowledge  was  not 
omniscience  ;  for  there  were  many  things,  doubtless,  that  man  was 
then  ignorant  of:  but  he  knew  whatever  was  necessary  and  ex- 
pedient for  him  to  know ;  and  that  was  sufficient  for  the  happiness 
of  his  estate,  and  for  the  end  for  which  he  was  created. 

[2dly]  Man's  will  was  endowed  with  a  habitual  proneness  and 
inclination  to  all  good. 

There  were  then  no  such  bandyings  in  his  will,  as  now  the  holiest 
saints  complain  of:  but  the  will  clasped  about  every  good  and  holy 
object,  that  was  presented  to  its  choice ;  and  that  it  did,  freely  and 
fully,  with  entireness  and  delight. 

[3dly]  His  Affections  also  were  all  holy,  and  all  of  them  subject 
to  his  holy  will. 

Now,  the  best  complain,  it  is  seldom  that  they  will  what  is  good : 
and  when  they  have  a  will  to  it,  yet  they  cannot  do  what  they 
would :  the  good,  which  they  would  do,  they  cannot  do.  But,  in 
our  first  blessed  estate,  there  was  a  harmonious  obedience,  in  all 


238 


OF  REGENERATION: 


the  passions  and  in  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  unto  the  command 
of  the  will,  without  the  least  tumult  or  disorder.  There  were,  in- 
deed, motions  of  the  affections  and  passions  in  Adam,  as  of  love, 
hope,  joy,  and  the  like ;  but  it  was,  as  some  divines  express  it,  as 
the  bubbling  of  clean  water  in  a  clear  chrystal  vial,  that  raised  no 
defilement :  whereas,  now,  it  is  in  us  like  the  working  of  the  sea,  that 
casteth  out  mire  and  filth. 

These  affections  were  under  the  command  of  the  will  then  ;  and 
that,  both  as  to  the  continuance  and  as  to  the  degrees  of  them. 

a.  As  to  the  continuance  of  them. 

The  will  might  command  them  on  and  off,  at  its  pleasure.  They 
fixed  upon  nothing,  but  what  holiness  directed  them  to :  and  they 
made  their  stay  no  longer,  than  the  same  holiness  commanded. 
Like  the  Centurion's  Servants,  they  went  and  came  at  the  word  of 
their  superior. 

b.  As  to  the  degrees  of  them. 

Now  we  find  it  a  hard  task,  to  set  bounds  to  our  love,  fear,  joy, 
and  the  like :  we  cannot  give  way  to  them,  without  running  into 
strange  excesses  and  intemperance  :  our  love  is  become  fondness : 
our  joy  is  become  wantonness :  our  fear  is  turned  into  a  chilling 
ague  :  and  our  anger  into  a  burning  fever.  But,  in  our  first  blessed 
estate,  all  these  passions  were  guided  by  holy  reason :  both  for 
their  objects,  upon  which  they  ought  to  fix;  and  also  for  their  mea- 
sures, how  far  they  ought  to  let  forth  themselves. 

And  thus  I  have  opened  the  first  proposal ;  delineating  fo  you 
obscurely  the  Divine  Image :  for  the  best  and  most  comprehensive 
notions  and  words  of  men  can  but  obscurely  trace  out  the  tracks, 
lines,  and  figures  of  the  glorious  Image  of  God,  which  the  creating 
finger  of  the  Almighty  at  first  drew  upon  the  soul  of  man ;  which, 
when  we  compare  it  with  the  ruins,  and  rubbish  of  our  present  state 
of  misery,  may  administer  just  cause  of  shame,  grief,  and  sorrow. 

[2]  Let  us  now  consider,  what  parts  of  this  Image  are  lost  and 
defaced  by  our  Fall ;  and  what  of  it  still  remains  in  every  man,  as 
well  unregenerate  as  regenerate. 

1st.  That  part  of  the  Image  of  God,  that  consisted  in  those  things 
that  are  essential  to  man,  is  not  lost. 

As  the  soul ;  and  its  faculties  of  understanding,  will,  and  affec- 
tions :  these  still  remain  the  same,  for  substance,  as  they  did  before. 

2dly.  Some  unregenerate  men  retain  many  rare  natural  perfec- 
tions of  these  faculties. 

Some  of  them  grow  up  in  all  ornamentive,  excellent  parts; 
searching  judgments,  deep  knowledge:  when  others  are  born  fools 


OR,    THE    X  E  W  -  B  I  R  T  II. 


239 


and  idiots,  and  are  deprived  of  the  use  of  common  reason.  Now 
though  reason  and  knowledge,  even  in  natural  things,  be  some  part 
of  God's  Image,  that  all  men  have  equally  forfeited ;  yet  God  is 
pleased  to  restore  this,  in  a  great  measure,  sometimes,  to  some  un- 
regenerate  men,  when  he  denies  it  to  others:  yea,  it  may  be,  his 
own  children  do  not  enjoy  it  in  the  same  degree.  This  part  of  God's 
Image  is  dispensed,  in  common,  both  to  good  and  bad ;  and,  many 
times,  the  wicked  have  a  greater  share  in  it  than  the  holy.  These 
gifts,  though  they  bear  some  weak  and  obscure  resemblance  of 
God,  he  keeps  in  the  hands  of  his  Common  Providence  ;  and  scat- 
ters upon  the  generality  of  men,  in  some  measure :  unto  these  we 
have  all  lost  a  right  and  title,  but  we  have  not  all  lost  the  actual 
possession  of  them ;  but  God  restores  them  to  unregenerate  men, 
as  he  pleaseth. 

3dly.  As  for  that  part  of  the  Image  of  God,  that  consists  in  holy 
habits,  in  spiritual  knowledge  and  righteousness,  these  we  have 
utterly  lost  and  defaced. 

The  mind  is  become  palpably  dark ;  muffled  up  in  error  and 
ignorance  :  the  will  and  affections  are  violently  and  unweariedly 
bent  upon  the  pursuit  only  of  what  is  evil.  And  this  is  the  misery 
of  our  Fall :  thus,  is  our  glory  stained,  and  our  silver  become  dross. 

[3]  Let  us  now  consider,  what  of  the  Image  of  God  is  again  re 
stored  to  us,  in  our  Eegeneration. 

1st.  To  this  I  answer,  briefly  :  Eegeneration  restores  to  us  that 
part  of  God's  Image,  that  consists  in  holy  and  spiritual  habits,  that 
rectify  the  operations  of  our  natural  faculties  and  powers. 

The  mind  is  illuminated  with  true  knowledge  :  the  will  is  made 
compliant  to  God's  will ;  and  the  affections  are  called  off  from  the 
pursuit  of  vanity,  and  set  upon  spiritual  and  heavenly  objects. 
And  this  is  that  Image  of  God,  that  is  drawn  upon  our  souls  in  our 
Eegeneration,  whereby  we  are  made  like  to  God  ;  yea,  so  like  to 
him,  that  the  Apostle,  in  2  Pet.  i.  4,  calls  it,  a  participation  of  the 
divine  nature.  There  are,  indeed,  some  strictures  and  beams  of  the 
holiness  of  God  himself  shining  in  a  regenerate  soul ;  though  infi- 
nitely more  weak  and  waterish,  than  those  in  God's  infinitely  holy 
essence.    And,  here,  observe  Two  things. 

(1st)  That,  in  the  very  instant  of  our  Eegeneration,  all  the  graces 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  implanted  in  us,  at  once :  for  they  are  all 
linked  together ;  and  whoever  receives  any  one  grace,  receives 
them  all. 

There  are  faith  and  love,  and  the  fear  of  God,  and  patience,  and 
humility,  and  self-denial,  and  the  rest  of  the  train  of  glorious 


2-iO 


OF  REGENERATION. 


graces :  for  each  of  these  is  a  lineament  and  feature  of  the  Divine 
Image,  without  which  it  were  not  complete.  And,  therefore,  that 
Christian,  that  can  but  find  any  one  grace  wrought  and  acted  iD 
him  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  may  comfortably  conclude  that  he  hath 
all  other  graces,  at  least  in  the  habits  and  principles  of  them  :  they 
may  all  be  weak,  indeed :  but,  yet,  not  any  one  of  them  is  wanting. 
And  it  may  also  serve  to  stir  us  up,  since  we  have  graces  of  all 
sorts  that  lie  latent  within  us,  not  to  yield  to  any  corruption  or 
temptation :  as  that  with  which  we  cannot  grapple,  so  as  to  come 
off  with  victory  and  conquest :  for  our  Regeneration  furnishes  us 
with  all  grace ;  and  there  is  no  particular  sin,  but  we  may  within 
ourselves  find  a  particular  grace  opposite  to  it,  if  we  would  but  stir 
up  and  rouse  it. 

(2dly)  Observe  also,  That  the  Holy  Ghost  is,  in  a  peculiar  way, 
the  author  of  this  our  conformity  and  similitude  unto  God. 

For  he  it  is,  that,  according  to  the  ceconomy  and  dispensation 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  begets  us  after  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God.  And,  therefore,  the  text  speaks  of  being  born  of  the  Spirit. 
And,  so,  in  Scripture,  we  have  frequent  mention  made  of  the  Seal 
of  the  Spirit :  2  Cor.  i.  22,  and  Eph.  i.  13.  Now  a  seal  doth  two 
things  :  it  not  only  confirms  the  deed,  to  which  it  is  annexed  ;  but 
it  also  conforms  the  wax,  upon  which  the  seal  is  imprinted,  to  re- 
ceive its  own  stamp  and  image.  So,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  doth 
incubare  animse,  when  it  "  rests  upon  the  soul,"  it  casts  and  moulds 
it  into  its  own  image  and  shape ;  and,  of  a  fleshly  carnal  soul,  it 
makes  it  become  spiritual,  like  to  itself :  and  therefore  says  our  Sa- 
viour, in  John  iii.  6  ;  Thtit  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit ;  be- 
cause the  Spirit  of  God  begets  in  its  own  likeness.  It  is  like  the 
seal  on  the  wax,  that  leaves  its  stamp  upon  it :  so,  the  soul  being 
sealed  by  the  Spirit,  it  leaves  its  own  stamp  and  impression  upon  it. 

2dly.  But,  betwixt  that  Image  of  God,  which  the  Spirit  stamps 
upon  us,  in  our  Regeneration  ;  and  that  Image  of  God,  in  which  we 
were  created  ;  there  is  a  twofold  difference  observable. 

(1st)  That  Image  of  God,  which  is  restored  to  us  in  our  Regenera- 
tion, though  it  hath  a  perfection  of  parts,  yet  hath  not  a  perfection 
of  degrees. 

The  Image  of  God,  in  which  man  was  at  first  created,  had  them 
both :  it  included  all  graces ;  and  it  included  them  all,  in  their 
height  and  in  their  glory.  Now,  though  the  regenerate  are  as  ex- 
tensively holy  as  Adam  was  ;  and  have  as  many  graces,  yea  more 
too,  as  some  think,  than  ever  Adam  had :  yet  they  are  not  intensively 
so  holy,  as  he  was ;  but  their  graces  are  allayed  with  a  mixture  of 


OR,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


241 


sin  and  corruption.  Their  knowledge  is  not  so  comprehensive  ; 
but  it  is  subject  to  ignorance  and  errors :  their  will  is  not  so  per- 
fectly guided  by  the  will  of  God  ;  but,  sometimes,  it  hath  eccentri- 
cal motions  of  their  own :  and  their  affections  are  not  so  refined  ; 
but  that,  sometimes,  they  are  inordinate  and  earthly.  Yea,  and 
every  faculty  and  every  action  are  interwoven  and  intercheckered 
with  grace  and  sin  :  so  that,  at  once,  the  soul,  though  it  be  regener- 
ate, yet  bears  a  double  image,  God's  and  Satan's :  it  bears  God's 
image,  in  its  regenerate  part ;  and  the  Devil's,  in  its  unregenerate 
part.  The  best  men  are  like  your  plaited  pictures:  wherein,  if 
you  look  on  one  side,  you  may  see  an  angel ;  and,  if  you  look  on 
the  other  side  of  the  light,  you  may  see  a  devil :  so,  truly,  if  you 
look  upon  the  renewed  and  regenerate  part  of  a  child  of.  God,  that 
is  angelical,  and  bears  some  glimmerings  and  resemblances  of  the 
Image  of  God  upon  it ;  but,  if  you  turn  your  eyes  on  the  corrupt 
and  unregenerate  part,  what  appears  there,  but  blackness  and  de- 
formity, that  shadow  out  the  very  Image  of  Satan  ? 

(2dly)  The  Image  of  God,  restored  to  us  in  our  Eegeneration, 
differs  from  that,  wherein  we  were  first  created,  in  this,  that  it  shall 
never  be  totally  lost  and  effaced,  as  the  other  was ;  and,  herein,  it 
excels  the  other. 

You  see  how  soon  Adam  lost  his.  One  sin  brought  such  a  great 
blot  upon  it,  that  it  was  no  longer  discernible  for  the  Image  of 
God.  But,  now,  though  this  Image  shine  Dot  in  such  bright  and 
orient  colours  as  that  did ;  yet  are  they  more  lasting  and  durable 
colours,  than  the  former  image  had.  Yea,  though  the  regenerate 
commit  many  sins,  that  stain  and  sully  it:  yet  the  Spirit  of  God 
still  refresheth  it,  by  the  continual  influences  of  his  grace ;  and  will 
preserve  it  entire,  that,  in  that  great  day  when  God  shall  come  to 
examine  every  soul,  "  Whose  image  and  superscription  do  you 
bear  ?"  it  may  indeed  be  seen,  that  we  bear  the  Image  of  God,  and 
may  be  owned  by  him  as  his  children,  and  as  those  that  belong 
to  him. 

The  forming  of  this  Image  of  God  on  the  soul,  is  the  product  of 
the  New-Birth. 

iii.  Now,  in  that  the  Scripture  calls  the  restoring  of  this  image 
of  God,  a  new-birth  ;  it  will  be  expedient  to  consider  what  this 

METAPHOR,  TO  BE  BORN  AGAIN,  DOTH  IMPORT. 

And,  here,  I  shall  touch  upon  some  remarkable  resemblances, 
that  are  betwixt  a  Natural  and  a  Spiritual  Birth,  between  our  First 
and  our  Second  Birth. 

1.  To  be  born  again  implies,  that,  as  no  man  can  bestow  upon  him- 
"Vol.  ii.— 16 


242 


OF  REGENERATION: 


self  a  natural  heing ;  so,  much  less,  can  any  man  bestow  upon  himself 
a  supernatural  being. 

What !  where  were  all  of  us  a  hundred  years  since  ?  All  in  that 
vast  wilderness  of  nothing;  all  sleeping  in  our  own  causes:  we 
ourselves  not  having  then  so  much  existence,  as  our  very  dreams 
have  now  :  and  could  we  awake  ourselves  out  of  that  sleep  ?  could 
we  procure  our  own  being?  could  we  fetch  from  heaven  those 
sparks  of  divine  fire,  those  souls  of  ours  which  are  now  kindled  in 
our  breasts  ?  could  we  ourselves  tie  that  vital  knot  betwixt  our 
souls  and  bodies  ?  No  more,  certainly,  can  any  carnal,  natural 
man,  that  is  as  much  nothing  in  grace  as  we  before  we  were  born 
were  mere  nothings  in  nature,  call  down  into  his  soul  from  heaven 
that  living  and  active  principle  of  grace,  that  should  make  him  a 
new  man  and  a  new  creature. 

And  therefore  the  Scripture  chooseth  to  express  this  New-Birth, 
by  such  terms,  as  do  import  in  us  an  utter  impossibility  and  im- 
potency  to  effect  it  by  our  own  power.  It  is  called  the  quickening 
of  the  dead,  in  Eph.  ii.  1 ;  You  hath  he  quickened,  says  the  Apostle, 
who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Look,  how  impossible  it  is, 
for  a  dead  man,  that  is  shut  down  under  the  bars  of  the  grave, 
that  is  crumbled  away  into  dust  and  ashes,  to  pick  up  again  every 
scattered  dust,  and  form  them  again  into  the  same  members ;  and 
how  impossible  it  is  for  him  to  breathe  without  a  soul,  or  to.  breathe 
that  soul  into  himself :  alike  impossible  is  it,  for  a  natural  man, 
who  hath  lain  many  years  in  the  death  of  sin,  to  shake  oft'  from 
himself  that  spiritual  death ;  or  to  breathe  into  himself  that  spirit- 
ual and  heavenly  life,  that  may  make  him  a  living  soul  before  God. 
Moreover,  the  grace  of  Kegeneration  is  said  to  be  created  in  us,  in 
Eph.  iv.  24 ;  Put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness:  in  creation,  the  creature  is  formed  out  of 
nothing ;  and  what  can  nothing  contribute  to  being  ?  Such  is  every 
natural  man :  he  is  mere  nothing  in  respect  of  grace !  and,  there- 
fore, can  work  nothing  of  grace  in  himself.  Thus  you  see  the  Scrip- 
ture carries  it,  that,  no  more  than  a  child  can  beget  itself,  or  a  dead 
man  quicken  himself,  or  a  non-entity  create  itself;  no  more  can 
any  carnal  man  regenerate  himself,  or  work  true  saving  grace  in 
his  own  soul. 

Indeed,  there  are  a  growing  number  of  men,  who  think  that  Ke- 
generation is  the  effect  of  free-will,  and  that  it  is  in  our  own  power 
to  convert  and  renew  ourselves.  Though  it  be  abundant  confuta- 
tion of  this  spreading  error,  that  it  is  against  the  common  sense 
and  experience  of  true  Christians  ;  who,  as  they  sadly  complain  of 


OR,   THE    NEW-BIRTH.  243 

« 

the  averseness  of  their  wills  to  what  is  good,  even  after  Regenera- 
tion, so  they  have  found  that,  before  their  Regeneration,  the  great- 
est obstacle  to  it  was  the  stubbornness  and  refractoriness  of  their 
own  wills,  that  would  never  be  brought  to  any  terms  of  compliance 
with  divine  grace,  had  not  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  a  sweet  and  irre- 
sistible efficacy,  at  once  both  persuaded  and  subdued  them ;  though 
this  now  were  sufficient,  yet  let  me  add  one  argument,  which  I  think 
is  unanswerable.  If  an  un regenerate  man  can,  by  his  own  power, 
regenerate  himself,  then  one  of  these  two  absurdities  must  neces- 
sarily follow ;  either  that  there  are  still  left  some  holy  habits  and 
principles  in  the  will,  that  were  never  lost  by  the  Fall;  or,  else, 
that  man  may  make  himself  truly  holy,  by  a  will  that  is  totally 
corrupt  and  sinful :  but  it  is  very  gross  to  admit  either  of  these. 

(1)  There  are  no  holy  habits  or  principles  left  in  a  carnal  man, 
whereby  he  should  be  able  to  convert  and  regenerate  himself. 

For  what  holy  habits  can  there  be  in  the  will  of  a  corrupt  man, 
unless  they  are  true  graces  ?  And,  to  affirm  that  man,  in  a  state 
of  nature,  hath  true  grace  inherent  in  him,  whereby  he  is  able  to 
convert  and  regenerate  himself,  is  dull  nonsense,  and  a  flat  contra- 
diction ;  for  it  is  to  affirm,  that  he  hath  grace  before  he  hath  grace. 

(2)  A  corrupt  will  cannot  make  a  holy  man. 

If  there  be  no  such  habits  and  principles  left  in  the  will  since 
the  Fall,  then  the  will  must  be  totally  corrupt ;  and  a  corrupt  will 
cannot  make  a  holy  man :  grace  is  above  and  beyond  its  sphere. 
Yea,  an  unregenerate  will,  in  all  its  inclinations,  is  utterly  contrary 
unto  grace  :  there  is  not  any  one  act  of  the  will,  but  it  is  evil  and 
sinful :  and  it  is  strange  divinity,  to  affirm  that  gracious  habits  may 
be  wrought  in  us  by  sinful  acts  ;  as  soon  may  a  man  become  just 
by  cozenage,  and  merciful  by  oppression,  sober  by  drunkenness, 
and  liberal  by  griping ;  as  any  man  can  become  holy  by  acts  of 
his  own  will,  since  every  act  of  his  will  is  before  conversion  sinful 
and  unholy.  Besides,  the  will  of  man,  by  the  Fall,  is  become  a 
fleshly  will ;  but,  in  Regeneration,  it  is  made  a  spiritual  will ;  now 
it  is  a  most  strange  kind  of  production,  that  a  fleshly  will  should 
beget  a  spiritual  will ;  nor  would  that,  which  our  Saviour  affirms, 
any  longer  hold  true,  in  John  iii.  6 ;  That,  which  is  born  of  the  flesh, 
is  flesh,  if  a  fleshly  will  could  beget  a  spiritual  will.  You  see,  then, 
by  this,  that  no  man,  by  the  power  and  freedom  of  his  own  will, 
can  regenerate  himself.  As  for  previous  dispositions  and  prepara- 
tory works,  I  deny  not  but  that  an  unregenerate  man  may,  by  the 
common  assistance  of  the  Spirit,  and  by  the  industrious  and  care- 
ful improvement  of  his  own  power,  proceed  very  far  in  them,  so  as 


244  OF  REGENERATION: 

not  to  be  far  off  from  the  kingdom  of  God ;  but,  still,  the  great 
change  of  Regeneration  itself  is  not  wrought  by  our  own  power,  or 
by  our'  own  will ;  so  saith  St.  John,  speaking  of  believers :  and  he 
affirms  it,  in  as  express  terms  as  may  be,  in  John  i.  13 ;  Which 
were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God:  a  plain  and  undeniable  proof,  that  our  will  is  not  the 
efficient  cause  of  our  New-Birth. 

2.  In  that  it  is  called  a  being  born  again,  it  is  implied,  that  there 
must  be  a  Father  of  this  Divine  and  heavenly,  as  well  as  of  the  natural 
birth. 

Now  God  himself  is  this  Father ;  and  hence  is  it,  that  the  saints 
are  said  to  be  born  of  God,  and  to  be  the  children  of  God.  This 
is  their  parentage,  their  high  original  and  extraction ;  in  which, 
though  they  are  poor,  despised,  and  distressed,  they  may  more 
truly  glory,  than  the  great  ones  of  the  earth  in  the  paint  and  empty 
glittering  of  a  noble  or  honourable  title. 

But,  concerning  the  duty  and  dignity  of  a  child  under  this  con- 
sideration of  being  born  again,  I  may  have  occasion  to  speak  when 
I  come  to  the  Application,  and  so  I  shall  reserve  it  till  then.  I  am 
yet  on  the  doctrinal  part. 

God  is  now,  under  a  different  notion,  a  Father  to  his  children, 
by  regeneration,  and  adoption.  By  Adoption,  we  receive  the  privi- 
leges of  children,  and  are  numbered  among  the  family  of  heaven ; 
made  heirs  of  glory,  and  co-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ  our  elder  brother. 
By  Regeneration,  we  receive  the  divine  nature,  are  made  partakers 
of  it ;  and,  as  natural  children  often  bear  such  lively  representations 
and  resemblances  of  their  parents,  that  we  may  know  by  their  very 
countenances  whose  they  are ;  so,  in  the  New-Birth,  there  is  such 
a  resemblance  of  God  stamped  upon  the  soul,  that,  by  the  con- 
formity of  our  wills  and  affections  to  his,  it  may  well  be  discerned 
that  he  is  our  Father.  In  Regeneration,  we  receive  his  nature :  in 
Adoption,  we  receive  the  privileges  of  his  children :  we  are  made 
sons  by  both. 

It  is  true,  God  is  the  author  of  all  other  things,  as  well  as  of  the 
grace  of  Regeneration.  By  him  doth  the  whole  frame  of  nature 
subsist,  and  all  men  owe  their  beings  to  his  power  and  goodness  : 
but,  yet,  the  endearing  and  sweet  name  of  Father  he  appropriates 
to  himself,  not  because  he  gives  natural  beings  to  his  creatures,  al- 
though in  that  respect  too  he  is  parens  rerum,  "  the  parent  of  all 
things ;"  but  because  also  he  gives  supernatural  grace  to  his  own 
children,  which  indeed  is  a  giving  them  of  his  own  nature.  To 
give  them  natural  beings,  is  but  to  communicate  to  them  the  effects 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


245 


of  his  power  and  providence :  but  to  give  them  supernatural  grace, 
is  to  communicate  to  them  of  his  own  nature,  and  therefore  more 
especially  he  is  called  their  Father ;  the  Father  of  those,  that  he 
doth  regenerate.  The  rest  of  his  works  are  but  the  effects  of  his 
common  goodness  and  bounty ;  but  this  is  the  effect  of  his  special 
grace:  wherein  God  doth  more  show  forth  the  effects  of  a  Father, 
than  in  the  production  of  all  the  world. 

3.  The  seminal  virtue  or  means,  by  which  this  New-Birth  is  effected, 
is  the  Word  of  God. 

So  you  have  it  expressly,  in  James  i.  18  ;  Of  his  own  good  will  he- 
gat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth.  In  Ezek.  xxxvii.  4,  you  read  that 
the  Prophet  is  commanded  to  prophesy  over  a  heap  of  dry  bones  : 
such  an  almighty  power  was  in  his  words,  that  it  is  said,  in  verses  7, 
8,  as  he  prophesied,  there  was  a  great  noise,  and.....shaking  among  the 

bones  and  sinews  and  flesh  came  up  upon  them.  An  almighty  power 

indeed,  that  could  speak  dry  bones  into  living  men !  The  same,  that 
the  Prophet  did  only  in  a  vision,  the  word  of  God  preached  doth 
in  a  reality.  We  are  all  of  us  dry  bones,  till  this  almighty  word 
breathe  life  and  quickening  into  us.  The  preaching  of  the  word  is 
the  great  means,  which  God  hath  appointed  for  regeneration :  Eom. 
x.  17 ;  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God. 
When  God  first  created  man,  it  is  said,  that  he  breathed  into  his  nos- 
trils the  breath  of  life :  but  when  God  new-creates  man,  he  breathes 
into  his  ears.  This  is  that  word,  that  raiseth  the  dead  ;  calling  them 
out  of  the  grave  :  this  is  that  word,  that  opens  the  eyes  of  the  blind, 
that  turns  the  hearts  of  the  disobedient  and  rebellious.  And,  though 
wicked  and  profane  men  scoff  at  preaching,  and  count  all  ministers' 
words  and  God's  word  too  but  so  much  wind ;  yet  they  are  such  wind, 
believe  it,  as  is  able  to  tear  rocks,  and  to  rend  mountains ;  such 
wind,  as,  if  ever  they  are  saved,  must  shake  and  overturn  the  foun- 
dations of  all  their  carnal  confidences  and  presumptions.  Be  ex- 
horted, therefore,  more  to  prize,  and  more  to  frequent  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word.  How  knowest  thou,  0  sinner,  but,  whilst  thou  art 
slothfully  absenting  thyself  from  the  public  ordinances,  that  word  is 
then  spoken,  that  might  have  been  thy  conversion?  How  knowest 
thou,  but  that,  whilst  thou  art  sleeping  in  the  congregation,  that 
word  is  then  spoken,  that  possibly,  if  thou  hadst  attended  to  it, 
might  have  awakened  thee  from  the  dead  sleep  of  sin  and  security  ? 
Such  an  energy  is  there  in  the  word  of  God,  when  the  Spirit  of  God 
clothes  it  with  power,  that  it  breaks  in  upon  the  conscience ;  ruin- 
ates and  demolishes  the  frame  of  sinful  nature ;  and,  in  an  instant, 
conveys  spiritual  light,  warmth,  and  quickening  into  the  soul. 


246 


OF  REGENERATION: 


4.  Tliere  are  pangs  and  throes,  that  do  accompany  this  New-Birth,  as 
well  as  the  natural  birth. 

And  these  are  convictions  and  humiliations:  when  the  soul  is 
bowed  down  under  the  insupportable  burden  of  its  own  guilt,  and 
the  sense  of  God's  wrath :  when  it  lies  groveling  in  prayer ;  rend- 
ing itself,  and  heaven  too,  with  its  cries.  In  the  midst  of  all  these 
agonies,  Christ  Jesus  becomes  formed  in  the  soul ;  and  the  work  of 
grace  is  accomplished,  which  is  the  true  ground  of  joy  and  comfort 
for  ever  after.  Indeed  these  travailling  pangs  are  not  alike  strong 
in  all  men.  In  some,  they  are  distracting  terrors ;  terrors  that 
break  their  bones,  and  drink  up  their  spirits :  and  such,  usually, 
they  are  in  old  and  customary  sinners,  that  will  not  be  won  by 
more  gentle  and  mild  courses :  with  such  knotty  pieces  as  these 
are,  the  Spirit  of  God  deals  terribly  ;  and,  in  their  New-Births,  cuts 
them  out  of  the  womb,  and  saves  them  after  such  a  manner,  that 
to  their  present  apprehensions  he  could  not  deal  more  dreadfully 
with  them  if  he  had  destroyed  them.  But  those,  that  are  converted 
in  their  youth,  before  customariness  in  sin  and  hardness  of  heart 
had  made  them  impenetrable  to  the  ordinary  works  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  with  these  God  deals  more  mildly ;  and  melts  them  down, 
by  soft  and  sweet  relentings  of  soul ;  and  delivers  them  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  without  those  violent  pangs 
and  convulsions,  that  others  do  undergo :  yet  in  all  that  are  sanc- 
tified and  regenerated,  after  they  arrive  at  the  use  of  reason,  it 
holds  true  in  the  New-Birth,  as  well  as  in  the  natural  birth,  that 
they  do  all  of  them  bring  forth  in  sorrow. 

II.  Thus  you  see  what  this  work  of  Regeneration  is,  without 
which,  our  Saviour  tells  us,  that  no  man  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 

And,  to  show  both  the  certainty  and  weight  of  this  truth,  he 
doth  twice  assert  it :  once  in  the  third  verse ;  and,  then  again,  in 
the  text. 

This  is  that  very  first  doctrine,  in  which  our  Saviour  instructs 
his  novice-disciple.  Nicodemus,  being  convinced  of  Christ's  ex- 
traordinary mission  by  the  miracles  that  he  wrought,  courts  him 
with  terms  full  of  humble  respect ;  Rabbi,  says  he,  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God;  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest,  except 
God  be  with  him.  To  this  our  Saviour  answers,  more  pertinently 
to  his  salvation  than  to  his  charesis,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God:  as  if  he  should  say,  "The 
miracles,  that  I  do,  prove  my  mission,  that  I  am  sent  of  God ;  but 


OB,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


247 


I  do  greater  miracles  than  any,  which  thou  hast  seen  or  heard  of. 
Thou  hast  heard,  perhaps,  that  I  restore  sight  to  those,  that  are 
blind ;  and  life  to  those,  that  are  dead  :  but  I  am  come  to  give  eyes 
to  those,  that  do  already  see ;  and  to  give  life  to  those,  that  do 
already  live.  I  am  come  to  cause  those,  that  are  already  born,  to 
be  born  again :  and  this  is  a  miracle,  that  must  be  wrought  upon 
thee,  and  upon  all  that  shall  be  saved ;  to  turn  flesh  into  spirit,  to 
fashion  lumps  of  clay  into  the  glorious  similitude  of  the  image  of 
God.  This  is  the  greatest  of  all  miracles,  and  this  great  miracle 
must  be  wrought  upon  all ;  for,  except  this  be  done,"  says  our  Sa- 
yiour,  "  no  man  can  enter  into  heaven." 

The  words  contain  in  them,  a  general  Proposition :  A  man*  can- 
not enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  An  exceptive  Limitation, 
tdded  to  this  general  proposition :  Except  a  man  be  born  again. 

And  both  these  do  deliver  to  us  this  proposition,  or  Doctrinal 
Observation. 

That  REGENERATION,  OR  THE  NEW-BIRTH,  IS  OF 
ABSOLUTE  NECESSITY  UNTO  ETERNAL  LIFE. 

There  is  no  other  change  simply  necessary,  but  only  this.  If 
thou  art  poor,  thou  mayest  so  continue,  and  yet  be  saved :  if  thou 
art  despised,  thou  mayest  so  continue,  and  yet  be  saved :  if  thou 
art  unlearned,  thou  mayest  continue  so,  and  yet  be  saved.  Only 
one  change  is  necessary :  if  thou  art  wicked  and  ungodly,  and  con- 
tinuest  so,  Christ,  who  hath  the  keys  of  heaven,  who  shutteth  and 
no  man  openeth,  hath  himself  doomed  thee,  that  thou  sbalt  in  no 
wise  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  is  also  definitely 
pronounced  by  the  Apostle,  Heb.  xii.  14 ;  Without  holiness  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord. 

In  the  prosecuting  of  this  doctrine,  I  shall  first  give  you  some 
Demonstrations  of  it,  and  then  apply  it. 

Very  difficult  it  is  to  persuade  men  against  the  prejudices  of 
their  corrupt  hearts.  "  This  great  change,"  say  they,  "  is  more 
than  needs."  Regeneration  begins  now  to  be  decried,  by  as  great 
Masters  in  Israel,  as  ever  Nicodemus  was.  Many  understand  not 
to  what  end  the  fabric  of  corrupt  nature  should  be  demolished  ;  and 
men  as  it  were,  turned  out  of  themselves.  They  think,  if  they  are 
baptized,  whereby,  as  they  suppose,  the  guilt  of  original  sin  is 
washed  away ;  and  lead  a  sober  religious  life,  keeping  from  gross 
actual  sins  ;  that  this  is  sufficient  for  the  obtaining  of  heaven,  with- 
out those  hard  and  inexplicable  notions  of  Regeneration  and  the 
New-Birth. 

I  shall,  therefore,  endeavour  to  convince  you  of  the  indispensable 


24S 


OF  REGENERATION: 


nepessity  that  there  is,  of  being  horn  again  ;  that  so,  when  you  are 
persuaded  of  it,  you  may  give  no  rest  to  yourselves  nor  unto  God, 
till  he  cause  his  Spirit,  which  is  that  wind  that  hloweth  where  it 
listeth,  to  breathe  spiritual  life  into  you,  without  which  it  is  im- 
possible that  you  should  inherit  eternal  life. 

i.  There  is  an  identity  or  sameness  betwixt  grace  and 
glory  :  and  therefore  it  is,  that  Regeneration  is  so  necessary  unto 
Salvation. 

What  is  that  illustrious  thing,  that  we  call  the  Glory  of  Heaven  ? 
Is  it,  that  we  shall  outshine  the  brightness  of  the  sun  ?  or  that  we 
shall  tread  on  a  pavement  of  stars  ?  Is  it  a  freedom  from  diseases, 
pains,  and  death  ?  Is  it,  that  we  shall  hear  the  melody  and  songs 
of  saints  and  angels  ?  These  things  indeed,  and  whatever  the  heart 
of  man  can  desire  or  imagine  to  be  excellent,  do  fill  up  this  blessed 
estate :  but,  yet,  that,  which  chiefly  constitutes  heaven,  is  holiness ; 
that  very  holiness,  that  wicked  men,  who  yet  presumptuously  hope 
to  inherit  heaven,  do  yet  despise  and  hate  on  earth.  We  shall  there 
be  united  to  God  by  love,  depend  on  him  by  faith,  obey  him  with 
delight :  and  that,  with  the  very  same  love,  faith,  and  delight,  as 
we  do  here  on  earth ;  only  these  graces  shall  then  be  exalted  above 
all  imperfections  and  frailties.  This  is  the  Glory  of  Heaven.  The 
glory  of  God  himself  consists,  especially,  in  his  infinite  holiness ; 
and,  therefore,  in  that  most  triumphant  song  of  Moses,  in  Exod. 
xv.  11.  God  is  styled  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises :  now  the 
glory  of  the  saints  in  heaven  is  but  a  reflection  cast  upon  them  from 
the  glory  of  God ;  and,  therefore,  as  he  is  especialty  glorious  in  his 
holiness,  so  are  they  also  glorious  in  their  holiness.  If,  then,  grace  and 
glory  be  the  very  same  thing,  canst  thou,  0  Sinner,  ever  hope  for 
glorv  without  grace  ?  Or,  is  not  this  the  heaven  that  thou  dost  de- 
sire and  hope  for  ?  Is  it  a  place  of  ease  and  pleasure  only,  that  thou 
wishest ;  where  thou  mayest  be  free  from  cares  and  fears,  from  sor- 
rows and  sad  hours  ?  why  this  is  impossible :  such  a  heaven  God 
never  made,  nor  canst  thou  in  reason  expect ;  for  God  hath  so  link- 
ed sin  and  the  curse  together,  that  heaven  itself  would  be  no  sanc- 
tuary to  thee  from  the  regrets  and  stingings  of  conscience,  nor  from 
the  horror  and  ghastly  fear  of  wrath,  if  sin  and  guilt  should  enter 
there  with  thee. 

ii.  Unregexerate  men  are  utterly  unsuitable  to  this 
state  of  glory  ;  and,  therefore,  there  must  necessarily  intervene 
this  great  change  of  Eegeneration. 

All  true  pleasure  and  delight  springs  from  the  suitableness  of 
the  object  of  the  power  or  faculty  that  receives  it.    Thus  Solomon 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


249 


tells  us,  It  is  a  pleasant  thing  for  the  eye  to  behold  the  sun,  or  the  light : 
it  is  pleasant  also  for  the  ear  to  hear  melody :  because  these  objects 
are  attempered  and  proportioned  to  the  senses.  Now  as  light  brings 
no  pleasure  to  a  blind  man,  nor  music  to  a  deaf  man :  so  there 
would  be  nothing  pleasing  in  heaven  to  us :  but  that  God  doth, 
beforehand,  by  his  grace  temper  and  proportion  our  souls  to  that 
glory,  that  he  will  then  reveal  unto  us.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  Apos- 
tle, in  Col.  i.  12,  gives  thanks  unto  God,  that  hath  made  us  meet  to 
be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 

But  wicked  and  unregenerate  men  are  altogether  unsuitable,  both 
to  the  Work,  and  also  to  the  Keward  of  Heaven. 

1.  They  are  unsuitable  to  the  Work  of  Heaven. 

And  what  is  the  Work  of  Heaven,  but  the  adoring,  admiring, 
blessing,  praising,  loving,  and  serving  of  God  for  ever  and  ever  ? 
This  is  that  work,  wherein  saints  and  angels  spend  an  eternity. 
And  dost  thou,  0  profane  Wretch,  think  to  crowd  in  among  that 
blessed  company,  and  join  with  them  in  this  blessed  work?  What ! 
must  that  heart  of  thine,  which  here  on  earth  was  used  only  as  the 
Devil's  pot  to  seethe  and  stew  wicked  thoughts  in,  be  now  on  a  sud- 
den filled  with  the  spiritual  praises  of  the  Great  God  ?  Is  this, 
thinkest  thou,  fit  or  likely  ?  Is  it  fit,  that  that  tongue  of  thine,  which 
hath  even  been  blistered  with  horrid  oaths,  cursed  revilings,  and 
reproaches  of  God  and  godliness,  should  first  in  heaven  begin  to 
set  forth  the  high  praises  of  God  ?  There  are  none  admitted  to  be 
free  citizens  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  but  only  such  as  have  first 
served  out  their  time  of  holiness,  some  more,  some  fewer  years, 
here  on  earth.  The  work  of  heaven  must  be  learned  in  the  time 
of  our  apprenticeship  on  earth.  And  tell  me  now,  what  delight  do 
you  take  in  holiness  ?  Is  it  not  a  task  and  burden  to  you ;  I  will 
not  say  always  to  keep  alive  in  your  thoughts,  constant  meditations 
of  holy  things,  and  vigorous  affections  towards  them :  but  is  it  not 
a  task  and  burden  to  you,  to  be  sometimes  drawn  to  the  external 
performance  of  holy  duties  ?  Why  else  do  you  engage  so  seldom, 
and  so  slightly  in  them  ?  What  makes  it  thus  your  task,  but  an 
unholy  and  an  unchanged  heart  ?  And  what  think  you  would  it  be, 
a  heaven  or  a  hell,  a  happiness  or  a  torment,  to  you,  to  spend  an 
eternity  in  the  most  fixed  contemplations,  and  in  a  most  ardent 
love  of  God  ?  You,  who  cannot  bear  the  imperfect  holiness  of  God's 
children,  but  rail  at  it  as  unnecessary  and  a  punish  preciseness, 
how  will  you  be  able  to  bear  the  most  consummate  holiness  of  hea- 
ven? Now  wicked  men,  though  they  vex  at  the  purity  of  the  saints 
and  laugh  at  it  at  once,  yet  is  it  toilsome  :  though  it  is  a  devilish 


250 


OF  REGENERATION: 


contentment  to  them,  that  they  can  reproach  their  defects :  should 
these  men  enter  into  heaven  with  unchanged  hearts,  heaven  would 
be  a  place  of  exact  torture  to  them  ;  to  find  nothing  there  but  that 
purity  which  they  hate,  and  that  perfect  purity  which  hath  no 
defects  for  them  to  abuse. 

Behold,  then,  the  certain  and  unavoidable  misery  of  unregener- 
ate  men  ;  that  even  heaven  itself  cannot  make  them  happy,  nor  is 
it  scarce  in  the  power  of  the  Almighty  to  bless  them  !  Tell  me, 
thou,  that,  in  holy  duties,  grudgest  at  every  word  that  is  spoken, 
and  at  every  sand  that  runs  ;  that  thinkest  every  summons  to  the 
public  worship,  as  unpleasant  as  the  sound  of  thy  passing-bell ;  that 
sayest,  "  When  will  the  Sabbath  be  gone,  and  the  ordinances  be 
over  ?"  what  wilt  thou  do  in  heaven  ?  what  shall  such  an  unholy 
heart  do  there,  where  a  Sabbath  shall  be  as  long  as  eternity  itself; 
where  there  shall  be  nothing  but  holy  duties  ;  and  where  there  shall 
not  be  a  spare  minute,  so  much  as  for  a  vain  thought  or  an  idle 
word  ?  "What  wilt  thou  do  in  heaven,  where,  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
hear,  see,  or  converse  with  is  all  holy  ?  And,  by  how  much  more 
perfect  the  holiness  of  heaven  is,  than  that  of  the  saints  on  earth ; 
by  so  much  the  more  irksome  and  intolerable  would  it  be  to  wick- 
ed men :  for,  if  they  cannot  endure  the  weak  light  of  a  star,  how 
will  they  be  able  to  bear  the  dazzling  light  of  the  sun  itself? 

I  speak  all  this  to  convince  wicked  men,  how  weak,  vain,  and 
foolish  a  thing  it  is,  for  them  to  hope  for  happiness  without  en- 
deavouring after  this  great  change.  Misery  pursues  them,  even  to 
heaven  itself ;  and  they  would  not  be  happy,  even  there.  Certain 
it  is,  that  God  never  bestows  heaven  upon  any,  but  beforehand  he 
makes  them  agreeable  to  its  holiness  by  their  own.  As  for  swines 
and  dogs,  filthy  and  impure  sinners,  God  will  never  punish  them 
with  the  purity  of  heaven  :  no  ;  he  hath  provided  another  place  for 
their  torment;  where  they  shall  eternally  and  incessantly  hate  and 
blaspheme  God,  as  the  saints  in  glory  love  and  praise  God.  It  is 
therefore  necessary,  that,  as  musicians  tune  their  instruments  before 
they  enter  into  the  presence  of  any ;  so  our  hearts  should  be  tuned 
to  the  songs  and  praises  of  heaven,  before  we  enter  into  the  glorious 
presence  of  God,  to  be  made  his  music  for  ever. 

2.  Unre generate  men  are  unsuitable  to  the  Reward  of  Heaven. 

As  the  work  there  is  spiritual  work,  so  the  Eeward  is  a  spiritual 
reward.  And  it  consists,  especially,  in  two  things ;  both  of  them 
unsuitable  to  a  carnal  heart :  in  a  clear  vision  of  God ;  and  an  un- 
imaginable entireness  of  communion  with  him  in  heaven.  And 
these  two  things,  of  all  others,  unholy  persons  cannot  bear. 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


251 


(1)  The  Sight  of  God,  to  a  sinner,  is  infinitely  full  of  dread  and 
terror. 

You  read  in  Scripture  what  dreadful  apprehensions,  even  God's 
own  children  have  had,  after  some,  though  but  restrained  and  re- 
served, discoveries  of  himself  to  them ;  and  that,  because  they  had 
still  some  remainders  of  corruption  in  them,  that  grace  in  this  life 
could  not  destroy.  Thus,  the  prophet  Isaiah  cries  out,  Woe  is  me  I 
for  I  am  undone  ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  Z/ps....and  mine  eyes 
have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  Hosts:  and,  so,  when  Christ  put  forth 
his  divine  power  in  working  of  a  miracle,  the  glory  of  it  was  so 
terrible  and  so  un supportable,  even  to  holy  Peter,  that  he  cries  out, 
Luke  v.  8  ;  Depart  from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  Lord.  And 
if  these  faint  discoveries  of  God,  even  to  holy  men  themselves,  were 
so  astonishing  and  unsupportable,  what  a  confounding  sight  then 
will  it  be,  to  have  all  the  glorious  attributes  of  God  break  forth  in 
a  full  flash  upon  the  faces  of  wicked  men  ;  when,  among  the  rest 
of  those  attributes,  they  shall  behold  the  dread  wrath  and  severe 
justice  of  God,  to  be  sworn  and  armed  against  sin  and  sinners  !  Is 
this  a  sight,  that  will  make  heaven  desirable  to  a  wicked  man  ? 
How  dost  thou  think  to  endure  the  rays  of  that  excellent  glory 
and  majesty,  which  make  even  the  eyes  of  the  angels  themselves 
to  twinkle  with  the  dazzling  brightness  of  it  ? 

(2)  As  for  that  near  Bosom-Communion  with  God,  wherein  stands 
another  part  of  the  reward  of  heaven  ;  this  is  that,  which  wicked 
men  hate :  yea,  they  hate  that  any  should  pretend  to  it. 

Those  sweet,  endearing  intercourses,  that  pass  betwixt  God  and 
the  soul,  in  ways  of  worship,  of  love  for  love,  and  of  obedience 
for  mercies  received,  they  never  knew  on  earth,  and  how  then  shall 
they  be  fit  for  them  in  heaven  ?  Certainly,  to  be  for  ever  tied  up 
to  such  spiritualities  as  these,  will  make  heaven  but  an  uncomforta- 
ble place  to  an  ungodly,  unchanged  heart. 

Now  tell  me,  after  this  representation  made  unto  you,  both  of 
the  Work  and  of  the  Eeward  of  Heaven,  whether  you  are  indeed 
willing  to  be  in  this  eternal  state  or  no.  A  strange  question,  you 
may  think!  What!  to  ask  men  whether  they  are  willing  to  go  to 
heaven,  and  to  be  possessed  of  glory !  But,  let  me  tell  you,  it  is 
an  impossible  thing,  for  an  unsanctified  heart  really  to  wish  to  be 
in  heaven  ;  considering  it  under  that  notion  of  perfect  purity  and 
true  holiness,  which  hath  now  been  laid  before  you.  Do  you  wish 
to  be  for  ever  employed  in  the  loving,  praising,  serving,  and  enjoy- 
ing of  God,  without  interruption  or  cessation  ?  why  then  do  you 
not  endeavour  to  fit  yourselves  for  it,  against  the  time  of  your  ap- 


252 


OF  REGENERATION: 


pearing  in  glory  ?  why  do  you  not  labour  after  true  grace,  that 
alone  can  fit  you  for  that  holy  and  blessed  work  ?  That  idea  and 
notion,  that  wicked  men  frame  to  themselves  of  heaven,  only  as  a 
place  of  ease,  rest,  and  all  blessedness,  makes  them  to  believe  that 
they  do  really  wish  themselves  possessed  of  it ;  but,  yet,  if  it  could 
be  supposed  that  such  a  person  were  taken  up  into  heaven,  he 
would  find  it  a  place  so  contrary  to  his  fancy  and  corrupt  inclina- 
tions, that  he  would  soon  wish  rather  to  be  on  earth  again  in  the 
pursuit  of  his  more  sensible  and  suitable  pleasures. 

I  have  the  longer  insisted  on  this  particular  demonstration,  be- 
cause I  look  upon  this  as  a  most  convincing  argument,  to  make 
every  wicked  man  see  how  unfit  he  is,  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy 
for  the  state  of  glory.  As  ever,  therefore,  you  hope  for  heaven, 
and  I  dare  assure  myself  that  this  is  the  hope  of  all  of  you,  make  sure 
to  yourselves  this  great  change.  It  is  no  notion,  that  I  have  now 
preached  unto  you :  your  natures  and  your  lives  must  be  changed ; 
or,  believe  it,  you  will  be  found  at  the  Last  Day  under  the  wrath 
of  God.  For  God  will  not  change  or  alter  the  word,  that  is  gone 
out  of  his  mouth  :  he  hath  said  it,  Christ  who  is  the  truth  and  word 
of  God  hath  pronounced  it,  that,  without  this  New-Birth  or  Re- 
generation, no  man  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

iii.  Whatsoever  a  man  doth  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy 
is  sin  ;  and,  therefore,  the  change  of  Regeneration  fa  absolutely 
necessary,  unto  eternal  life. 

Whatever  such  a  man's  whole  life  is,  it  is  nothing  else  but  a  con- 
tinued course  of  sin,  without  either  interruption  or  cessation  :  and, 
in  this  one  particular  lies  a  main  difference  betwixt  a  regenerate 
and  unregenerate  man.  The  regenerate  man,  through  that  corrup- 
tion that  is  remaining  in  him,  sins  in  every  thing  that  he  doth;  but, 
whatever  an  unregenerate  man  doth  is  sin :  there  is  the  difference ; 
the  one  doth,  as  it  were,  tread  awry,  in  a  right  path ;  and  the  other 
runs  out  into  a  crooked  and  perverse  one.  And  how  then  is  it 
possible  for  such  men  ever  to  arrive  at  heaven,  since  every  step 
they  take  leads  down  to  the  chambers  of  death  and  destruction  ? 

I  spake  somewhat  to  this  before,  in  opening  to  you  the  misery 
of  an  unregenerate  state  and  condition ;  and  showed  you  then,  that 
the  Scripture  every  where  speaks  of  the  civil  actions  and  the  reli- 
gious duties  of  wicked  men  as  sins:  their  ploughing  is  sin;  and  so 
also  is  their  praying :  yea,  whatever  they  do  is  sin ;  they  sin  in 
doing  evil,  and  they  sin  in  doing  good. 

But  I  shall  pass  by  that,  and  briefly  enquire  what  it  is,  that 
makes  all  the  actions  and  all  the  duties,  that  wicked  men  perform, 


OR,    T II  E  NEW-BIRTH. 


253 


to  be  thus  sinful.  And  this  may  be  reduced  to  two  particulars  : 
and  these  are  the  Principle  from  which,  and  the  End  to  which, 
their  actions  are  done. 

1.  The  Principle  from  ivhcnce  all  the  actions  of  an  unregenerate  man 
flow  is  corrupt ;  and  when  the  fountain  is  corrupt,  the  streams  also, 
that  issue  from  thence,  must  needs  be  tainted. 

That  principle,  that  is  necessarily  required  to  make  our  actions 
to  be  truly  good  and  holy,  is  the  sincere  and  superlative  love  of 
God.  What  we  do  becomes  then  a  good  action,  when  we  do  it 
from  the  commanding  motive  of  Divine  Love :  and,  therefore,  our 
Saviour  saith,  in  John  xiv.  24 ;  He,  that  loveth  me  not,  keepeth  not 
my  sayings.  Our  whole  duty  consisteth,  either  in  that  which  im- 
mediately respects  God,  or  in  that  which  immediately  respects  man; 
and,  accordingly,  God  hath  comprised  the  whole  Law  in  Two  Ta- 
bles :  in  the  one,  he  prescribes  the  services  due  to  himself;  and, 
in  the  other,  he  requires  from  us  what  is  due  to  men:  and  both 
these  are  fulfilled  by  love.  So,  saith  the  Apostle,  Rom.  xiii.  10, 
Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  Law:  and  therefore,  our  Saviour  reduceth 
all  the  Ten  Commandments  unto  Two,  in  Matt.  xxii.  37,  38,  39. 
Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  might.  -This  is  the  first....  Commandment.  And 
the  second  is  like  unto  it,  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Our 
Saviour  reduceth  all  unto  two,  and  these  two  speak  but  one  and 
the  same  thing,  Love,  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  commandment. 
Now  this  teacheth  us,  that,  whatever  external  conformity  our  ac- 
tions may  carry  in  them  to  the  letter  of  the  Law,  yet  are  they  not 
true  obedience  to  God's  Commandments,  if  they  flow  not  from  a 
principle  of  love.  Though  you  may  perform  each  particular  duty 
required  in  each  particular  command,  yet  this  is  not  fulfilling  but 
transgressing  the  Law,  if  what  you  do  is  not  done  out  of  a  princi- 
ple of  divine  love.  This  is  that  universal  qualification,  that  can 
alone  make  our  duties  truly  good  and  acceptable  unto  God.  So 
that,  either  to  do  contrary  to  the  Law,  or  to  do  actions  that  the  Law 
requires  without  love  to  God,  are  both  of  them  sins  ;  the  one  against 
the  express  letter,  and  the  other  against  the  true  sense,  of  the  Law. 
Now  no  unregenerate  man  can  act  any  thing  from  this  divine  prin- 
ciple of  the  love  of  God  ;  for  this  is  implanted  in  us,  only  by  Re- 
generation :  and,  therefore  it  is  said,  1  John  iv.  7 ;  Every  one,  that 
loveth,  is  bom  of  God.  The  great  moving  principle  in  a  carnal 
man,  that  sets  him  on  to  work  every  thing  that  he  doth,  is  love 
indeed,  but  it  is  only  self-love;  not  love  to  God,  but  love  to  self: 
u  love,  that  is  enmity  and  hatred  against  God ;  and,  therefore,  what- 
ever he  doth  is  sin. 


254:  OF  REGENERATION": 

2.  As  all  unregenerate  men  fail  in  the  Principle,  so  they  also  fail 
in  the  End  of  all  their  actions. 

For,  such  as  a  man's  principle  is,  such  also  will  be  the  end  thai 
he  propounds.  Water  will  naturally  rise  no  higher  than  the 
spring-head  from  whence  it  flows :  so  neither  can  any  man's  prin 
ciples  carry  him  out  to  act  above  themselves.  Now  as  the  love  of 
God  is  the  moving  principle  to  a  regenerate  man,  so  the  glory  of 
God  is  his  determining  end :  and  so,  on  the  contrary,  self-love  be- 
ing the  only  principle  of  an  unregenerate  man's  actions,  self-pre- 
servation must  be  his  utmost  end  into  which  he  resolves  all.  And, 
because  God  hath  in  his  word  of  truth  threatened  destruction  to 
those  who  persevere  in  sin,  and  promised  an  unconceivable  reward 
of  glory  to  obedience,  self-love  here  interposes ;  and  excites  to  the 
external  duties  of  religion,  that  thereby  it  may  escape  the  one  and 
obtain  the  other.  Now,  herein,  self-love  is  very  blind :  for,  by 
propounding  himself  as  his  end,  he  loseth  the  reward  sought  for, 
and  all  his  services  become  only  sins. 

I  would  not  be  thought  to  condemn  this  kind  of  self-seeking  in 
religion,  for  I  know  that  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  incentives  to  obe- 
dience. Moses  had  respect  unto,  the  recompense  of  the  reward,  and  en- 
couraged himself  by  it :  yea,  of  Christ,  a  greater  than  Moses,  the 
Apostle  saitb,  he  had  an  eye  upon  the  glory  set  before  him,  to  en- 
courage him  to  undergo  those  humiliations  and  abasements  that  he 
was  sent  into  the  world  for.  Only  when  a  man's  self-concernments 
stand  so  full  in  his  eye,  that  he  cannot  look  either  beside  them  or 
above  them,  then  do  such  self-ends  become  sinful  in  themselves, 
and  turn  also  every  action  that  is  directed  by  them  into  sin. 

Here,  then,  let  every  carnal,  unchanged  sinner  see  the  sad  and 
deplorable  condition  he  is  in :  what  little  ground  he  hath  to  hope 
for  heaven  and  salvation.  Alas  !  Sinners,  how  do  you  hope  to  be 
saved  ?  The  only  way,  that  leads  to  heaven  and  happiness,  is  faith 
and  good  works :  not  such  equivocal  good  works,  as  most  men  re- 
ly upon ;  but  such  genuine  ones,  as  have  the  love  of  God  for  their 
principle,  and  glory  of  God  for  their  end  :  and  such  no  unregene- 
rate man  can  produce.  All  the  rest  are  but  trash  and  lumber ;  and 
such,  as  will  rather  burden,  than  crown  your  souls,  at  the  Last  Day. 
Think  of  it  seriously  :  unless  the  foundation  be  laid  in  a  real  change 
of  grace  wrought  upon  your  souls,  all  that  afterwards  you  build  is 
but  hay  and  stubble  ;  such,  as  will  only  add  fuel  to  your  unquench- 
able fire.  Think  not,  therefore,  as  many  ignorant,  sottish  people 
do,  of  balancing  your  evil  deeds  by  your  good :  for,  if  you  are  in 
an  unregenerate,  in  a  natural  state  and  condition,  if  in  the  same 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTII. 


255 


that  you  brought  into  the  world,  there  is  nothing  but  what  is  evil 
and  sinful.  And  it  is  very  sad  to  consider,  that,  when  God  and 
your  own  consciences  shall  come,  at  the  Last  Dny,  to  take  a  review 
of  your  lives;  those  lives,  that  have  been  full  of  actions,  perhaps 
for  forty,  fifty,  or  threescore  years  together ;  that  then  they  shall 
be  found  to  be  but  one  continued  series  of  wickedness,  one  sin  suc- 
ceeding another  without  the  least  gap  made  in  it  by  one  good  and 
holj^  work.  This  is  the  condition  of  every  unregenerate  sinner. 
And,  therefore,  if  ever  you  hope  for  heaven,  endeavour  for  Regene- 
ration :  for  this  change  is  absolutely  necessary,  for  the  raising  of 
your  actions  from  being  sinful  to  be  holy, 
iv.  Hkaven,  in  scripture,  is  promised  to  be  given  by  way 

OF  INHERITANCE,  AND  NO  OTHERWISE. 

So  you  have  it,  in  Acts  xx.  32,  and,  in  Acts  xxvi.  18,  and  in  many 
other  places.  Now  an  inheritance  denotes  sonship:  God  will  not 
give  that  inheritance  unto  any,  but  to  those,  that  are  his  own  chil- 
dren. "We  are  all  of  us  naturolly  strangers  to  God  :  and,  before  we 
can  become  his  children,  we  must  be  New-Born  ;  and,  by  this  New- 
Birth  it  is,  that  we  are  made  heirs  of  glory,  and  coheirs  with  Jesus 
Christ  our  elder  brother:  and,  therefore,  Regeneration  is  absolutely 
necessary  unto  eternal  salvation. 

V.  IT  IS  NOT  FOR  THE  HONOUR  OF  GOD,  TO  BESTOW  HEAVEN  AND 
HAPPINESS  UPON  SINFUL  MEN,  UNLESS  THEY  ARE  CHANGED. 

The  glory  of  God  is  chiefly  manifested  in  our  Regeneration. 
Should  he  admit  sinners  into  heaven,  many  of  his  attributes  would 
suffer  thereby.  His  Truth  would  suffer,  in  saving  those,  whom  in 
his  word  he  had  doomed  to  damnation.  His  Justice  would  suffer ; 
for,  if  he  should  save  all  wicked  men,  and  leave  none  as  vessels  of 
wrath,  what  would  become  of  the  glory  of  his  justice  and  severity  ? 
if  he  should  save  some,  and  not  all,  this  would  be  partiality ;  see- 
ing all,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  Gospel,  are  equally  liable  to 
damnation.  His  Holiness  would  suffer  also,  in  the  admitting  of 
unholy  and  impure  men  to  inhabit  for  ever  before  him,  who  is  of 
purer  eyes  than  to  behold  sin  on  earth  with  approbation,  and  there- 
fore certainly  will  not  behold  sin  in  heaven  with  countenance. 

vi.  Both  the  persons  and  the  performances  of  unregene- 
rate MEN,  WHILE  THEY  ARE  SUCH,  ARE  DISPLEASING  UNTO  GOD ; 
and,  therefore,  this  change  is  necessary  in  order  unto  salvation. 

Certainly,  if  God  neither  loves  what  they  are  nor  what  they  do, 
it  will  be  impossible  for  them  to  enter  into  heaven,  while  God 
keeps  it  garrisoned  against  them  ;  unless  they  can  break  down  the 
eternal  fence,  and  take  it  by  another  force  than  ever  John  Baptist's 
hearers  did. 


256 


OF  REGENERATION: 


Now  that  God  neither  loves  unregenerate  men's  Persons  nor 
Performances,  neither  what  they  are  nor  what  the}r  do,  is  clear. 

1.  He  loves  not  what  they  are:  their  Persons  are  displeasing  to  him. 

Neither  is  this  displeasure  founded  upon  a  small  dislike,  but  up- 
on that  most  bitter  and  implacable  passion  of  hatred :  Psal.  v.  5 : 
Thou  hatest  all  workers  of  iniquity.  And  this  hatred  is  reciprocal : 
for,  as  wicked  men  are  hated  by  God,  so  they  are  haters  of  God: 
Rom.  i.  30  ;  Haters  of  God:  Hence  the  Apostle  tells  us  expressly, 
they,  that  are  in  the  flesh,  that  is.  in  their  unregenerate  state,  cannot 
ptlease  God:  Eom.  viii.  8 ;  and  he  gives  tne  reason  of  it,  in  verse  7 ; 
Because,  says  he,  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God:  thus  you 
see  the  opposition  is  mutual :  and  amounts  to  no  less  than  a  hatred 
on  both  parts,  both  on  God's  and  on  the  sinner's.  Now,  though 
anger  be  for  the  present  a  sharp  and  eager  passion,  yet  is  it  soon 
pacified  by  a  retribution  of  wrong  for  wrong;  but  hatred  is  irre- 
concilable, and  rests  satisfied  in  nothing  less  than  in  the  utter  de- 
struction of  its  object :  and  thus  wicked  men  hate  God,  and  wish 
at  least  there  were  none,  and  do  what  they  can  to  dethrone  him  ; 
and  God  again  so  hates  them,  that  he  resolves  he  will  have  no 
peace  with  them,  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked,  but 
will  pursue  them  to  destruction.  Let  sinners  then  seriously  con- 
sider, that  they  are  mortally  hated  by  that  God,  who  is  of  infinite 
power ;  and  can,  when  he  pleaseth,  bring  upon  them  the  dreadful 
effects  of  his  hatred.  And  is  it  like  that  such  men  shall  ever  enter 
into  heaven,  where  there  is  such  a  hatred  armed  with  power  to  their 
just  and  eternal  perdition  ?  Are  you  stronger  than  God  ?  or  are 
you  more  mighty  than  the  Almighty  ?  Can  you  reverse  his  de- 
cree, whereby  he  hath  doomed  all  the  wicked  unto  hell  ?  or  can 
you  compel  him  to  make  other  terms  with  you,  than  he  hath  al- 
ready propounded  in  his  unalterable  word  ?  Can  you  distress  him 
to  surrender  heaven  to  you  ?  or  can  you  break  down  the  walls  and 
ramparts  of  heaven ;  and  burst  open  those  everlasting  gates,  that 
he  hath  shut  and  sealed  against  you  ?  Alas  !  then,  what  are  all 
your  hopes?  Whereto  is  it,  that  you  trust?  Do  you  think,  at 
last,  to  enter  heaven  as  friends,  who  now  daily  assault  the  God  of 
Heaven  as  enemies  ?  Assure  yourselves,  so  long  as  God  is  able  to 
hold  it  out  against  you,  not  one  wicked  wretch  shall  ever  enter 
there.  When  the  angels  rebelled,  God  chased  whole  millions  of 
them  out  of  heaven  ;  and  do  you  think  that  ever  he  will  admit  re- 
bellious men  into  heaven  ?  No :  doubtless  the  same  hatred,  that 
cast  them  out  headlong,  and  pursues  them  down  to  the  pit  of  hell, 
will  also  pursue  all  the  wicked  of  the  world  thither,  who  are  as 


OB,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


257 


well  enemies  to  God  as  the  Devils  themselves.  Let  all  unrenewed 
sinners,  therefore,  sadly  snd  seriously  consider  with  themselves  what 
hopes  they  have  of  heaven,  since  God  counts  them  for  enemies ; 
and  professes  that  he  hates  them,  nay,  not  only  hates  them,  but 
hates  the  very  place  where  they  are  for  their  sakes :  so  you  have 
it,  in  Amos  vi.  8 ;  Hie  Lord  hath  sworn  by  himself.....I  abhor  the 
excellency  of  Jacob,  and  I  hate  his  palaces.  And  should  wicked 
men  come  into  heaven,  heaven  would  become  a  hateful  seat  unto 
God. 

2.  As  their  Persons  are  hateful,  so  also  all  their  Performances  are 
displeasing  unto  God. 

This  follows  upon  the  former :  for  where  the  person  is  not  ac- 
cepted, the  services  cannot  be.  And  therefore  it  is  said,  Gen.  iv.  4. 
The  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to  his  offering  ;  first,  to  his  per- 
son ;  and,  then,  to  his  service.  If  your  persons  be  hateful  to  God, 
never  expect  that  your  performances  should  be  acceptable.  And 
the  reason  is  clear,  because  there  is  but  one  way  of  acceptance  for 
ourselves  and  for  our  duties,  and  that  is  through  Christ.  As  the 
best  are  not,  in  this  life,  free  from  the  remainders  of  sin ;  so  neither 
are  their  best  duties  free  from  the  mixtures  of  sin :  now  these  sinful 
mixtures  are  so  manifest  unto  God,  that  he  must  needs  reject  and 
abominate  them,  were  it  not  that  Christ,  into  whose  hands  they  are 
first  delivered,  separates  those  mixtures,  and  fills  up  all  their  de- 
fects by  the  redundancy  of  his  own  merits :  but  the  duties  of  wicked 
men  are  not  accepted  in  Christ :  so  audacious  and  bold  are  they, 
as  to  come  before  God  without  a  mediator  to  present  them ;  and 
that  God,  who  is  pleased  with  nothing  but  what  is  absolutely  per- 
fect, if  not  so  in  itself,  yet  at  least  in  the  mediation  of  his  Son,  seeing 
so  many  faults  and  flaws  in  the  services  of  wicked  men,  cannot  but 
cast  them  back  as  dung  and  filth  in  their  faces ;  for  God,  accepting 
of  nothing  but  what  is  perfect,  and  the  services  of  wicked  men 
wanting  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  come  up  before  God  as 
unsavory  stenches  instead  of  sweet  smells.  This  is  the  fruitless 
issue  of  wicked  men's  duties :  and,  therefore,  the  Apostle  tells  us,, 
in  Heb.  xi.  6,  that  without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please  God ;  because 
faith  is  that  grace,  that  unites  and  makes  us  one  with  Christ,  and 
gives  us  an  interest  in  those  merits  that  alone  can  procure  accept- 
ance for  ourselves  and  for  our  services :  but  wicked  and  unregene- 
rate  men  have  not  this  faith ;  and,  therefore,  nothing  that  they  do 
is  well-pleasing  unto  God :  they  may,  for  the  good  works  that  they 
do,  be  rewarded  possibly  with  temporal  blessings,  and  certainly 
with  the  mitigation  of  future  punishments :  but  the  reward  of 
Vol.  II.— 17 


258 


OF  REGENERATION: 


of  eternal  life  belongs  to  none,  but  to  those,  whose  services  are  ac- 
cepted through  him  to  whom  their  persons  are  united. 

See  here,  then,  the  miserable  shipwreck  of  all  the  hopes  of  carnal 
men  :  who  regard  not  what  they  are,  but  look  only,  and  that  too 
with  a  too  favourable  eye,  upon  what  they  do ;  and,  with  the  boast- 
ing Pharisee,  make  large  inventories  of  their  good  works.  They 
fast  twice  a  week,  and  give  alms  often  :  they  are  frequent  in  prayer, 
and  constant  at  the  ordinances:  and  therefore  they  think,  certainly, 
that  they  shall  enter  into  heaven  with  the  forwardest.  But,  alas ! 
what  is  all  this  ?  God  respects  what  thou  art,  as  well  as  what  thou 
dost :  and  if  all  your  duties  proceed  from  an  unchanged,  unrenewed 
heart,  he  neither  accepts  them,  nor  regards  them.  Thou,  perhaps, 
thinkest  that  thou  hast  laid  up  a  great  mass  of  treasure  for  thy  soul, 
against  the  time  to  come ;  whereas,  at  the  Last  Day,  it  will  be  found 
to  be  but  great  heaps  of  dung  and  filth.  Nay,  let  me  tell  you, 
should  you  pray  till  your  knees  took  root  in  the  earth,  could  you 
nail  your  eyes  to  heaven,  could  you  melt  your  hearts  into  tears,  and 
vanish  away  into  sight,  yea  and  spend  every  moment  of  your  lives 
far  better  than  ever  you  spent  the  best,  and  yet  should  you  remain 
unsanctified  and  unchanged,  all  this  would  be  of  no  account  with 
God  ;  but,  instead  of  an  Euge,  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant, 
you  would  meet  with  that  unexpected  demand,  Who  hath  required 
these  things  at  your  hands  ?  Consider  seriously  and  sadly  of  this, 
you,  who  think  that  you  have  many  duties  upon  the  file  in  heaven, 
as  so  many  evidences  of  your  right  and  title  unto  heaven.  As  you 
would  not  have  all  these  to  be  lost,  and  utterly  in  vain ;  so  look  to 
it,  that  they  proceed  from  hearts,  that  are  truly  sanctified  and  re- 
newed :  without  which,  they  will  be  of  no  avail  at  all  in  God's  esteem. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  Demonstrations  of  this  point. 

III.  I  come  now  to  take  some  USE  and  APPLICATION  of 
what  hath  been  spoken  concerning  this  great  and  necessary  doctrine 
of  Regeneration. 

It  is  not  a  particular  doctrine,  that  concerns  some  persons,  and 
not  others :  upon  this  lies  the  eternal  salvation  of  the  whole  world. 

i.  And,  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  seeing  it  is  impossible  ever 
to  obtain  life  eternal  without  Eegeneration  or  the  New-Birth,  let 
us  then  by  this  try  our  title  to  heaven. 

Put  it  seriously  to  the  question :  Are  we  indeed  born  again  ? 
Are  we  become  the  children  of  God :  such  as  have  a  right  and  title 
to  the  purchased  inheritance  ?  The  question  is  of  vast  concernment : 
and  a  mistake  in  this,  either  hazards  our  souls,  by  presumptuous 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


259 


conceits  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  when  yet  we  are  strangers 
and  enemies  to  him  ;  or  destroys  our  comfort,  by  sinister  apprehen- 
sions that  we  are  aliens  and  outcasts,  when  yet  we  are  begotten 
again  by  his  Spirit,  at  least  to  the  grounds  of  a  lively  hope. 

I  shall  endeavour  to  manage  this  Use  of  Trial, 

By  laying  down  some  particular  Attainments  of  Carnal  Men, 
that  possibly  they  may  mistake  for  evidences  of  their  Regeneration. 

By  laying  down  some  particulars,  that  the  Scripture  hath  made 
infallible  Marks  and  Tests  of  a  Regenerate  Person. 

1.  As  to  the  first  of  these,  the  usual  mistakes  of  those,  whose  con- 
victions ever  awaken  them  to  a  self-examination,  are  in  that  they 
rely  upon  works  preparatory  to  Regeneration,  for  the  work  of  Re- 
generation itself :  for  as,  in  natural  generation,  there  is  some  previ- 
ous disposition  of  matter,  before  there  is  the  existence  of  a  form ; 
so,  in  Regeneration,  commonly,  though  not  always,  there  are  some 
preparations  of  the  soul  by  the  common  works  of  the  Spirit,  before 
the  New  Creature  is  formed  in  it. 

Now,  by  Regeneration,  there  is  a  Fivefold  change  wrought. 

Upon  the  Understanding  or  Judgment,  by  enlightening  it. 

Upon  the  Conscience,  by  awakening  and  pacifying  it. 

Upon  the  Affections,  by  spiritualizing  them. 

Upon  the  Will,  by  converting  it. 

Upon  the  Life  and  Conversation,  by  reforming  it. 

From  each  of  these  particulars,  carnal  men  may  collect  mistaken 
evidences  for  their  Regeneration :  and  these  I  shall  endeavour  to 
discover  to  you. 

(1)  Touching  the  Mind  or  Understanding  :  that  may  be  greatly 
irradiated  with  a  clear  and  sparkling  knowledge  of  spiritual  objects, 
when  yet  the  soul  is  not  truly  regenerated. 

It  is  true,  as,  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  light  was  numbered 
amongst  the  first  of  God's  works ;  so,  in  this  new  creation,  the  first 
work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  shed  abroad  a  heavenly  light  into 
the  understanding ;  and,  therefore,  we  have  this  first  in  order,  in 
the  commission,  that  Christ  gives  unto  St.  Paul,  Acts  xxvi.  17, 18  ; 
/  send  thee  to  the  Gentiles,  To  open  tJieir  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light ;  and,  then  it  follows,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God.  But,  yet,  notwithstanding  there  is  an  illumination  about 
spiritual  things  that  may  gild  and  beautify  the  understandings  of 
unregenerate  men ;  who,  like  the  toad,  may  be  full  of  poison,  though 
she  hath  a  precious  stone  in  her  head.  The  Apostle  lays  down  this 
as  one  of  the  first  attainments  that  unregenerate  men  may  have,  andj 
yet  be  apostates  :  Heb.  vi.  4,  6  ;  For  it  is  impossible  for  those,  who 


260 


of  regeneration: 


were  once  enli(jhtcned....If  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  by 
repentance.  They  may  not  only  have  a  deep  knowledge  of  gospel 
mysteries,  so  as  to  see  the  whole  compages  and  concatenation 
Of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  be  able  to  unfold  them  also  unto 
others  ;  but  also  have  particular  discoveries  of  the  glory  and  beauty 
that  is  in  those  things.  See  it  in  Balaam's  extasy,  Numb.  xxiv.  5 ; 
How  amiable  are  thy  tents,  0  Jacob,  and  thy  tabernacles,  0  Israel ! 
where,  besides  that  prophetical  illumination  which  was  darted  into 
him  immediately  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  had  also  a  glorious  dis- 
covery made  to  him  of  the  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  spiritual 
state  of  the  Church :  it  was  not  only  a  view  of  the  order  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Israelitish  camp,  that  made  him  break  forth  into  high 
admirations  ;  but  also  a  seeing  of  them  ranged  under  Jesus  Christ 
the  Captain  of  their  Salvation,  which  was  an  extraordinary  illumin- 
ation to  such  an  unregenerate  wretched  man  as  Balaam  was.  Such 
discoveries  of  the  most  spiritual  objects,  carnal  hearts  may  have 
made  unto  them  :  they  may  see  their  lost  estate  by  nature,  the  way 
of  recovery  by  grace,  the  suitableness  of  Christ  to  their  souls,  the 
riches  of  his  grace,  the  freeness  of  his  love,  the  readiness  of  his 
heart  to  save  them,  the  desirableness  of  happiness,  and  the  beau- 
ties of  holiness ;  and  yet,  for  all  this,  remain  still  in  a  carnal  and 
unregenerate  state. 

Now  such  an  illumination  of  carnal  men  falls  short  of  being  a 
good  evidence  of  Eegeneration  in  two  particulars. 

[1]  Because  it  is  a  barren  light. 

That  illumination,  that  is  saving,  is  not  only  light,  but  influence 
also.  As  the  light  of  the  sun  doth  not  only  serve  to  paint  the 
world,  and  varnish  over  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the  several  crea- 
tures that  are  in  it ;  but,  by  the  grateful  heat  that  its  influence  in- 
sinuates and  soaks  into  them,  doth  also  refresh  them  ;  and,  as  its 
light  discovers  their  beauties,  as  its  influence  increaseth  them  :  so, 
saving  illumination  not  only  illustrates  the  soul  by  its  light ;  but, 
by  its  congealing  influences,  nourisheth  it,  draws  sap  into  it  and 
fruit  from  it.  But  the  illumination  of  wicked  men  is  but  a  barren 
light ;  and  hath  no  influences  in  it,  to  make  the  soul  to  grow  and 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  holiness. 

[2]  It  is  an  ineffectual,  idle  light. 

The  illumination,  that  is  saving,  is  also  transforming :  2  Cor. 
iii.  18  ;  We  all,  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory.  If  a  beam 
of  the  sun  fall  upon  a  looking  glass,  it  not  only  makes  the  glass  to 
have  a  greater  and  a  more  glorious  light,  but  it  represents  the  im- 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


261 


age  of  the  sun  in  it ;  but  let  it  beat  never  so  cleany  against  a  mud- 
wall,  though  it  doth  enlighten  it,  yet  it  leaves  no  image  upon  it :  so, 
truly,  the  illumination,  that  is  saving,  not  only  irradiates,  but  trans- 
forms. If  you  look  upon  the  sun  when  it  is  in  its  full  strength, 
the  light  thereof  will  imprint  the  shape  and  image  on  the  eye :  so 
that,  look  where  you  will,  still  the  appearance  of  the  sun  is  visibly 
before  you  :  so,  every  sight,  that  a  true  Christian  hath  of  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness,  makes  a  parallel,  another  sun  in  his  soul.  But 
the  illumination  of  wicked  men  only  enlightens,  but  doth  not  change 
them  :  their  understandings  may  be  irradiated  with  glorious  dis- 
coveries of  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  things  of  another  world ;  but 
this  doth  not  transform  them  into  the  image  and  likeness  of  these 
things.  The  illumination  of  a  regenerate  person  is  like  light,  that 
breaks  through  the  air  in  an  instant,  and  turns  all  the  vast  body 
throughout  into  light :  but,  in  a  carnal  heart,  it  is  but  like  light 
falling  upon  jet  or  ebony,  that  makes  it  shining,  but  changeth  not 
its  hue  and  blackness.  Yea,  it  is  with  them,  as  it  is  with  men  that 
lie  long  tanning  in  the  sun  ;  who,  though  they  are  enlightened  by 
the  sun,  yet  they  are  also  made  black  and  swarthy  by  it :  so,  though 
men  may  have  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  shining 
strongly  upon  them,  yet  that  very  light  tans  their  souls,  makes 
them  more  black  and  deformed,  and  aggravates  their  sins.  So, 
then,  thou  mayest  have  as  much  notional  knowledge  of  God  and 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  as  any  regenerate  person  whatever  ; 
yea,  and  much  more :  and  yet,  for  all  this,  have  no  good  evidence 
of  thy  Regeneration  ;  for  this  knowledge  is  not  therefore  saving 
because  it  is  clear,  bat  because  it  is  influential  and  transforming. 

And  that  is  the  First  thing,  which  many  mistake  for  Regenera- 
tion ;  because  they  are  enlightened. 

(2)  As  to  the  Conscience,  neither  the  peace  nor  yet  the  trouble 
of  conscience,  are  good  evidences  of  a  man's  Regeneration. 

[1]  Not  the  Peace  of  Conscience. 

For  though,  where  this  peace  is  true,  it  is  always  an  effect  of 
grace  ;  and  therefore  we  have  them  so  often  coupled  together,  as 
Rom.  i.  7,  and  1  Cor.  i.  3  ;  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God 
the  Father:  yet  there  is  that,  which  looks  very  like  peace  of  con- 
science, though  it  is  not  so  in  reality  ;  and  that  is  a  supine  presump- 
tion, a  carnal  stupidity  and  ossitancy  of  conscience,  in  men,  that 
never  have  been  troubled  with  the  sight  of  sin  or  the  sense  of  wrath, 
nor  ever  had  any  serious  thoughts  of  their  vileness  by  it :  but  it  is 
with  them,  as  it  was  with  those  presumptuous  sinners  in  Deut 
xxix.  19,  who  bkss  themselves  in  their  hearts,  saying,  they  shall 


262 


OF  REGENERATION: 


have  peace,  though  they  walk  on  in  the  imagination  of  their  hearts, 
adding  drunkenness  to  thirst.  Now  this  peace  is  founded  only  upon 
a  bold  and  confident  persuasion,  without  any  examination  of  their 
interest  in  God,  and  of  his  love  and  favour  to  them  :  "  God  is  infi- 
nitely merciful  and  gracious,  and  he  will  exalt  his  mercy  above  all 
his  name ;  and,  therefore,  as  he  hath  exalted  his  power  in  creating 
and  sustaining  us,  will  he  not  also  much  more  exalt  his  mercy  in 
saving  us  ?"  Thus,  as  madmen  often  fancy  themselves  to  be  kings 
or  some  great  persons,  when  indeed  they  are  wretched  and  misera- 
ble spectacles  ;  so  do  these  spiritually  madmen :  they  not  only,  with 
the  Devil,  look  upon  the  glory  of  this  world,  and  say,  "  All  is  mine  ;" 
but  they  look  upon  the  glory  of  heaven  itself,  and  say  presumptu- 
ously, all  this  is  theirs.  This  is  a  spiritual  frenzy,  that  makes  them 
speak  of  great  matters,  in  which  they  have  no  interest  at  all.  Yea, 
this  presumption  is  often  accompanied  with  a  fiducial,  or  rather  a 
confidential  application  to  themselves,  in  particular,  of  the  love  of 
Go  1,  and  of  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  as  to  appropriate  them 
unto  themselves  as  their  own :  now  this  is  the  highest  act  of  faith, 
when  it  flowers  up  unto  assurance,  to  say  with  St.  Thomas,  My 
Lord  and  my  God  ;  yet,  through  a  mere  wretchless  security,  sinners 
take  it  for  granted  that  od  is  theirs,  though  they  never  examined 
their  evidences,  and  scarce  know  upon  what  terms  God  hath  prom- 
ised to  become  ours.  To  such  I  may  say,  as  our  Saviour  doth,  God 
is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living :  he  is  not  the  Father  of 
such,  as  live  in  and  love  their  wickedness :  it  were  a  dishonour  to 
him,  to  be  a  Father  to  such  children.  As  we  must  not  discourage 
the  broken  and  contrite  spirit,  but  embolden  him  to  appropriate 
Christ  to  himself  in  particular  :  so  we  must  let  wicked  men  know 
withal,  that  they  call  God  their  God  and  Father  in  presumption, 
and  in  the  security  of  their  hearts  only  ;  and  their  disappointment 
will  be  sad,  when,  instead  of  finding  him  their  God  and  Father, 
they  shall  only  find  him  their  Judge.  Now  it  appears  that  this 
peace  of  carnal  man's  conscience  is  only  from  a  deep  spiritual  secur- 
ity :  because,  if  you  come  to  examine  the  grounds  of  it,  what  is  it 
that  such  plead,  except  the  goodness  of  their  hearts  ?  they  bless 
God  that  their  hearts  are  good ;  and  in  this  they  trust,  and  of  this 
they  boast  and  glory :  though  they  live  in  the  constant  neglect  of 
holy  duties,  and  though  they  wallow  in  the  filth  of  customary  sins, 
yet  still  they  boast  of  this,  that  they  have  good  hearts  :  but  this  is 
a  mere  self-delusion ;  for  it  is  as  utterly  impossible,  that  the  heart 
should  be  good  where  the  life  is  wicked  and  profane,  as  that  a  good 
root  should  bring  forth  evil  fruit.    Such  a  secure  peace  is  no  good 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH, 


263 


evidence,  that  this  great  change  is  wrought  upon  the  heart  by  Re- 
generation ;  but  is  only  founded  upon  mere  obstinacy  and  careless- 
ness of  the  great  concernments  of  men's  everlasting  salvation. 

[2]  As  peace  of  conscience  is  not,  so  neither  is  Trouble  of  Con- 
science a  good  evidence  of  a  man's  Regeneration. 

A  dull  lethargic  conscience,  thath  hath  lain  long  insensible  un- 
der the  commission  of  gross  sins,  may  at  length  by  strong  convic- 
tions be  startled,  awakened,  and  troubled  with  the  sense  of  sin,  and 
frighted  with  the  sight  of  wrath;  and  yet,  all  this  while,  remain 
an  impure  and  and  polluted  conscience.    God  may  set  an  unre- 
generate  man  upon  the  rack,  break  all  his  bones,  and  give  him 
some  foretastes  of  that  cup  of  trembling  that  he  must  for  ever 
drink  of;  and,  as  he  made  himself  a  devil  incarnate  by  his  sins,  so 
God  may  make  his  conscience  a  hell  incarnate  with  his  torments : 
you  hear  Cain,  that  primitive  reprobate,  crying  out,  My  punishment 
is  greater  than  I  can  hear:  nor  could  Judas  find  any  other  way  to 
choke  his  conscience,  than  with  a  halter.    Though,  in  a  course  of 
sinning,  conscience  may  be  dead  and  seared ;  yet  God  will  awaken 
this  sleepy  conscience  :  and,  when  it  shall  then  see  that  it  hath  slept 
only  on  the  top  of  a  mast  and  on  the  brink  of  hell,  and  that  it  is  falling 
into  it  irrevocably,  what  fears  and  terrors  will  this  cramp  it  with  ! 
and  yet  this  may  leave  it  short  of  true  grace ;  under  the  horrors  of  sin, 
and  yet  short  of  grace ;  torment  it  here,  and  yet  possibly  leave  it  to  be 
for  ever  tormented  hereafter.  Take  heed,  therefore,  of  collecting  evi- 
dences of  Regeneration,  only  from  the  trouble  of  your  consciences, 
which  deceives  many  who  take  up  with  preparatory  convictions,  which 
do  often  vanish  away  without  leaving  any  saving  effects  of  true  grace. 
Many,  if  their  consciences  are  awakened  to  admonish,  reprove,  and 
threaten  them,  think  this  a  good  argument  of  the  goodness  of  their 
condition:  St.  Paul  saith  of  himself,  in  his  unregenerate  state, 
touching  the  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  he  was  blameless  ;  so 
strict  and  rigid  an  observer  was  he  of  the  Law,  that  his  conscience 
had  little  to  accuse  him  of.    And  will  you  build  your  hopes  upon 
a  worse  foundation,  than  he  did  in  his  unregeneracy  ?  not  that  con- 
science hath  nothing  to  accuse  you  of,  but  that  it  doth  accuse  you  ? 
not  that  you  are  not  guilty,  but  that  you  are  sensible  of  your  guilt  ? 
what  is  this  more  than  sinners  shall  find  in  hell  ?  it  is  a  great  and 
insufferable  part  of  those  torments,  to  be  pursued  with  the  stinging 
regret  of  an  enraged  conscience,  which  is  that  worm  that  never 
dies :  and  will  you  take  that  for  an  evidence  of  grace,  that  must  be 
for  ever  the  punishment  of  sin  ?    And,  yet,  do  not  many  of  us 
rest  only  on  this,  that  conscience  is  awakened,  frighting  us  in  sin 


264 


OF  REGENERATION: 


and  deterring  us  from  sin  ?  "  Those  sins,  that,  before,  we  could 
swallow  down  without  straining  at  and  digest  without  nauseating, 
now  conscience  riseth  at,  and  we  dare  not  commit  them  for  a  world ; 
and  those  duties,  that,  formerly,  we  lived  in  the  neglect  of,  consci- 
ence now  straightly  enjoins,  and  we  dare  not  for  a  world  neglect 
them  :  those  sins,  that,  heretofore,  we  committed  quietly,  conscience 
now  returns  upon  us  with  torment.  And  is  not  this  a  work  of 
grace  ?  Is  not  this  Regeneration  ?"  No  :  it  is  not,  if  there  be  no 
more :  all  this  only  proves  conscience  to  be  awakened,  but  not  to 
be  sanctified.  Conscience  may  be  defiled,  though  it  be  not  seared: 
a  filthy  puddle  may  be  stirred  and  troubled,  as  well  as  a  clear 
stream  ;  and  conscience  may  work  horrors  and  terrors  in  that  soul, 
where  the  Spirit  of  God  never  yet  wrought  grace. 

So  that  you  see  we  cannot  argue  from  the  Peace  of  Conscience, 
nor  yet  from  the  Trouble  of  Conscience,  that  we  are  in  a  state  of 
Regeneration ;  which  is  of  absolute  necessity  to  obtain  heaven. 

(3)  As  to  the  Affections,  those  sweet  motions  of  the  heart,  though 
they  are  usually  much  relied  on,  yet  even  these  affections  unto  ho- 
ly and  heavenly  objects  are  not  always  infallible  evidences  of  a 
man's  Regeneration. 

In  Matt.  xiii.  20,  some  are  said  to  receive  the  word  with  joy  ;  and 
yet  they  were  unregenerate  is  clear,  for  it  is  said  they  had  no  root: 
and  so,  John  v.  35,  Christ  tells  the  Jews,  that  they  did  rejoice  for 
a  season  in  the  light  of  John  Baptist,  that  is,  in  his  doctrine  and 
preaching :  and  Herod  also  is  said  to  hear  him  gladly.  So  that 
you  see  these  affections,  of  delight  in  holy  duties  and  ordinances, 
may  be  in  those,  that  are  yet  without  a  saving  work  of  grace.  And 
as  there  may  be  these  affections  of  joy  and  delight,  so  also  of  sor- 
row for  sin :  thus,  Matt,  xxvii.  3,  it  is  said  expressly  of  Judas,  that 
he  repented  himself ;  and  Ahab's  humiliation  was  so  great,  that  God 
took  special  notice  of  it,  1  Kings  xxi.  29. 

Now  all  these  affections  are  but  temporary  and  vanishing :  and 
they  may  be  excited  from  several  advantages,  that  holy  things 
have  in  them  to  commend  them  to  the  hearts  of  carnal  and  unre- 
generate men. 

[1]  Sometimes,  the  very  novelty  and  strangeness  of  them  may 
affect  us. 

Novelty  usually  breeds  delight,  which  longer  custom  and  ac- 
quaintance somewhat  abate.  And  this  may  be  given  as  a  true  rea- 
son, why,  soon  after  conversion,  a  new  convert's  affections  are  more 
strongly  drawn  out  in  the  ways  of  God,  than,  afterwards,  when  he 
is  a  grown  and  settled  Christian  :  his  affections  then,  may  not  have 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


265 


such  fall  spring-tide,  as  when  lie  was  but  a  novice  in  Christianity : 
the  reason  is,  because  novelty,  in  that  way  and  course  that  he  is 
entered  upon,  doth  naturally  affect  him,  besides  the  real  desirable- 
ness of  the  things  themselves.  And  this  also  may  satisfy  us,  though 
many  have  turned  aside  from  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  and  from 
the  ways  of  his  worship  that  he  hath  appointed,  and  do  yet  boast 
that  they  have  in  those  new  ways  found  more  new  comfort  and 
sweet  affections  than  they  did  before,  that  yet  this  is  not  because 
those  ways  have  any  thing  in  them  that  really  yields  more  comfort 
and  delight,  but  only  because  they  are  new  ways,  and  new  things 
will  for  the  present  affect :  after  some  continuance  in  those  ways, 
they  find  that  joy  and  delight,  that  they  spake  of,  to  flag;  and  then 
they  seek  out  other  new  ways  and  commend  them  as  much,  having 
as  great  delight  in  them  :  and  it  is  no  wonder  ;  for  new  ways  will 
stir  up  new  affections.  And  thus  may  the  affections  of  carnal  un- 
regenerate  men  be  stirred  up,  by  their  entering  upon  the  profession 
and  external  practice  of  religion,  because  of  the  novelty  of  it  to 
them. 

[2]  Good  affections  may  be  stirred  in  us,  from  the  affecting  na- 
ture of  spiritual  objects ;  for  spiritual  objects  may  affect  us  in  a 
natural  way. 

Who  can  read  the  history  of  Christ's  passion,  without  being  af- 
fected with  sorrow  for  all  that  sorrow  that  he  underwent  for  us  ? 
He  hath  a  heart  certainly  harder  than  a  rock,  that  can  think  of  the 
agonies,  reproaches,  cruel  scourgings,  and  cursed  death,  that  so  in- 
nocent and  so  excellent  a  person  as  Christ  was  underwent,  and  that 
for  sinners  also,  and  not  be  moved  and  affected  with  grief  and  com- 
passion to  him.  And  yet  it  is  possible,  that  these  affections  may 
be  deceivable ;  and  move  no  other  ways,  than  they  would  do  in 
the  reading  of  some  tragical  story  in  a  romance.  To  read  some 
sad  and  dismal  story,  will  naturally  affect  the  heart  with  grief  and 
sorrow.  And  so  it  may  be  with  the  truths  revealed  in  the  Gospel : 
upon  thy  reading  of  them,  they  may  affect  thee,  according  as  those 
truths  are :  if  they  promise  blessings,  they  may  affect  thee  with 
joy  :  if  they  threaten,  and  thou  readest  sad  and  dismal  events,  they 
may  affect  thee  with  sorrow :  and,  yet,  all  this  may  be  only  from 
the  nature  of  the  objects,  and  not  from  any  divine  affections  that 
arj  in  thy  soul. 

[3]  The  affections  may  be  stirred  from  or  by  the  artificial  rheto- 
ric of  others  ;  by  the  abilities  of  the  ministers,  whom  you  hear. 

And  thus  God  tells  the  Prophet,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  32  ;  Thou  art  un- 
to them  as  a  very  lovely  song,  as  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  ami 


266 


OF  REGENERATION": 


canst  play  well  on  an  instrument.  They  may  have  their  judgments 
pleased  with  the  learning  showed  in  a  sermon,  and  with  the  well 
methodizing  of  it ;  and  their  affections  may  be  pleased  with  the 
oratory,  and  powerful  utterance  of  it.  Now,  though  these  are  good 
helps  to  spiritual  affections,  yet  are  they  not  good  trials  of  them. 

[4]  Pride  and  self-seeking  may,  in  the  performance  of  duties  ex- 
cite good  affections. 

And  men  may  be  much  deceived  in  this  particular.  As,  in 
prayer,  they  may  think  they  are  affected  with  the  things  that  they 
pray  for :  when  as,  possibly,  their  affections  are  moved  only  with 
the  manner  of  their  prayer ;  with  their  words  ;  with  that  copious, 
free,  and  admirable  gift,  which  they  have,  of  expression  :  whereas 
a  contrite  heart,  that  is  moved  with  true  spiritual  affections,  may 
not  be  so  adorned  with  such  an  admirable  gift  of  expression.  As 
the  ground,  that  is  fullest  of  precious  mines,  hath  least  grass  grow- 
ing upon  it ;  so  is  it,  many  times,  with  the  children  of  God  in  holy 
duties:  where  the  heart  is  most  full  of  grace,  and  where  there  are 
many  precious  affections  stirring  in  it  towards  God,  yet  there  are 
the  least  fiourishings  of  expressions  in  their  words.  So  that  you 
see  you  cannot  gather  the  truth  of  regenerating  grace  from  the 
strong  workings  of  your  affections,  which  are  very  deceitful,  even 
about  spiritual  things. 

(•i)  Every  change  wrought  upon  the  "Will,  is  not  an  infallible 
evidence  of  Eegeneration. 

It  is,  indeed,  the  thorough  change  of  the  will,  in  which  this  great 
work  principally  doth  consist.  This  is  the  first  principle  of  spirit- 
ual life ;  without  which  whatsoever  other  change  is  wrought  upon 
us,  is  no  more  than  to  set  the  hand  of  the  watch  right  to  the  hour 
when  the  spring  is  broken.  The  will  is,  by  the  philosopher,  called 
the  commanding  and  swaying  faculty  of  the  soul ;  which  controls 
the  affections  and  inferior  faculties,  and  makes  them  obey  its  incli- 
nation :  so  that,  such  as  the  will  is,  such  is  the  man.  And,  there- 
fore, the  Scripture,  in  setting  forth  the  twofold  estate  of  men,  of 
nature  and  of  grace,  doth  it  by  showing  the  temper  of  their  wills ; 
what  their  wills  are.  Unregenerate  men  are  described  by  their 
wilfulness:  John  v.  40;  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  says  our  Saviour, 
that  ye  might  have  life.  And  the  regenerate  men  are  described  by 
their  willingness  :  Ps.  ex.  3  ;  Thy  people  shall  he  a  willing  people  in 
the  day  of  thy  power. 

Here  I  shall  endeavour  Two  things.  To  show  you  after  what 
manner  the  Spirit  of  God  works  this  renewing  change  upon  the 
will.  To  show  you  whai  other  changes  may  be  wrought  upon  it, 
that  are  good  evidences  of  man's  renovation. 


OR,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


267 


[1]  For  the  first,  After  what  manner  the  Spirit  of  God  works 
this  renewing  change  on  the  will,  you  must  know  that  there  are 
two  ways,  whereby  God  doth  effectually  change  the  heart  of  a  sin- 
ner :  and  they  are  moral  persuasions;  and  physical  determinations, 
or  real  efficiency,  which  is  nothing  else  but  God's  all-powerful  grace, 
whereby  he  doth  immediately  turn  the  bent  and  inclination  of  the 
will  towards  himself. 

And  both  these  always  concur,  in  this  great  change  of  the  will. 
God  doth  convincingly  persuade  us  of  our  own  vileness,  and  of  the 
emptiness  of  all  those  vain  things  that  our  desires  are  so  eagerly 
pursuing  :  and,  on  the  other  hand,  he  clearly  represents  to  us  the 
great  excellency  of  himself  and  of  his  ways  ;  that  he  is  the  greatest 
good  we  can  enjoy ;  and  that  there  is  no  other  way  of  enjoying, 
but  by  loving  and  serving  him.  To  do  this,  he  makes  use  of  moral 
persuasions ;  working  upon  our  reason  by  cogent  and  prevailing 
arguments :  and  then  diffuseth  such  a  heavenly  sweetness  through 
the  heart,  as  makes  it  disrelish  all  those  fulsome  delights  of  sin, 
that  would  separate  us  from  that  Infinite  Good,  with  which  they 
can  hold  no  comparison:  so  that,  finding  more  true  delight  in  God 
and  his  ways,  more  charming  and  alluring  joy  than  ever  before  we 
did  in  sensual  pleasures,  we  are  thereby  carried  forth  to  them  by 
an  infallible,  yet  altogether  a  free,  voluntary,  and  amorous  motion. 
And  this  is  done  by  the  real  and  immediate  efficiency  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  upon  the  will  itself:  and  this  operation  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  upon  the  will  is  so  sweetly  attempered  to  the  native  liberty  of 
the  will,  that  it  would  be  a  pain  and  torment  to  the  soul  to  be 
separated  from  that  God,  whom  now  its  understanding  apprehends, 
and  its  will  clasps  about  as  its  chief  and  only  good. 

Here,  you  see,  are  both  a  moral  suasion  and  a  real  determination 
of  the  will,  in  the  work  of  Regeneration.  God  really  determines 
it,  by  the  efficacious  touch  of  his  own  grace ;  whereby  he  power- 
fully turns  the  bent  and  inclination  of  it  to  himself,  which  before 
stood  to  sin  and  vanity.  And,  that  this  might  be  no  infringement 
upon  the  will's  prerogative  in  acting  freely,  at  the  same  time  he 
morally  persuades  it ;  representing  himself  as  the  best  and  most 
satisfying  object  for  all  its  inclinations  to  centre  in. 

And,  thus,  the  efficacy  of  divine  grace  and  the  liberty  of  man's 
will  do  fully  accord,  in  this  work  of  Regeneration,  which  some 
have  thought  to  stand  at  an  irreconcilable  distance  one  from  another. 
For  the  freedom  of  the  will  doth  not  consist  in  its  mdifferency  to 
act  or  not  to  act ;  either  to  love  and  fear  God,  or  not  to  love  and 
fear  him  :  for,  otherwise,  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven,  who  are 


268  OF  REGENERATION: 

under  that  blessed  necessity  that  they  cannot  but  love  God;  should 
not  then  love  him  freely.  But  the  liberty  of  the  will  consists  in 
the  will's  acting  upon  rational  grounds ;  which,  by  how  much  the 
more  strong  the  grounds  and  reasons  are  that  the  will  acts  by,  so 
much  the  more  do  they  in  a  sort  necessitate  the  will  to  act,  and  yet 
by  so  much  the  more  free  is  the  will  in  its  actings ;  so  that  here, 
that  the  liberty  of  the  will  may  not  violate  the  certainty  of  God's 
purpose  and  decree,  he  changeth  it  by  the  power  of  his  irresistible 
grace ;  and,  yet,  that  this  irresistible  grace  may  not  violate  the 
liberty  of  the  will,  he  persuades  it  by  such  powerful  and  rational 
arguments  that  it  should  not  act  freely  if  it  should  dissent  from  it. 

Though  God  useth  an  infinite  power  in  regenerating  and  con- 
verting a  soul,  yet  he  useth  no  violence :  he  subdues  the  will,  but 
he  doth  not  compel  it.  This  is  that  victorious  grace,  that  doth  not 
more  overcome  a  sinner's  resistances,  than  it  doth  his  prejudices: 
it  overcomes  all  oppositions,  by  its  own  irresistible  power;  and  it 
overcomes  all  prejudices,  by  its  attracting  sweetness:  and,  when  it 
brings  a  sinner  to  submit  to  God,  it  makes  him  apprehend  also  that 
it  is  his  chiefest  happiness  and  joy  so  to  do.  This  is  the  sweet 
nature  of  regenerating  grace. 

And  it  is  the  same  winning  sweetness,  that  afterwards  preserves 
the  regenerate  from  a  total  apostasy  from  grace :  for,  though  there 
is  a  constant  supply  of  grace,  to  keep  them  that  they  shall  never 
certainly  draw  back  to  perdition ;  yet,  withal,  their  own  freedom 
is  such,  that  they  may  if  they  will :  but  how  can  they  will  it, 
since  the  will  never  inclines  but  to  that,  which  most  pleaseth  it ; 
and  nothing  pleaseth  a  regenerate  and  sanctified  will,  so  much  as 
that  sovereign  good,  that  comprehends  in  it  all  other  good,  and  that 
is  God  himself? 

And  thus  you  see  how  God  disposeth  of  the  will  of  man,  in 
changing  it  to  himself,  without  constraining  it ;  turning  it,  as  un- 
forcibly,  so  infallibly  to  himself ;  when  he  draws  it  by  the  sweet- 
ness of  his  own  efficacious  inspirations. 

And  thus  I  have  dispatched  the  first  particular,  in  showing  you 
after  what  manner  the  Spirit  of  God  works  this  change  on  the  will, 
by  persuading  it  with  rational  arguments,  that  it  cannot  gain- 
say ;  and  by  overcoming  it  by  his  irresistible  grace,  that  it  cannot 
oppose. 

[2]  The  second  particular  is  to  show  you,  What  other  changes 
may  be  wrought  upon  the  will,  that  are  no  good  evidences  of  a 
man's  renovation  and  regeneration.  And 

1st.  An  unregenerate  man  may  have  many  faint  velleities  and 
wishes  after  grace. 


OR,    T  II  E  NEW-BIRTH. 


269 


"When  he  hears  so  much  spoken  of  the  beauty  and  excellency  of 
holiness,  he  is  convinced,  in  his  judgment,  that  these  things  are 
true :  that  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord  :  that  though 
now,  whilst  he  is  carnal,  spiritual  duties  are  tedious  and  burden- 
some to  him ;  yet,  were  he  himself  but  spiritual,  they  would  be 
pleasing  and  delightful  to  him :  that  those  very  pleasures  of  sin 
which  now  keep  him  off  from  closing  with  grace,  were  he  but  re- 
newed would  all  be  but  an  unsavoury  thing  to  him :  and,  that  what 
he  is  afraid  to  lose  should  he  turn  to  Christ,  he  would  not  value 
the  loss  of  were  he  but  in  Christ.  When  an  unregenerate  man  is 
fully  convinced  of  this,  it  makes  him  break  out  into  pangs  of  affec- 
tionate wishes  for  grace :  "  Oh,  that  I  were  holy  and  gracious !  Oh, 
that  my  heart  were  changed  and  renewed  !  Oh,  that  I  were  better, 
and  could  do  better !"  Let  every  man  appeal  to  his  own  conscience, 
whether,  when  he  hath  been  convinced  of  the  excellency  and  desira- 
bleness of  holiness,  he  hath  not  breathed  forth  such  wishes  as  these. 
When  you  have  seen  a  Christian,  eminent  and  exemplary  for  piety, 
have  you  not  wished  yourself  in  his  condition ;  not  only  in  respect 
of  his  future  reward  and  glory,  but  also  in  respect  of  his  present 
grace  and  holiness  ?  and  wished  not  only  with  Balaam  to  die  the 
death  of  the  righteous,  and  that  your  latter  end  may  he  like  his ;  but 
also  to  live  the  life  of  the  righteous  ?  and  yet  still  you  continue, 
notwithstanding  these  wishes,  in  the  same  sinful  course  and  state 
as  formerly  you  did.  Now  these  are  but  empty  velleities,  and  idle 
wishings  and  wouldings.  An  unregenerate  man  may  possibly  wish 
he  were  a  saint ;  as  a  man  may  wish  he  were  an  angel :  but  such  a 
man's  wishes  put  him  not  upon  any  serious  and  constant  attempt- 
ing of  the  means  whereby  he  may  become  so.  No  man,  that 
wishes  he  were  an  angel,  is  thereby  put  upon  the  means  of  making 
himself  an  angel :  so,  many  wish  they  were  saints,  but  never  put 
themselves  upon  the  use  of  those  means,  that  might  make  them 
such.  Generally,  their  wishes  and  sighs  vanish  away  together ; 
and  the  one  leave  no  more  impressions  on  their  hearts,  than  the 
other  do  in  the  air :  they  run  to  the  commission  of  sin,  even  with 
a  wish  in  their  mouths  that  they  might  not  commit  it ;  and  they 
neglect  duty,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  wish  they  were  performing 
it.  Such  contradictory  wishes  have  they !  They  wish  themselves 
holy ;  and  yet  they  are  willingly  sinful :  they  wish  themselves  bet- 
ter; but  yet  they  never  endeavour  and  strive  after  their  own 
amendment.  These  are  idle  and  empty  wishes  and  velleities ;  ana 
are  no  good  evidences  of  a  man's  Eegeneration. 

2dly.  An  unregenerate  man  may  not  rest  in  these  slight  wishes 
but  he  may  rise  up  to  resolutions. 


270 


OF  REGENERATION: 


He  ma}'  be  resolved,  that  lust  shall  no  longer  enslave  him,  that 
the  pleasurrs  of  the  world  shall  no  longer  bewitch  him,  that  the 
difficulties  of  religion  shall  no  longer  fright  him ;  but  that  he  will 
break  through  all,  and  that  he  will  act  like  a  man  and  a  Christian. 
With  such  generous  resolutions  as  these,  men,  that  are  in  a  sinM 
estate,  may  fortify  themselves.  Grace  they  know  they  must  have, 
or  they  must  eternally  perish :  and  they  know,  withal,  that  God 
doth  not  use  to  be  wanting  to  men's  endeavours ;  and  they  are 
peremptorily  resolved,  therefore,  that  they  will  not  be  wanting  to 
themselves.  See  the  same  strong  resolutions,  in  those,  that  came 
to  enquire  of  the  Prophet  Jeremiah,  in  ch.  xlii.  5,  6 ;  The  Lord, 
say  they,  be  a  true  and  faithful  witness  between  us,  that  we  will  do 
even  according  to  all  things,  for  the  which  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  send 
thee  to  us.  Whether  it  be  good  or....evil,  we  will  obey  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  our  God:  and  yet,  in  the  next  chapter,  you  find  none  so  rebel- 
lious against  God,  as  these  men,  that  had  formerly  made  this  re- 
monstrance. 

3dly.  But,  yet,  notwithstanding  these  wishes  and  resolutions,  the 
will  of  an  unregeuerate  man  falls  short  of  a  saving  change ;  usually 
in  some  of  these  particulars. 

(1st)  In  that  it  is  fickle  and  inconstant. 

Their  desires  may  sometimes  be  violent  and  eager,  as  if  they 
would  take  heaven  by  force,  and  wrest  mercy  out  of  the  hands  of 
God :  their  prayers  may  be  so  importunate  and  earnest,  as  if  they 
would  take  no  denial  from  God :  but  yet  this  volatile  spirit  is  soon 
spent,  and  this  full  bent  of  their  souls  soon  flags ;  and  they  return 
to  the  road  of  as  dull  and  formal  a  profession  as  ever,  and  it  may 
be  to  the  commission  of  the  same  foul  gross  sins  as  before.  Such 
a  will  as  this,  though  at  first  it  seems  to  hurry  men  on  apace,  yet 
soon  tires  and  leaves  them  far  short  of  grace.  A  Christian's  race 
is  not  run  at  so  many  heats,  but  by  a  constant  course  and  progress ; 
still  getting  ground  upon  lust,  and  approaching  daily  nearer  to  the 
kingdom  of  God.  It  is  with  such  men,  as  I  have  sometimes  told 
you  it  is  with  the  sea :  which,  when  it  is  spring-tide,  covers  all  its 
shores ;  but,  when  it  ebbs,  it  discovers  that  there  is  nothing  but 
sand,  where  it  seemed  to  be  a  deep  sea  before.  So,  these  ebbing 
flowing  Christians  discover  plainly,  that  there  is  nothing  but  a  bar- 
ren sand  at  the  bottom :  they  are  unstable  as  water,  and  cannot 
excel ;  as  Jacob  speaks  of  Keuben,  Gen.  xlix.  -i.  A  Christian  is 
not  made  in  a  fit:  nor  is  Regeneration  wrought  in  a  passion;  but  it 
is  a  settled,  solid,  and  constant  frame  of  heart,  that  brings  a  man 
unto  Christ,  and  makes  him  persevere  to  be  a  new  creature.  • 


OR,    THE    NEW- BIRTH.  271 

(2dly)  The  will  of  an  unregenerate  man  is  never  universally 
changed :  but  lie  reserves  still  to  himself  some  lust  or  other,  that 
he  will  not  part  with. 

His  resolutions  are  such  as  were  the  resolutions  of  Naaman  the 
Syrian  :  2  Kings  v.  17,  18  ;  Thy  servant,  says  he,  will  henceforth  offer 
neither  burnt-offering  nor  sacrifice  unto  any  other  god,  but  unto  the  Lord. 
But,  in  this  thing,  the  Lord  pardon  thy  servant,  that  when  my  master 
goeth  to  worship  in  the  house  of  Rimmon,  and  L  bow  myself  in  the 
house  of  Rimmon....the  Lord  pardon  thy  servant  in  this  thing.  So, 
many  peremptorily  resolve  to  forsake  their  sins  ;  but  yet  still  there 
is  some  one  dear  lust  or  other,  concerning  which  they  cry  out,  with 
Naaman,  the  Lord  pardon  thy  servant  in  this  thing :  all  their  other 
sins  they  will  willingly  sacrifice  to  Christ,  may  they  but  be  allowed 
to  retain  this  one  sin.  Now  that  thin  partition,  that  any  one  sin 
makes  betwixt  the  soul  and  Christ,  will  keep  it  from  ever  closing 
with  Christ :  as,  if  there  be  but  a  thin  film  betwixt  the  scion  and 
the  stock,  they  can  never  be  engrafted  and  grow  together. 

(3dly)  The  will  of  an  unregenerate  man  is  usually  very  irrational. 
He  would  obtain  the  end ;  but  yet  he  will  not  use  the  means. 
Grace,  he  would  willingly  have ;  but  you  cannot  bring  his  averse 
will  to  close  with  the  performance  of  those  unpleasing  and  irksome 
duties,  wherein  God  usually  bestows  grace.  Could  they  be  holy 
with  a  wish,  and  suddenly  metamorphosed  to  other  men,  none 
should  be  better  Christians  than  themselves :  could  they  enter  into 
heaven  by  being  willing  to  have  it,  none  should  shine  higher  in 
glory  than  they :  but,  when  so  much  hard  and  unpleasing  work 
must  be  done,  first  that  they  may  be  regenerate,  and  then  after  that 
they  are  regenerate  to  perfect  them  for  glory,  they  look  upon  these 
things  at  a  great  distance  and  afar  off ;  and  so  they  sit  down  with 
idle  wishes,  far  short  of  grace  and  glory. 

(•ithly)  The  will  of  an  unregenerate  man  is  usually  a  general,  not 
a  particular  will. 

If  God  should  ask  them,  "  Sinners,  what  would  you  do  to  be 
saved  ?" — "  Oh,  any  thing,  every  thing,"  say  they. — "  Leave  off  such 
and  such  a  sin  :  perform  such  and  such  duties." — "  Yes,  Lord  :  we 
will  do  any  thing,  but  this  duty ;  or  leave  any  thing,  but  that  sin." 
Just  so  is  it  with  many  men:  they  will  do  any  thing,  every  thing 
in  general ;  but,  bring  it  down  to  particulars,  to  the  doing  of  this 
or  that  duty,  or  to  the  leaving  of  this  or  that  sin,  and  then  they 
are  willing  to  do  just  nothing. 

And  thus  you  see  how  far  the  will  itself  may  be  wrought  upon 
in  unregenerate  men,  and  what  it  is  that  usually  hinders  this  change 
from  being  a  thorough  work  of  Regeneration. 


272 


OF  REGENERATION: 


(5)  There  may  be  also  a  great  and  wonderful  change  wrought  in 
their  Lives,  and  yet  they  may  continue  in  their  former  unregene- 
rate  state. 

They  may  have  escaped,  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  the  pollutions  of 
the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  yet  be  again  entangled ; 
which  shows  them  to  be  unregenerate  :  as  it  is  in  2  Pet.  ii.  20.  To 
escape  the  pollutions  of  the  world  is  no  argument  of  the  truth  of 
grace,  unless  yourselves  also  are  cleansed  from  the  pollutions  of 
your  own  hearts  :  for  sins  may  be  left  merely  from  external,  forced 
principles  ;  such  as  are  the  terrors  of  conscience,  or  the  heavy  judg- 
ments of  God ;  when  God  sets  a  flaming  sword,  betwixt  a  sinner 
and  those  sins,  that  he  counted  his  delight  and  paradise.  To  leave 
sin  upon  such  constraints  as  these,  is  to  leave  sin  with  a  great  deal 
of  reluctancy  and  unwillingness  :  as  a  mariner,  in  a  storm,  casts  his 
go  xls  overboard  :  he  doth  it,  indeed,  with  a  kind  of  will ;  but  it  is 
with  an  unwilling  willingness :  he  is  frightened  and  terrified  to  it, 
for  fear  he  and  they  should  sink  together.  So,  when  a  soul  is  tossed 
in  a  tempest  of  divine  wrath,  ready  to  split  against  the  rock  of  ages, 
and  to  sink  and  be  swallowed  up  in  a  sea  of  fire  and  brimstone,  it 
is  forced  to  lighten  itself,  and  to  cast  this  and  that  dear  lust  over- 
board ;  and  this  it  doth  from  a  will :  but,  yet,  it  is  with  such  a  forced 
will,  as  that  with  which  the  mariner  throws  his  goods  into  the  sea 
in  a  storm  ;  and,  as  soon  as  the  tempest  is  allayed,  the  one  gathers 
up  his  wreck,  and  the  other  gathers  up  his  sins  again.  These  men 
leave  their  sins,  as  Lot's  wife  left  Sodom  :  they  dare  not  longer  con- 
tinue in  them,  for  fear  fire  and  brimstone  should  rain  down  upon 
them  ;  and,  yet,  in  leaving  them,  they  give  many  a  look  back  to- 
wards them,  and  at  last  they  return  again  to  them.  I  have  spoken 
to  this  formerly  on  this  subject :  I  shall  not  therefore  insist  on  it 
longer  now :  only,  be  sure  you  rely  not  upon  these  broken  reeds,  as 
evidences  of  eternal  life  and  glory  ;  for  these  things  are  deceitful, 
and  have  deceived  many,  at  least  for  a  time. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  First  Branch  of  this  Use  or  Trial ;  which 
was  to  show  you  what  changes  may  be  wrought  upon  carnal  men, 
which  they  may  mistake  for  evidences  of  their  Regeneration. 

2.  The  Second  Branch  of  this  Use  of  Trial,  is,  to  lay  down  some 
particulars,  that  the  ScrijJture  hath  ma^de  infallible  Marks  and  Tests  of 
a  Rtgemrate  Person. 

(1)  But,  before  I  come  to  mention  these  in  their  particular  order, 
it  will  be  expedient,  briefly  to  premise  something  concerning  the 
manner  of  obtaining  Assurance  of  Grace,  by  the  Signs  and  Charac- 
ters of  Grace. 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


273 


[1J  It  is  possible  for  a  Christian  to  attain  an  assured  know- 
ledge of  his  Regeneration. 

I  say,  an  assured  knowledge,  to  carry  it  higher  than  the  Papists 
do,  who  allow  no  more  than  a  conjectural  probability ;  which  may 
well  enough  preserve  from  despair,  but  yet  doth  not  exclude  all 
fears  and  doubtings.  But  it  is  no  wonder,  that  they,  who  will  not 
trust  their  natural  senses  iu  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantiation,  should 
not  much  less  trust  their  spiritual  senses  in  the  doctrine  of  Assur- 
ance. A  Christian's  assurance  is  many  degrees  above  these  weak 
guesses  ;  and  arrives  at  a  far  greater  certainty,  than  any  demonstra- 
tion can  be  :  for  the  evidence  of  sense  and  reason  is  not  so  clear  as 
that  of  assurance  is :  the  testimony,  that  sense  and  reason  give,  is 
but  human  ;  but  the  testimony  given  in  a  Christian's  assurance  is 
divine,  and  therefore  is  far  more  certain  and  more  infallible. 

The  Apostle  groundeththe  evidence  of  assurance  upon  the  divin- 
ity of  the  witness,  in  Rom.  viii.  16  ;  The  Spirit  itself  (mark  that) 
beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God.  What 
greater  ground  for  assurance  can  there  be  than  this  ?  Tlie  Spirit  it- 
self beareth  witness:  and  what  God  speaks  is  infinitely  more  certain, 
than  that,  which  our  very  eye  sees  :  and  therefore  it  is  very  injuri- 
ous to  his  truth  and  veracity,  when  he,  by  the  secret  and  sweet 
whisperings  of  his  Spirit,  informs  the  soul,  that  it  is  in  a  state  of 
grace,  to  think  that  this  testimony  only  gives  probable  guesses  and 
conjectures.  The  witness,  that  the  Spirit  gives,  is  such  a  full  assur- 
ance, as  removes  all  doubts  and  fears  ;  for  it  is  the  witness  of  God 
himself. 

Now  such  a  witness  as  this  is,  a  Christian  may  have ;  and  there- 
fore it  is  possible,  and  it  necessarily  follows  also,  that  he  may  have 
a  full  assurance  beyond  all  doubts  and  fears.  Nor  is  this  possible 
by  a  way  of  revelation,  as  a  special  privilege  indulged  only  to  some 
few,  and  them  the  choicest  of  God's  servants :  for,  in  2  Pet.  i.  10, 
the  Apostle  exhorts  all  Christians,  to  give  diligence  to  make  their 
calling  and  election  sure,  which  he  would  never  do,  were  it  an  im- 
possibility, and  could  not  be  obtained  with  our  diligence.  So,  in 
2  Cor.  xiii.  5  ;  Examine  yourselves,  says  the  Apostle,  whether  ye  be 

in  the  faith :  prove  your  own  selves.    Know  ye  not  that  Jesus  Christ 

is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates :  Reprobation,  in  this  place,  by  the 
way,  doth  not  stand  opposed  to  the  decree  of  Election,  as  if  none 
were  elected  but  those  that  were  already  actually  in  Christ ;  but  it 
stands  opposed  to  Approbation,  for  Cod  doth  not  approve  of  any 
in  whom  Christ  is  not  formed :  now,  says  the  Apostle,  since  you 

know  this,  try  and  prove  yourselves  whether  Christ  be  in  you : 
Vol.  ii.— 18 


274 


OF  REGENERATION: 


but  it  were  a  vain  thing  to  put  a  Christian  upon  self-examination 
and  trial,  if  there  were  no  ordinary  means  to  attain  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  it,  but  he  must  expect  and  depend  upon  some  extraordinary 
revelation  from  heaven,  a  thing  that  is  never  but  rarely  given  unto 
some  few. 

It  is  true,  among  Christians  some  may  not  have  this  assurance 
at  all,  and  none  have  it  at  all  times.  As  in  a  walk,  that  is  shaded 
with  tress  and  checkered  with  light  and  shadow,  some  tracks  and 
paths  in  it  are  dark,  and  others  are  sunshine  :  such  is  usually  the 
life  of  the  most  assured  Christian.  Sometimes,  he  walks  in  the 
light  of  God's  countenance,  and  rejoices  in  the  smiles  of  his  favour : 
and,  at  other  times,  he  walks  in  darkness,  and  can  see  no  light :  he 
steps  out  of  the  bright  manifestations  of  God's  love,  into  the  um- 
brages of  sad  and  cloudy  apprehensions  concerning  his  present  state 
of  grace  and  his  future  state  of  glory.  So  that  some  Christians 
never  have  any  full  assurance  at  all,  and  no  Christian  hath  this  full 
assurance  at  all  times. 

Now  this  inequality  of  assurance  proceeds  from  a  double  cause. 

1st.  Sometimes,  from  the  free  and  various  dispensations  of  the 
Spirit,  who  is  arbitrary  in  his  workings ;  who  is  that  wind,  that 
bloweth  when  and  where  he  pleaseth. 

For  the  treasures,  as  well  of  comfort  as  of  grace,  are  in  his  hand 
As  the  sun,  he  disposeth  to  the  soul  its  summer  and  winter  days 
according  to  his  approaches  to  or  recesses  from  it. 

2dly.  Sometimes,  it  ariseth  from  new  contracted  guilt,  that  bloti 
our  evidences  ;  and  makes  them  illegible,  till  it  be  taken  off  again 

It  is  frequent  with  Christians,  when  they  have  clone  sinfully  01 
hypocritically,  in  one  particular  instance,  then  to  begin  to  question 
all  their  sincerity  ;  and,  upon  the  prevalency  of  one  corruption,  to 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  all  their  graces.  We  do  not  therefore  affirm, 
that  there  is  in  all,  or  may  be  in  any  at  all  times,  this  full  assur- 
ance :  but,  in  some  there  is ;  and,  in  all,  there  is  ground  for  it,  and 
a  possibility  by  diligence  to  attain  it.  Give  diligence  to  make  your 
calling  and  election  sure.    That  is  the  first  thing. 

[2]  The  marks  and  signs  of  our  Eegeneration,  in  which  the 
Scripture  abounds,  are,  of  themselves,  insufficient  to  raise  us  to  a 
full  assurance,  without  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

I  doubt  not  but  this  appears  very  clear  to  those,  who  have  taken 
pains  to  search  out  their  spiritual  estate  by  marks  and  signs.  If 
the  Spirit  comes  not  in,  to  satisfy  them  by  his  own  witness,  they 
may  soon  run  themselves  to  a  loss ;  and,  at  the  end,  sit  down  as 
doubtful  and  perplexed  as  when  they  first  began.  As,  for  instance, 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTIT. 


275 


if  a  gracious  soul  should  call  iuto  question  the  truth  and  sincerity 
of  his  love  to  God  :  and  should  begin  to  examine  himself;  "How 
shall  I  know  whether  I  do  indeed  love  God  ?  Why,  the  Scripture 
tells  me,  by  keeping  his  commandments,  by  obeying  him  sincerely. 
Yea,  but  the  sincerity  of  our  obedience  is  as  difficult  to  be  known, 
as  the  sincerity  of  our  love :  and  how  shall  I  know  whether  my 
obedience  be  sincere?"  Now  here,  though  many  signs  might  be 
given  as  evidences  of  this,  yet  still  the  doubting  soul  will  be  driv- 
ing itself  from  one  sign  to  another,  and  never  find  satisfaction  in 
any  of  them,  unless  the  Spirit  of  God  comes  in  by  its  undeniable 
witness  to  silence  all  its  objections,  and  to  resolve  all  its  doubts  by 
a  kind  of  peremptory  and  discussive  voice  that  it  is  so :  otherwise, 
there  is  no  end  of  looking  after  signs,  for  they  will  still  leave  the 
soul  full  of  perplexities.  Unless  the  Spirit  of  God  comes  in  as  a 
satisfactory  witness,  we  may  run  from  one  sign  to  another  sign  to 
enquire  after  grace,  whether  it  be  there  and  there ;  and,  when  all 
is  done,  we  may  be  as  much  at  a  loss  concerning  that  sign,  as  we 
were  at  first  concerning  the  grace  which  we  enquired  after. 

And  there  are  two  reasons,  why  signs  of  grace,  without  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit,  cannot  work  in  us  a  full  and  absolute  assurance. 

1st.  Because,  usually,  one  grace  is  the  sign  of  another. 

Signs  of  grace  are  graces  themselves ;  and,  therefore,  stand  in 
need  to  be  evidenced  by  other  signs ;  and  those  signs,  being  graces 
too,  do  stand  in  need  to  be  evidenced  by  others :  and  so  we  shall 
run  to  an  infinitum,  unless  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  his  witness,  puts 
a  stop  to  this  search. 

2dly.  Because  most  of  the  signs  and  evidences  of  true  grace  may 
be  so  exactly  counterfeited  by  hypocrites,  that  the  judgment,  that 
we  pass  upon  ourselves  by  these  alone,  will  still  leave  place  for 
perplexing  doubts  and  fears,  lest  all  our  graces,  and  all  our  signs 
of  them  too,  should  be  but  hypocritical  delusions. 

So,  then,  unto  a  full  assurance,  there  is  necessarily  required  an 
inward  peremptory  witness  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Signs  and  marks, 
without  his  infallible  testimony,  are  insignificant  and  unsatisfactory 
things. 

[3]  That  assurance,  that  Christians  have  of  their  Regeneration, 
is  not  wrought  in  them  merely  by  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit, 
without  the  help  of  signs  and  marks. 

As  marks  and  signs  cannot  raise  up  to  a  full  assurance,  without 
the  Spirit  of  God ;  so  neither  do  we  obtain  a  full  assurance  merely 
by  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  without  the  help  of  signs  and  marks. 
For,  to  what  end  doth  the  Scripture  so  much  abound  in  giving 


276 


OF  REGENERATION*: 


characters  of  men's  estates,  which  is  the  main  scope  and  drift  of 
the  -whole  first  Epistle  of  St.  John  ?  These  were  all  superfluous, 
if  the  usual  way  of  the  Spirit's  evidencing  were  without  them.  I 
am  regenerated :  but  how  come  I  to  be  assured  of  this  ?  not  barely 
because  the  Spirit  testifies  to  me  that  I  am  so  :  that  looks  too  much 
like  enthusiasm,  and  a  wild  and  groundless  delusion.  But  the 
Spirit  proceeds  in  a  more  rational  way :  I  am  a  Christian  and  re- 
generated, because  I  find  those  marks  upon  me,  that  can  belong  to 
none  but  to  such  who  are  so.  Indeed,  all  our  assurance  must  be 
ultimately  resolved  into  the  alone  verdict  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and 
that,  without  the  help  of  farther  signs  and  marks :  for  when  a 
Christian  gains  assurance,  he  doth  not  with  the  sun  run  through 
all  the  signs  of  the  zodiac,  to  know  if  he  be  a  Christian  by  this  and 
this  sign,  and  then  to  try  the  truth  of  that  sign  by  another,  and  that 
other  by  a  third,  and  so  onward :  that  were  endless  and  unsatis- 
factory :  but  when  he  is  brought  to  signs  that  lie  a  remove  or  two 
off  from  the  grace  that  he  enquires  after,  he  doth  not  usually  make 
a  farther  search  whether  they  be  truly  in  him  or  not ;  but  the 
Spirit  darts  in  a  clear  and  heavenly  light,  that  discovers  them  to 
him.  not  discoursorily  but  only  intuitively,  so  that  he  is  able  to 
say  they  are  in  me  beyond  all  deceit. 

[4]  The  usual  way,  whereby  Christians  come  to  be  assured  of 
their  Eegeneration,  is  by  the  joint  testimony,  both  of  marks  and 
signs  of  grace,  and  also  by  the  Spirit's  witnessing  to  us  that  these 
marks  and  signs  are  in  us. 

The  Word  and  the  Spirit  are  the  twin-lights,  that  discover  to  us 
our  condition.  And,  as  mariners  presage  to  themselves  a  prosper- 
ous voyage,  when  two  lights,  Castor  and  Pollux,  appear ;  but  a 
dangerous  voyage,  if  only  one  appears  :  so.  here,  it  is  unsafe,  in  the 
trial  of  our  Regeneration,  to  take  up  with  one  single,  solitary  light ; 
but.  when  both  the  light  of  Scripture  marks  and  signs  and  also  of 
the  Spirit's  witnessing  appear  together,  we  may  then  prosperouslv 
and  happily  proceed  to  a  discovery  of  ourselves.    So,  in  Rom.  viii. 

16 ;  The  Spirit  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children 

of  God.  To  evidence  that  we  are  born  again,  there  comes  in  a  two- 
fold witness  ;  the  witness  of  our  spirits,  and  the  witness  of  God's 
Spirit :  our  spirit  deposeth  that  we  are  so,  that  we  are  born  again, 
and  become  the  children  of  God  :  and  this  it  doth,  by  observing 
the  proper  marks  and  characters,  that  the  Scripture  gives  of  a  child 
of  God :  and  the  Spirit  of  Goi  comes  in  as  another  witness,  that, 
in  the  mouth  of  two  witnesses,  this  may  be  established ;  and,  by  his 
immediate  light,  clears  up  the  truth  of  that  attestatioD,  that  con- 


OR,  THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


277 


science  did  make ;  -which  takes  away  all  doubting  and  hesitancy, 
and  fills  us  with  a  full  assurance,  yea,  gives  us  a  plerothy.  So  that, 
still,  marks  and  signs  are  of  sreat  use,  for  the  discovery  of  the  truth 
of  grace  :  1  John  ii.  3 ;  By  this  we  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his 
commandments.  But,  still,  we  may  be  puzzled  to  know,  whether 
our  keeping  of  God's  commandments  be  such  a  ground  for  our  com- 
fort :  therefore,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  is  here  required,  to  seal 
and  confirm  this  unto  us ;  without  which,  still,  we  shall  be  to  seek 
assurance,  for  all  the  marks  that  the  Scripture  lays  down  for  evi- 
dences of  our  graces. 

These  things  I  thought  fit  to  premise,  before  I  give  you  any 
Signs  and  Marks  of  Regeneration  :  that  so  you  may  be  exhorted  and 
moved,  when  you  hear  those  signs  that  the  Scripture  gives,  to  ex- 
amine your  hearts,  whether  they  are  transcribed  within  you ;  and 
also  to  lift  up  your  hearts  unto  God,  that  his  Spirit  may  dart  into 
you  such  a  spiritual  light  and  clear  illumination,  as  may  infalli- 
bly demonstrate  to  you  that  these  marks  are  indeed  in  you ;  it 
being  the  proper  work  of  one  and  the  same  Spirit,  to  work  grace  in 
us,  and  to  manifest  it  to  us :  it  is  he  alone,  that  can  draw  that  cur- 
tain that  hangs  before  it,  and  give  us  a  view  of  it.  As  it  is  the 
light  of  the  sun  only,  by  which  we  can  see  the  sun ;  so  is  it  the  light 
of  the  Spirit  only,  by  which  we  can  know  the  Spirit  to  be  in  us. 
Let  us,  therefore,  in  the  trial  of  ourselves  look  to  marks  and  signs 
for  a  testimony  in  our  own  consciences ;  without  which,  all  our 
assurance  may  be  well  suspected  for  enthusiasm  :  and  let  us  also 
beg  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit ;  without  which,  all  marks  and 
signs  will  be  but  vain  and  unsatisfactory. 

(2)  Now,  to  give  you  some  Signs  of  the  Truth  of  Grace,  I  shall 
not  insist  upon  all  that  might  be  mentioned :  for  they  are  very 
numerous ;  since  there  is  no  one  grace,  but  is  the  sign  of  another 
grace,  yea  the  sign  of  all  other,  for  all  graces  are  concomitant.  I 
shall  only,  therefore,  select  out  a  few. 

[1]  It  is  good  sign  of  grace,  when  a  man  is  willing  to  search  and 
examine  himself,  whether  he  be  gracious  or  not. 

There  is  a  certain  kind  of  instinct  in  a  child  of  God,  whereby 
he  naturally  desires  to  have  the  title  of  his  legitimation  tried:  where- 
as a  hypocrite  dreads  nothing  more,  than  to  have  his  rottenness 
searched  into.  David  therefore  prays,  Ps.  xxvi.  2 ;  Examine  me, 
0  Lord,  and  prove  me :  try  my  reins  and  my  heart.  God,  indeed, 
hath  many  ways  of  trying  us ;  but  especially  by  the  word  and 
ministry :  the  Scripture  is  the  great  treasury  of  all  spiritual  light : 


278 


OF  REGENERATION: 


God  hath  amassed  and  stored  it  all  up  there :  and  whatever  comes 
with  spiritual  illumination  upon  the  conscience  must  borrow  it  from 
thence  :  the  preaching  of  the  word  is  the  darting  abroad  of  those 
beams,  that  pierce  into  the  very  entrails  of  sinners,  and  discover  the 
secret  thoughts  and  intents  of  their  hearts. 

Now  try  yourselves  by  this.  Do  you  love  the  word  of  God,  be- 
cause it  is  a  searching  word  ?  because  it  brings  home  convictions  to 
you,  and  shakes  your  carnal  confidences  and  presumptions  ?  Do  you 
love  a  soul-searching  ministry,  that  speaks  as  closely  and  particu- 
larly to  you,  as  if  it  were  another  conscience  without  you ;  a  minis- 
try, that  ransacks  your  very  souls,  and  tells  you  all  that  ever  you 
did  ?  Do  you  delight  in  a  ministry,  that  forceth  you  to  turn  inward 
upon  yourselves ;  that  makes  you  tremble  and  look  pale  at  every 
word,  for  fear  it  should  be  the  sentence  of  your  damnation  ?  This 
is  a  sign,  that  your  condition  is  good,  because  you  are  so  willing 
to  be  searched.  He,  that  doeth  evil,  saith  our  Saviour,  John  iii.  20. 
hateth  the  light ;  neither  cometh  he  to  it,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved. 
But,  if  you  are  pleased  only  with  a  formal,  general  ministry;  and 
such  prophets,  as  sing  only  pleasant  songs  to  you  ;  such,  as  never 
touch  the  conscience  to  the  quick,  that  keep  aloof,  and,  instead 
of  brandishing  the  word  that  is  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword,  reav- 
ing the  heart  with  it,  only  make  a  flourish  of  it :  if  you  can  brook 
no  other,  but  such  a  quiet,  uneoncerning  ministry  as  this  is,  this  is 
a  bad  sign,  that  yet  you  are  unsound.  A  thief  hateth  the  light, 
says  our  Saviour,  lest  he  should  be  detected  and  discovered  :  so  a 
hypocritical  professor  hateth  that  a  beam  of  spiritual  light,  by  the 
ministry  of  the  word,  should  break  in  upon  his  conscience,  to  show 
how  rotten  and  unsound  he  is. 

And  that  is  the  first  trial.  It  is  a  sign  of  a  good  estate,  when  a 
man  is  willing  to  put  himself  on  the  trial. 

[2]  Love  to  those,  who  are  truly  godly,  is  a  certain  and  infalli- 
ble sign  of  Regeneration. 

1  John  iii.  14.  We  know  that  we  avepassed  from  death  unto  life,  be- 
cause we  love  the  brethren.  This  is  a  certain  sign,  that  a  mighty 
change  is  wrought  on  the  heart :  for,  naturally,  we  are  inclined  to 
hate  the  children  of  God,  upon  that  very  account  because  they  are 
godly.  It  is  a  true  rule  of  the  Schoolmen,  borrowed  out  of  Aris- 
totle, That  the  affections  of  the  soul  are  the  same  towards  the  image 
of  a  thing,  as  they  are  towards  the  thing  itself:  if  we  love  or  hate 
any  person,  we  shall  accordingly  love  or  hate  his  picture  and  re- 
semblance :  now  all  wicked  men  naturally  hate  God,  because  he  is 
a  holy  God,  and  thereby  is  contrary  to  their  verv  natures,  that  are 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


279 


corrupt  arid  sinful ;  and  so  they  also  hate  the  children  of  God,  be- 
cause they  are  living  pictures  of  God,  and  bear  his  image  upon 
them,  being  made  conformable  to  him  by  a  work  of  Eegeneration. 
He,  that  is  born  of  the  flesh,  says  the  Apostle,  will  persecute  and  hate 
him  that  is  born  after  the  Spirit ;  because  he  is  the  copy  of  that  origi- 
nal, betwixt  whom  and  them  there  is  an  antipathy  founded  in  their 
very  natures.  Now  when  a  man,  who  before  did  thus  hate,  scorn, 
and  despise  the  people  of  God,  as  a  company  of  affected  and  turbu- 
lent Irvpocrites,  shall  find  in  himself  a  love  and  esteem  for  them, 
and  shall  see  the  beauty  and  glory  of  that  holiness  that  before 
rendered  them  odious  to  him  :  this  is  a  sign,  that,  certainly,  a  mighty 
change  is  wrought  upon  that  man ;  and  that  he  himself  is  trans- 
formed into  the  image  of  God,  because  he  loves  that  image  in  others. 

Now  this  trial  will  proceed  upon  these  Three  particulars. 

1st.  That  this  love  be  to  them,  because  they  are  godly. 

We  may  possibly  love  godly  men,  for  other  respects ;  because 
they  are  wise  or  learned,  or  because  possibly  they  love  us,  or  are 
related  to  us  :  but  these  are  but  by-respects,  and  grace  hath  no  in- 
terest at  all  in  them.  That  love  to  the  godly,  that  can  assure  us 
of  being  godly  and  regenerate,  must  be  a  love  to  the  children  of 
God,  merely  beoause  they  are  godly. 

2dly.  As  we  must  love  them  because  they  are  godly,  so  the  more 
godly  they  are  the  more  we  should  love  them. 

My  delight,  says  David,  is  in  the  saints,  and  in  the  excellent  ones 
of  the  earth.  The  more  holy  a  child  of  God  is,  if  we  love  him 
aright,  the  more  we  shall  love  him. 

3dly.  If  we  love  all,  that  are  godly. 

Not  only  those  of  our  temper,  constitution,  and  opinion  in  all 
things ;  but  all  of  them :  with  a  valuation  and  esteem  for  them, 
with  a  prizing  love,  which  the  image  of  God  upon  their  souls  and 
their  similitude  to  him  challenge.  Indeed,  our  familiarity  and 
intimacy  may  be  with  some  of  them,  more  than  with  others ;  but 
our  high  and  cordial  esteem  must  be  of  all  of  them. 

Now  try  yourselves  by  this.  Do  you  love  the  brethren  ?  And 
so  little,  truly,  is  this  love  to  be  found,  that  the  name  of  Brethren 
is  become  a  mock  and  a  jest  by  many  !  But  is  your  delight  in  the 
saints  ?  Do  you  account  them  the  excellent  ones  of  the  earth  ?  How 
few  are  there,  that  love  them,  that  love  God  !  or,  if  they  do  love 
them,  possibly  it  is  for  other  respects  and  reasons  :  could  you  not 
love  them  better,  if  they  were  not  so  rigid,  strict,  and  precise  as 
they  are  ?  Let  such  know,  as  St.  John  speaks,  in  1  John  v.  1.  He. 
that  hveth  him  that  begetteth,  loveth  him  also  that  is  begotten.    It  is 


280 


of  regeneration: 


in  vain  to  think  that  we  are  born  of  God,  if  we  have  not  a  sincere 
and  cordial  affection  for  all  those,  that  are  the  children  of  God,  and 
our  brethren. 

[3]  Another  sign  of  Eegeneration,  is  a  universal  Eespect  and 
Obedience  unto  all  God's  Commandments. 

This  St.  John  expressly  gives  us,  in  his  first  Epistle,  chap.  ii.  ver. 
3  ;  Hereby,  says  he,  we  do  know  that  we  Icnoio  him,  if  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments:  and  so,  in  ver.  5;  Whoso  keepeth  his  word,  in  him  verily 
is  the  love  of  God  perf ected :  hereby  know  we  that  we  are  in  him. 

It  is  observable,  that  the  work  of  Regeneration  is  itself  called  the 
writing  of  the  Law  in  our  hearts,  in  Jer.  xxxi.  33  ;  /  will  put  my 
law  into  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts. 

God  hath  written  his  Law  three  several  ways.  "When  he  first 
created  man,  he  wrote  it  then  upon  his  heart  by  his  creating  finger : 
man  was  the  transcript  of  God :  as  he  was  his  handy-work,  so  he 
was  his  hand-writing  also :  man  was  then  the  only  copy  of  the  Law 
extant  in  the  world  :  this  copy  was  perfect ;  but  yet  it  was  such, 
as  might  be  blotted  and  torn.  Next,  God  wrote  his  Law  in  his 
word  :  the  Holy  Scriptures  exhibit  to  us  an  entire  system,  both  of 
commands  and  duties  :  and  this  copy  is  both  perfect  and  durable  ; 
such,  as  neither  hath  suffered,  nor  can  suffer,  any  decays  from 
length  of  time,  or  from  the  rage  and  malice  of  men  or  devils.  And, 
lastly,  God  hath  again  wrote  his  Law  upon  the  heart  of  man,  in  his 
new  creation  :  and  this  copy  is  eternally  durable  ;  but  yet  it  is  but 
as  a  writing  upon  sinking  and  leaky  paper,  which  in  this  life  is 
very  obscure  and  full  of  blots. 

Now  this  writing  of  the  Law  upon  our  hearts,  is  a  figurative  ex- 
pression: and  denotes  nothing  else,  but  an  inclination,  joined  with 
some  ability,  to  fulfil  the  commands  of  God  contained  in  his  word; 
a  conformity,  betwixt  the  commands  of  the  Law  and  the  affections 
of  the  heart,  that,  whatever  the  Law  enjoins,  the  heart  also  desires 
and  delights  in.  Thus  David  explains  it,  Ps.  xl.  8  ;  I  delight  to  do 
thy  will,  0  my  God:  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart.  So  that  the 
heart  of  a  regenerate  person  answers  to  every  tittle  in  the  Law,  with 
sincere  desires  at  least  to  perform  it.  And  as,  betwixt  an  indenture 
and  the  counterpart  of  it,  there  is  an  exact  correspondency  word 
for  word  ;  such  an  exact  correspondency  is  there  betwixt  the  Law 
of  God  and  the  heart :  whatever  the  Law  commands,  the  heart 
readily  embraces  and  endeavours  to  fulfil.  This  harmony  is  ex- 
pressed by  David  in  Ps.  xxvii.  8;  W hen  thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  my 
face;  my  heart  said.....Thy  face,  Lord,  will  I  seek.  This  is  to  have 
the  Law  of  God  written  on  the  heart ;  which  is  the  proper  work  of 
Regeneration. 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


281 


Let  us  now,  therefore,  try  whether  our  conformity  and  obedience 
to  the  Law  and  will  of  God  written  in  his  Word,  be  such  as  may 
give  us  good  ground  to  hope,  that  his  Law  is  also  written  in  our 
hearts  in  our  Regeneration. 

There  is,  therefore,  a  Twofold  obedience  to  God's  command- 
ments :  first,  Perfect ;  secondly,  Imperfect,  but  yet  sincere. 

1st.  There  is  a  Perfect  Obedience  :  such,  as  carries  in  it  an  ab- 
solute perfection,  both  of  parts  and  degrees. 

To  make  up  this,  Two  things  are  required. 

That  it  be  such  an  obedience,  as  is  stretched  forth  to  the  utmost 
latitude  of  all  God's  commands :  such,  as  is  fully  commensurate  to 
the  fullest  bounds  of  duty  ;  so  as  to  leave  nothing  undone,  that  the 
Law  requires. 

That  it  be  such  an  obedience,  as  is  wound  up  to  the  greatest  in- 
tenseness  of  spiritual  love  and  delight  in  the  performance  of  it ;  in- 
somuch, as  not  to  permit  in  the  least  any  carnal  ends,  any  strag- 
gling thoughts,  or  any  wavering  and  unfixed  affections  at  all  so 
much  as  to  breathe  upon  it.  And  this  the  Scripture  calls  a  serv- 
ing of  God  with  all  our  hearts,  and  minds,  and  souls :  Deut.  x.  12. 

This  is  obedience,  that  is  absolutely  perfect  and  universal ;  both 
in  respect  of  the  object,  and  also  in  respect  of  the  subject. 

Now,  here,  I  shall  lay  down  Two  particulars. 

(1st)  That,  in  the  examining  of  our  Regeneration,  we  must  not 
proceed  by  this  absolute  and  perfect  obedience ;  so  as  to  conclude 
we  have  no  grace,  because  we  have  some  remaining  sin. 

Obedience  to  God's  commandments  is  a  sign  of  Regeneration, 
where  it  is  not  thus  consummate  and  blameless.  Nay,  indeed, 
never  any  man  since  the  Fall  did  or  can  keep  God's  command- 
ments, in  this  absolute  and  perfect  manner,  Christ  only  excepted : 
There  is  no  man  that  liveth  and  sinneth  not:  1  Kings  viii.  46.  It  is 
true,  we  are  commanded,  in  Matt.  v.  48,  to  be  perfect,  even  as  our 
Heavenly  Father  is  perfect ;  but,  as  soon  may  a  clod  of  earth  shine 
as  bright  as  the  sun,  as  we  who  have  sinful  natures  ever  attain  to 
a  sinless  state  in  this  life.  And  yet  such  an  excess  of  commands 
as  these  are,  though  they  are  impossible;  yet  are  they  not  unjust, 
nor  unuseful.  They  are  not  unjust:  because  God  commands  noth- 
ing that  is  simply  in  itself  impossible,  but  is  equally  proportioned 
to  that  strength  which  he  at  first  gave  us  ;  and,  if  we  have  wilfully 
lost  our  power  of  obeying,  we  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  God 
as  rigid  and  severe,  because  he  will  not  also  lose  his  prerogative 
of  commanding.  Neither  are  they  useless  :  because  to  command 
boyond  what  we  are  able  to  perform,  proves  a  means  to  excite  us 


282 


OF  REGENERATION: 


to  perform  so  much  at  least  as  God  will  be  pleased  to  accept ; 
who  always  accepts  sincerity  in  the  desires  and  endeavors,  where 
absolute  perfection  is  wanting  and  unattainable :   If  there  be 

 a  willing  mind,  says  the  Apostle,  2  Cor.  viii.  12 ;  it  is  accepted 

according  to  what  a  man  hath,  a?id  not  according  to  what  he  hath  not. 
Let  none,  therefore,  conclude  that  they  have  no  grace,  because  they 
have  many  imperfections  in  their  obedience.  A  weak  child  is  not 
therefore  a  bastard  or  illegitimate  :  so,  thy  grace  may  be  very  weak 
and  imperfect,  and  yet  thou  rrm-est  be  truly  born  again  of  God, 
and  be  a  genuine  son  and  heir  of  heaven. 

(2dly)  It  is  a  good  evidence  of  the  work  of  grace  in  our  obedi- 
ence, when,  though  our  obedience  be  very  imperfect,  yet  we  rest- 
lessly aspire,  both  in  fervent  prayer  and  in  earnest  endeavors, 
after  the  most  absolute  degree  of  perfection 

Both  of  these  must  be  concerned  :  for  prayers,  without  endeav- 
ors, are  but  hypocritical ;  and  endeavors  will  never  be  without 
prayers,  or  at  least  they  will  never  be  successful.  If  we  pray  with 
unfeigned  desires,  that  God's  will  may  be  done  by  us  on  earth  with 
the  same  fixedness,  delight,  constancy,  and  perseverance,  as  it  is 
done  by  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven :  if  we  rest  not  in  our  pre- 
sent attainments,  nor  sit  down  contented  with  what  we  have  al- 
ready ;  thinking  that  sufficient  to  defray  our  charges,  and  to  bring 
us  safe  to  heaven  at  last :  if  we  think  we  have  attained  nothing, 
while  there  is  any  thing  defective  in  us :  if  we  strain  every  sinew, 
and  bend  every  faculty  of  our  souls,  pressing  forward  to  the  mark 
for  the  prize  of  our  high  calling ;  and,  with  a  holy  impatience, 
breathe  after  farther  measures  of  grace,  still  strengthening  our- 
selves against  lusts  and  temptations,  and  striving  after  the  spiritual 
performance  of  duties :  while  we  thus  endeavor  and  strive,  it  may 
be  a  good  evidence  to  us  of  our  sincerity ;  and,  in  God's  account, 
sincerity  passeth  for  perfection. 

Thus  much,  concerning  the  first  sort  of  obedience,  which  is 
absolutely  perfect.  It  is  not  attainable  by  Christians  in  this  life: 
and,  therefore,  the  want  of  it  should  not  deject  us  with  a  suspicion 
of  the  want  of  grace :  yet  must  we  pray  for  it,  and  aim  at  it ;  and 
if  we  do  so,  it  may  be  a  good  evidence  of  sincerity,  which  is  evan- 
gelical perfection. 

2dly.  As  for  that  obedience,  that  is  attainable  in  this  life,  in 
imperfect  measures  and  degrees,  it  becomes  an  evidence  to  us  of 
our  Regeneration  in  these  following  particulars. 

(1st)  When  it  is  universal  in  respect  of  the  Subject :  that  is, 
there  must  be  an  obedient  frame  and  rectitude  of  the  whole  man 
both  inward  and  outward. 


OB,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


283 


[1st]  Sincere  and  evidencing  obedience  must  be  internal,  of  the 
inward  man;  such,  as  may  regulate  the  heart  and  conscience 
itself. 

The  Law  is  spiritual,  says  the  Apostle,  and  reacheth  the  soul 
and  spirit  of  a  man :  and,  hence,  says  St.  Paul,  7"  delight  in  the  Law 
of  God  after  the  inward  man.  There  is  a  spiritual  force  in  the  Law 
of  God,  that,  in  a  truly  regenerate  soul,  checks  all  sinful  thoughts, 
and  quenches  and  damps  the  flames  of  sensual  affections  and 
desires.  It  judgeth  those  secret  and  retired  motions  of  the  soul, 
over  which  human  laws  have  no  command  or  prerogative. 

Now  examine  yourselves  by  this.  Do  the  commands  of  God 
pierce  and  insinuate  into  your  inward  man?  Do  they  conform  that 
to  obedience  ?  Dare  you  not  cherish  those  sins  in  your  souls,  that 
possibly  you  dare  not  commit  in  your  practices?  Do  you  not 
dandle  them  in  your  thoughts,  and  hover  and  flutter  over  them  in 
your  affections  ?  Are  you  not  content  with  a  fair  and  plausible 
appearance  towards  man?  But  do  you  labor  also  to  approve  your 
hearts  unto  God,  and  to  bring  every  thought  unto  obedience  to 
Jesus  Christ  ?  This  internal  obedience  is  a  good  evidence  of  the 
truth  of  that  grace,  which  always  begins  with  the  heart,  and  from 
thence  influenceth  the  life. 

[2dly]  Sincere  obedience  must  be  External. 

It  is  a  vain  plea,  to  pretend,  as  many  ignorant  people  do,  that 
their  hearts  are  good,  when  their  lives  abound  with  ungodly  prac- 
tices. The  life  is  the  index  of  the  heart :  and,  as  the  hand  of  a 
dial  never  goes  amiss,  but  the  fault  is  in  the  wheels  that  move  it ; 
so  the  life  is  never  disorderly,  but  the  fault  lies  in  the  heart  ami 
in  the  affections,  that  are  the  wheels  and  springs  that  move  it.  An 
evil  man,  saith  our  Saviour,  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  heart  hring- 
eth  forth  evil  things.  True  grace  seasoneth  the  whole  man ;  and 
makes  a  thorough  change,  both  in  the  inward  disposition,  and  also 
in  the  outward  deportment :  as  it  makes  the  thoughts  holy,  so  it 
also  makes  the  discourses  savory,  and  the  affections  and  conversa- 
tion heavenly.  Both  must  be  conjoined  in  a  regenerate  person : 
for,  the  tendering  unto  God  only  an  external  conformity  of  the 
life  when  the  heart  is  required,  is  but  to  mock  God ;  and,  to  think 
that  we  please  God  with  good  affections  when  we  take  no  care  of 
our  lives  and  practices,  is  but  to  mock  ourselves. 

Now  try  yourselves  by  this.  Is  your  whole  man,  both  soul  and 
body,  formed  to  the  will  of  God  ?  Do  you  serve  him  with  your 
inward  and  with  your  outward  man  ?  Christ  calls  his  law  a  yoke, 
and,  certainly,  it  is  a  yoke,  wherein  both  must  be  coupled.  Do 


234 


OF  REGENERATION: 


you  desire  and  endeavor  to  yield  the  obedience  of  the  heart,  and 
the  obedience  of  the  life  also,  as  he  requires  :  neither  contenting 
yourselves  with  a  slight  and  overly  performance  of  duties,  where 
the  lips  outruu  the  heart,  and  the  heart  gives  the  lie  to  the  lips ; 
nor  yet  slighting  that  outward  reverence,  that  is  necessary  to  testify 
the  due  sense  which  you  have  of  his  glorious  presence,  and  that 
care  which  you  have  to  serve  him  both  in  soul  and  in  body  that 
are  his  ?  Do  you  so  live,  as  not  to  defraud  God  of  an}-  part  of  his 
service,  or  of  his  servant, ;  but  sacrifice  yourselves  entirely  unto 
him :  your  bodies,  upon  the  altar  of  your  soul  and  affections  ;  and 
both  soul  and  body  upon  that  altar,  that  alone  can  make  both 
acceptable,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?  This  is  a  good  evidence, 
that  you  do  so  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  as  that  it  may  be 
a  ground  of  assurance  to  you  that  you  do  know  him,  and  are  in 
him. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  first  branch. 

(2dly)  Obedience  is  a  good  and  infallible  sign  of  our  Regeneration, 
when  it  is  universal :  as  in  respect  of  the  subject,  the  whole  man, 
soul  and  body ;  so,  also,  in  respect  of  the  Object,  that  is,  the  whole 
Law  in  every  particular  command  of  it. 

The  whole  Law  is  contained  in  two  things :  in  those  duties,  that 
immediately  concern  God ;  and  in  those  duties,  that  do  immediately 
concern  men.  Now  if  thy  obedience  be  sincere,  thou  wilt  have  a 
general  respect  unto  all  God's  commands :  to  those,  that  concern 
thy  Lord  and  master ;  and,  to  those  also,  that  concern  thy  fellow- 
servants. 

Bring  this  also  to  the  trial.  Art  thou  just  and  upright  in  thy 
dealings  with  men  ?  Art  thou  loving  and  helpful  to  thy  neigh- 
bors ?  it  is  well.  But  what  then  is  thy  religion  to  God  ?  is  not 
that  a  dull  and  formal  thing  ?  is  not  this  the  best  character  that 
can  be  given  of  thee,  that  thou  art  a  good  neighbor,  better  to  men 
than  thou  art  to  God  ?  Again,  if  thou  hast  taken  up  a  glorious 
profession  of  religion,  and  art  frequent  in  those  duties  of  it  that 
concern  God,  what  art  thou  then  as  to  men  ?  Beligion  hath  of 
late  suffered  upon  this  very  account,  while  the  professors  of  it  have 
acted  high  things  in  a  way  of  duty,  and  pretended  to  high  things 
in  a  way  of  enjo}rment ;  but  yet  have  been  as  unjust,  oppressive, 
self-seeking,  covetous,  and  over-reaching,  as  if  their  only  reward 
were  to  live  upon  the  spoil  of  others :  thy  religion  to  God,  cer- 
tainly, is  no  sign  of  grace,  if  thou  art  not  also  conscientious  in  thy 
dealings  towards  men :  Herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  says  the  Apostle, 
to  keep  in  all  things  a  conscience  void  of  offence  both  to  God  and 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


285 


men.  But,  more  particularly,  the  duties,  that  respect  others,  are 
either  general,  as  thou  art  a  man  to  men;  or  particular,  as  to  thy 
relation  in  which  thou  standest,  relative  duties.  Now,  how  is  it, 
that  you  perform  these  duties,  that  belong  to  thy  special  relation  ? 
for  herein  the  life  of  Christianity  is  seen.  How  dost  thou  demean 
thyself,  in  the  place  where  thou  livest,  as  a  magistrate,  in  checking 
sin  and  in  pimishing  vice  ?  how,  as  a  minister  ?  how,  as  a  parent  ? 
how,  as  a  yoke-fellow  ?  how,  as  a  child  ?  and  how,  as  a  servant  ? 
Whatever  a  man  doth,  as  to  the  general  duties  of  Christianity,  yet 
if  he  be  negligent  and  careless  in  these  particular  relative  duties, 
he  hath  great  cause  to  suspect  himself :  it  argues  truth  of  grace, 
when  we  are  careful  in  the  fulfilling  of  these  particular  relations 
and  stations,  that  we  stand  in  towards  others.  I  shall  close  up  this 
note  of  trial  with  that  of  the  Apostle,  in  James  ii.  10, 11.  He,  that 
offendeth  in  one,  is  guilty  of  all:  if  there  be  a  willing  and  indulg- 
ing sloth,  in  the  neglecting  of  any  one  duty  that  God  hath  com- 
manded, how  difficult  and  how  opposite  soever  it  be  unto  flesh  and 
blood,  that  man  hath  ground  to  suspect,  that,  whatever  other  duties 
he  performs,  be  they  never  so  many  and  never  so  admirable,  yet 
they  are  not  such  as  manifest  sincerity,  and  may  give  him  a  good 
evidence  of  a  good  estate. 

[4]  Another  sign  of  Regeneration,  which  is  the  last  that  I  shall 
mention,  is  that  which  St.  John  speaks  of  in  his  First  Epistle,  chap, 
iii.  ver.  9,  10.  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin  ;  for  Jiis 
seed  remaineth  in  him :  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God. 
In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  Devil. 

This  place  may,  perhaps,  be  among  the  number  of  those,  that 
had  been  more  clear,  if  they  had  been  less  expounded.  I  shall 
only  give  you  the  genuine  native  sense  of  the  words,  and  then  pro- 
ceed to  manage  them  to  my  present  purpose.  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God  doth  not  commit  sin.  Some  from  hence  have  concluded  a  pos- 
sibility, at  least,  of  a  sinless  state  in  this  life :  others,  the  infallible 
certainty  of  it ;  not  only  that  a  child  of  God  might  attain  to  such 
a  perfection  as  is  exclusive  of  all  sin,  but  that  whoever  is  a  child 
of  God  cannot  upon  that  very  account  be  guilty  of  any  sin :  so 
like  are  errors  to  precipices,  that,  if  a  man  lose  his  firm  footing, 
usually  he  falls  headlong ;  nor  doth  he  stop,  till  he  dash  himself 
against  the  bottom  and  foundation  of  all  religion  and  piety :  had 
these  men  but  seriously  pondered  what  the  same  Apostle  saith  in 
his  first  chapter,  vv.  8,  10 ;  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us:  And,  If  we  say  that  we  have  not 
sinned,  we  make  God  a  liar,  they  would  not  have  entertained  such 


286 


OF  REGENERATION: 


an  over-weening  conceit  of  a  spotless  perfection  of  life  here ; 
whereof  the  greatest  part  is  no  better  than  sin,  and  the  best  of  it 
but  too,  too  much  defiled  with  it.  Others  interpret  it  thus :  So 
long  as  we  are  the  children  of  God,  so  long  we  cannot  sin  ;  and  so 
the  Papists  go :  but  these  go  upon  an  erroneous  supposition,  that 
every  mortal  sin,  as  they  call  them,  makes  an  intercision  of  justi- 
fying grace ;  and  doth,  as  it  were,  annihilate  the  new  creature. 
Others  interpret  it  thus:  in  quantum  sumus  Dei  filii :  we  cannot 
sin  under  that  respect  and  notion,  as  we  are  the  children  of  God ; 
but  even  so  far  as  we  are,  the  best  of  us  in  the  most  part,  unre- 
newed :  though  this  is  a  certain  truth,  yet  it  is  but  a  dilute  and 
waterish  exposition  of  this  place  ;  and  it  amounts  to  no  more  than 
this,  that  a  regenerate  man  sins  not  as  he  is  regenerate,  that  the 
principle  of  grace  in  him  is  not  that  principle  from  whence  sinful 
actions  proceed ;  and,  certainly,  no  man,  that  considers  the  weight 
of  this  scripture  expression,  will  think  that  the  Apostle,  by  such 
an  instance  and  ingemination,  would  press  so  thin  a  meaning  as 
this  is.  The  interpretation,  therefore,  that  I  judge  to  be  the  most 
natural  and  unforced  is  this :  He,  that  is  born  of  God,  doth  not  com- 
mit sin  ;  that  is,  he  doth  not  sin  in  that  malignant  manner,  in  which 
the  children  of  the  Devil  do  :  he  doth  not  make  a  trade  of  sin,  nor 
live  in  the  constant  and  allowed  practice  of  it.  Neither  can  he  thus 
sin,  because  las  seed  remaineth  in  him  ;  that  is,  either  the  energy  of 
the  word  of  God  whereby  he  is  begotten  again  to  a  spiritual  life,  or 
the .  complexion  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  that  are  as  it  were  the 
seminary  and  seed-plot  of  glory.  Nor  he  cannot  sin,  because  his 
seed  remaineth  in  him:  this  seed  remains,  and  keeps  him  that  he 
cannot  sin ;  either  as  apostates  do  who  totally  forsake  the  ways  of 
God,  or  as  profane  persons  do  who  never  embraced  them.  There 
is  a  great  difference  betwixt  regenerate  and  unregenerate  persons, 
in  the  very  sins  that  they  commit :  all,  indeed,  sin ;  but  a  child  of 
God  cannot  sin ;  that  is,  though  he  doth  sin,  yet  he  cannot  sin  after 
such  a  manner  as  wicked  and  unregenerate  men  do  :  there  is  a  vast 
difference  betwixt  them,  even  in  that  wherein  they  do  most  of  all 
agree  :  see  that  place  in  Deut.  xxxii.  5.  Their  spot  is  not  the  spot  of 
his  children:  even  deformities  themselves  are  characteristic:  and  a 
true  Christian  may  come  to  know  by  his  sins,  that  he  is  not  a  sin- 
ner. And,  as  they  differ  in  the  committing  of  sin,  so  much  more 
in  the  opposing  of  it. 

Let  us,  therefore,  examine  ourselves  what  evidences  we  have  in 
respect  of  the  keeping  of  ourselves  from  sin,  that  we  are  regene- 
rated and  born  again. 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


287 


1st.  It  is  a  good  evidence  of  the  work  of  grace,  when  our  oppo- 
sition against  sin  is  universal.  When  we  do,  as  David  speaks  of 
himself,  hate  every  false  way. 

The  reservation,  indulgence,  or  allowance  granted  to  any  one 
known  lust,  is  utterly  inconsistent  with  a  state  of  grace.  One  lust, 
that  hath  obtained  your  pass  to  go  to  and  fro  unmolested,  and  to 
traffic  with  the  heart  undisturbed,  whatever  opposition  you  may 
make  against  other  sins,  is  a  certain  sign  of  a  corrupt  heart.  One 
lust  will  serve  as  a  spy,  to  hold  intelligence  with  the  Devil.  A 
scion  can  never  be  incorporated  into  the  stock,  while  there  is  the 
least  skin  or  film  betwixt  them :  no  more  can  we  ever  be  incorpo- 
rated into  Jesus  Christ,  if  there  be  but  the  separation  of  any  the 
least  allowed  sin  to  interpose  betwixt  him  and  us.  Our  opposition, 
therefore,  must  be  against  all  sin.  It  is  true,  in  our  bodies  there 
are  such  parts,  that,  if  we  were  wounded  in  them,  there  need  no 
other  wounds  to  dispatch  us,  but  the  wound  is  instantly  mortal ; 
as,  if  a  man  be  wounded  in  the  heart,  you  need  not  strike  him  on 
the  head  :  but,  in  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  there  is  no  such  wound : 
it  is  not  sufiicient  to  destroy  the  Old  Man,  that  we  wound  him  in 
any  one  part ;  but  he  must  be  made,  as  our  natural  state  is  de- 
scribed to  be  by  the  Prophet,  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the 
sole  of  the  foot,  all  full  of  wounds  and  bruises. 

Let  us  now  try  ourselves  by  this.  Is  there  no  lust,  that  your 
eye  spares,  nor  that  your  heart  pities  ?  Doth  the  sword  of  mor- 
tification draw  the  heart-blood  of  every  sin  ?  When  they  fly  for 
shelter  into  your  bosom,  can  you  rend  them  from  thence,  and  slay 
them  before  the  Lord  ?  When  they  plead  profit  or  pleasure,  can 
you,  with  a  holy  disdain,  destroy  them  with  such  arguments  in 
their  mouths  ?  Can  you  then  cut  off  a  right  hand,  when  it  is 
lifted  up  to  plead  for  mercy  ?  Can  you  then  pluck  out  a  right 
eye,  when  it  sheds  tears  to  move  you  to  compassion  to  it  ?  If  so, 
this  is  a  good  evidence  of  regenerating  grace ;  whose  proper  effect 
it  is,  to  beget  an  antipathy  and  hatred  in  the  heart  against  all  sin. 
But,  if  there  be  any  one  sin,  that  you  allow  and  indulge  in  your- 
self, whatever  other  sins  you  may  abstain  from,  assure  yourself 
that  the  greatest  change  that  is  wrought  upon  you  is  only  some 
external  change  of  the  life,  but  no  change  of  the  heart  or  state : 
still  you  are  in  your  sins,  if  you  allow  yourself  but  in  one  of  them. 
One  allowed  sin  is  vent  enough  for  the  Old  Man  to  take  breath  at; 
and,  while  it  hath  a  breathing-place  allowed  it,  it  is  in  vain  to  think 
that  you  have  mortified  and  destroyed  it. 

2dly.  As  this  opposition  must  be  universal,  against  every  sin 


2?5 


OF  REGENERATION: 


in  general ;  so  it  must  be,  more  especially,  against  the  sins  of  the 
heart. 

He,  that  'will  destroy  a  toad  crawling  on  the  ground,  will  much 
more  destroy  it  should  it  crawl  in  his  bosom.  Now  these  sins  are 
the  bubblings  up  of  evil  thoughts,  and  the  motions  of  evil  affec- 
tions and  desires ;  those  lurking  and  invisible  lusts,  that  hypocrites 
may  foster,  and  yet  have  a  large  testimonial  of  their  saintship,  to 
which  all  the  world  almost  "will  be  ready  to  set  their  hands.  But 
this  doth  one,  that  is  truly  born  of  God,  most  of  all  complain  of 
and  strive  against.  In  this,  indeed,  lies  the  most  unerring  test  and 
trial  of  true  grace.  "What  the  Apostle  tells  us,  in  Eom.  ii.  28,  29, 
that  is  not  circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh;  but  that,  'which 
is  inward,  in  the  heart  and  spirit,  the  same  may  I  say :  it  is  not 
striving  and  struggling  against  sins,  that  are  outward  in  the  flesh; 
but  against  sins  in  the  heart.  A  numbness  may  seize  on  the  out- 
ward members  of  the  body ;  -when  yet  the  heart  beats  strong  and 
quick,  and  the  brain  -works  in  sprightful  and  vigorous  motions : 
so,  truly,  is  it  in  this  case :  the  Old  Man  may  sometimes  be  be- 
numbed in  its  outward  limbs,  and  denied  in  its  executive  part ; 
when  yet  the  head  may  work  busily  in  building  and  shaping  sinful 
objects,  and  the  heart  eagerly  beat  and  pant  after  them.  It  is, 
usually,  the  only  care  of  a  wicked  man,  to  keep  his  lusts  from 
raging  and  breaking  forth  into  outward  act :  though  his  heart 
seethes  and  stews  in  malicious,  unclean,  worldly  thoughts ;  yet 
these  he  regards  and  laments  not,  nor  suppresseth,  so  long  as  he 
can  but  keep  them  from  boiling  over,  and  from  raising  ashes  and 
smoke  about  him.  But  here  lies  the  chief  task  of  a  regenerate 
person :  for  though  it  seem  possibly  an  easy  thing  to  destroy  such 
little  naked  infant  things  as  thoughts  are  that  flutter  up  and  down 
in  the  soul,  and  that  light  strokes  would  lay  them  dead ;  yet,  cer- 
tainly, a  true  Christian,  who  by  experience  knows  what  it  is  to 
deal  with  his  own  heart,  finds  it  infinitely  more  difficult  to  beat 
down  one  sinful  thought  from  rising  up  in  him,  than  to  keep  a 
thousand  sinful  thoughts  from  breaking  forth  into  open  act.  Here 
lies  his  chief  labor,  to  fight  against  phantasms  and  airy  apparitions, 
such  as  thoughts  are :  he  sets  himself  chiefly  against  these  heart- 
sins  :  because  he  knows  these  are  sins,  that  are  most  of  all  contrary 
to  grace,  and  do  most  of  all  weaken  and  waste  grace :  outward  sins 
are  but  like  so  many  caterpillars,  that  devour  the  verdure  and  flour- 
ishing of  grace ;  but  heart-sins  are  like  so  many  worms,  that  gnaw 
the  very  root  of  grace :  and,  therefore,  God  calls  upon  Jerusalem, 
in  Jer.  iv.  14,  0  Jerusalem,  wash  thine  heart  from  wickedness. ...Jww 
long  shaU....vain  tliougJtts  lodge  within  tltee? 


OR,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


289 


Now  try  yourselves  by  this.  In  the  opposition,  that  you  make 
against  sin,  what  is  it,  that  you  chiefly  resist  ?  Do  you  not  content 
yourselves,  that  you  have  beaten  corruption  from  the  outward 
works  into  the  very  fort ;  that,  whereas  it  sallied  forth  before  at  its 
pleasure  and  wounded  your  consciences,  now  it  is  pent  up  in  a 
narrower  room  and  compass  ?  Do  you  not  content  yourselves  with 
this  ?  but  do  you  still  oppose  it,  aud  follow  it  into  the  heart ;  and, 
when  it  hides  itself  in  a  sinful  thought,  do  you  stifle  and  kill  it 
there  ?  If  so,  this  is  such  an  opposition,  that  proceeds  from  true 
grace,  which  works  in  you  an  antipathy  against  all  sin.  But,  when 
a  swarm  of  lusts  is  up,  which  perhaps  some  external  principles 
only  may  keep  from  flying  abroad:  if  they  cluster  in  thy  heart, 
and  thou  hivest  them  there:  and  if  thou  canst,  for  the  satisfying 
of  conscience,  abstain  from  the  outward  acts  of  sins ;  and  yet,  for 
the  satisfying  of  thy  corruptions,  canst  also  tolerate  and  allow  the 
inward  motions  of  sin:  it  js  a  sign  that  thou  never  knewest  the 
power  of  regenerating  grace :  which  first  begins  to  cleanse  the 
heart,  as  being  the  most  compendious  way  and  method  to  reform 
the  life. 

3dly.  Look  how  you  oppose  those  sins,  that  are  more  spiritual 
sins  :  such,  as  reside  in  the  refined  and  exalted  part  of  a  man,  his 
mind ;  but  have  little  traffic  or  commerce  with  the  dreggy  part, 
his  body. 

Such  are  pride,  envy,  unbelief,  hypocrisy,  hardness  of  heart, 
slighting  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  like.  These  are  spiritual  wicked- 
nesses :  and,  if  thou  art  truly  regenerate,  thy  chief  endeavors  will 
be  bent  against  these  :  for  these  are  sins  of  the  deepest  and  blackest 
guilt  in  themselves,  though  they  are  not  branded  so  in  the  account 
of  the  world.  And,  therefore,  when  our  Saviour  rakes  up  the  bottom 
of  hell,  who  do  you  find  lies  there  ?  Is  it  the  drunkard,  the  unclean 
person  ;  such  sottish  and  swinish  sinners  ?  no :  but  it  is  the  hypo- 
crite, the  spiritual  and  refined  sinner :  Mat.  xxiv.  51.  These  are 
those  sins,  that  are  so  inconsistent  with  the  image  of  God  upon  the 
soul,  that,  of  all  other  sins,  they  make  men  nearest  to  resemble  the 
Devil :  to  be  guilty  of  these  sins,  is  to  be  a  sinner  like  him.  Those 
brutish  lusts,  wherein  sensualists  wallow,  are  not  the  proper  sins 
of  the  Devil :  no ;  they  are  intellectual  sins,  clarified  from  such 
dregs ;  such  as  pride,  malice,  hatred  of  God  and  goodness,  and  the 
like. 

Now  try  yourselves  by  this.    You  rush  not,  possibly,  into  the 
same  excess  of  riot  with  others:  you  resist  and  refrain  from  outward, 
gross,  self-condemning  sins :  but  do  you  strive  against  pride, 
Vol.  II.— 19 


29o 


OF  REGENERATION: 


hypocrisy,  unbelief,  and  hardness  of  heart  ?  If  so,  this  is  a  good  sign, 
that  you  are  the  children  of  God ;  unto  whose  spiritual  nature,  and 
unto  yours  also,  these  spiritual  sins  are  most  of  all  contrary.  But, 
if  you  are  only  cleansed  from  the  pollutions  of  the  flesh,  and  not 
also  from  the  pollutions  of  the  spirit ;  if  you  indulge  yourselves  in 
pride,  malice,  murdering  and  revengeful  thoughts,  and  the  like ; 
know,  assuredly,  that  you  do  not  bear  the  Image  of  God,  but  the 
Image  of  the  Devil,  whose  peculiar  sins  these  are. 

•ithly.  A  regenerate  person  bends  his  opposition,  as  against 
heart-sins  and  spiritual-wickedness ;  so  also  against  his  own  ini- 
quity, in  a  peculiar  manner. 

David  produceth  this,  as  a  clear  evidence  of  his  integrity,  in  Ps. 
xviii.  23;  I  was  also  upright  before  him,  and  I  kept  myself  from  mine 
iniquity.  Indeed,  a  child  of  God  can  have  no  sin  his  own,  by  any 
deliberate  choice  and  approbation  of  it ;  as  one  culled  and  chosen 
out  from  the  rest,  and  reserved  for  him  to  commit.  Thus  to  have 
any  sin  a  man's  own,  is  inconsistent  with  true  grace.  But  sin  may 
be  called  a  mans  own,  by  a  too  frequent  practice  of  it,  and  by  a 
too  violent  inclination  of  his  heart  unto  it.  Every  one  of  us  hath 
his  peculiar  sin,  that  we  may  call  our  own,  that  is  more  deeply 
rooted  in  us  than  others  are :  whether  they  arise  from  the  temper 
of  our  nature,  or  from  custom  that  is  a  second  nature,  or  from  the 
verge  and  tendency  of  our  callings  and  employments,  or  from  what 
account  soever  they  proceed ;  yet  there  are  some  sins,  that  a  child 
of  God  may  call  his  own,  and  against  these  doth  he  more  particu- 
larly bend  himself,  and  single  them  out  unto  the  combat. 

5thly.  A  truly  regenerate  person  will  be  careful  to  avoid  all 
temptations  unto,  and  all  occasions  of  sin. 

And,  therefore,  in  that  prayer,  that  Christ  hath  taught  us,  we 
first  pray,  that  we  may  not  be  led  into  tempation ;  and,  next,  that 
we  may  be  delivered  from  evil.  So  is  it  the  first  care  of  a  child 
of  God,  that  he  be  not  tempted ;  and  his  next  care,  how  he  may 
escape  when  he  is  tempted.  It  is  a  sign  of  a  heart  woefully  entan- 
gled with  the  love  of  sin,  when  men  choose  to  walk  upon  the  very 
borders  of  sin  and  temptation ;  and,  when  they  are  under  strong 
temptations,  secretly  please  themselves  with  it,  because  now  they 
think  that  they  have  some  excuse  if  they  yield. 

6thly.  Our  opposition  against  sin  is  a  good  sign  of  the  truth  of 
grace ;  when  it  is  not  only  universal  against  all  sin,  but  universal 
from  our  whole  man :  when  it  is  not  only  from  our  reason  and 
conscience,  but  also  from  our  will  and  affections. 

For,  in  Eegeneration,  there  is  a  principle  diffused  through  the 


OR,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


291 


whole  man,  that  is  contrary  to  sin,  and  destructive  of  it  in  every 
faculty.  As  it  was  with  Elisha,  when  he  stretched  himself  over 
the  Shunamite's  child ;  his  eyes  were  against  the  child's  eyes,  and 
his  mouth  against  the  child's,  yea,  every  limb  in  him  corresponding 
to  every  limb  in  the  child :  so  is  it  in  a  regenerate  man ;  the  New 
Man,  that  is  spread  all  over  and  covers,  as  it  were,  the  whole  Old 
Man,  limb  for  limb,  is  spread  over  every  faculty  of  the  soul  and 
body  also.  It  is  not  enough,  that  our  consciences  check  us  for  sin  ; 
but  the  will  and  the  affections  must  be  bent  against  sin :  the  oppo- 
sition must  be  from  the  whole  soul,  or  it  is  not  an  evidence  of  the 
truth  of  grace. 

Be  exhorted,  therefore,  to  deal  impartially  with  your  own  souls. 
Look  into  your  own  state.  Examine  yourselves.  Try  whether 
Jesus  Christ  be  formed  in  you.  If  your  state  be  good,  searching 
into  it  will  give  you  the  comfort  of  it.  If  your  state  be  bad, 
searching  into  it  cannot  make  it  worse :  nay,  it  is  the  only  way  to 
make  it  better ;  for  conversion  begins  with  conviction. 

ii.  Now  if  you  have  tried  yourselves  by  any  of  these  marks, 
either  you  find  that  you  are  such  as  are  already  passed  from  death 
to  life,  or  that  you  are  still  in  a  state  of  sinful  nature :  accordingly, 
I  shall  direct  to  you  A  word  of  exhortation,  and  so  shut  up  the 
whole  subject. 

1.  If  you  have  a  comfortable  evidence  of  your  Regeneration,  that  the 
HaLit  of  Grace  is  indeed  wrought  in  you,  be  exhorted  to  draw  it  forth, 
into  Act.  If  you  are  born  of  God,  live  then  as  those  that  are  the 
children  of  God. 

This  exhortation  I  shall  branch  out  into  Three  particulars. 

(1)  Endeavor,  that  the  Graces  of  the  Spirit  be  fruitful  in  Good 
Works. 

Your  corruptions  are  always  vigorous  and  operative;  and  why 
should  not  your  graces  be  so,  much  more  ?  Grace  is  in  you  the 
ruling  and  prevailing  principle :  why  should  it  not  also  be  most 
active  in  you  ?  Y"et,  so  it  is,  as  it  was  with  Sarah  and  Hagar : 
Sarah,  the  free-born  mistress,  is  barren;  but  Hagar,  the  bond- 
woman, is  fruitful.  So  is  it  even  in  the  children  of  God  them- 
selves :  the  noble,  spiritual,  and  free-born  part  is  usually  barren 
and  unfruitful ;  when  the  carnal  and  servile  part  is  too  fruitful, 
still  conceiving,  and  still  bringing  forth.  What  is  the  reason, 
that  corruption  that  is  conquered  should  have  a  more  numerous 
offspring,  than  grace  that  is  triumphant?  Grace  is  no  sluggish, 
inactive  principle ;  no ;  it  is  ethereal :  it  carries  a  divine  and 


292 


OF  REGENERATION: 


heavenly  fire  in  it ;  and  tends  as  naturally  to  what  is  good,  as  the 
corrupt  part  doth  to  what  is  sinful :  it  hath  a  natural  propensity 
to  breathe  itself  forth  into  holy  thoughts,  holy  affections,  and 
desires.  Do  not  you,  then,  be  wanting  to  it ;  but  stir  up  the  grace 
of  God  that  is  in  you :  think  how  becoming  a  thing  it  is,  when 
God  hath  framed  you  according  to  his  image  and  likeness,  that 
you  also  should  frame  holy  thoughts  and  heavenly  affections, 
according  to  God's  likeness,  and  have  a  numerous  progeny  like 
unto  him.  But,  alas !  the  children  of  God  are  much  wanting  to 
themselves,  in  this  particular :  if  the  Spirit,  at  any  time,  is  impreg- 
nant  upon  their  hearts  with  holy  motions,  how  do  they  neglect  and 
stifle  them !  so  that  there  are  but  very  few  of  them,  but  prove 
mere  abortives.  Our  hearts,  at  last,  will  be  found  to  have  been 
the  graves  and  sepulchres  of  thousands  of  holy  thoughts  and 
motions,  which  we  have  starved  in  their  very  infancy. 

(2)  Oppose  Indwelling  Grace  against  the  prevalence  and  power 
of  Indwelling  Sin. 

Grace  is  an  immortal  seed,  that  will  certainly  sprout  up  and 
flourish  into  glory :  it  is  a  living  fountain,  that  will  eertainly 
spring  up  unto  eternal  life;  a  ray  of  heavenly  light,  that  will  wax 
brighter  and  brighter  to  a  heavenly  day.  It  is  immortal,  in  its 
seed  ;  victorious,  in  a  spark ;  triumphant,  in  its  dawn :  yea,  take 
it  when  it  is  weakest,  when  this  dawn  is  clouded,  when  this  spark 
twinkles,  when  this  seed  is  unspirited ;  yet,  even  then,  is  it  mighty 
through  God,  and  is  still  an  over-match  for  sin.  To  set  grace 
against  sin,  is  to  set  God  against  Satan,  heaven  against  hell,  the 
Spirit  against  the  flesh :  and  what  odds  can  any  Christian  desire 
more  ?  Have  we  a  principle  of  grace  in  us,  which  will  go  forth 
conquering  unto  conquer,  and  will  assuredly  crown  us  with  victory  ; 
and  shall  we  not  bring  it  to  the  trial  ?  Yea,  let  me  tell  you,  you 
must  detain  grace  in  unrighteousness,  and  depress  and  keep  it 
under  by  violence,  if  you  do  not  prevail  with  it :  if  you  do  not 
strive  against  your  sins,  you  must  strive  against  your  graces ;  and, 
therefore,  it  is  the  greatest  shame  in  the  world,  for  you,  that  have 
a  principle  of  grace  in  you,  that  principle  that  shall  never  totally 
be  overcome,  basely  to  yield  to  any  temptation  or  lust  whatsoever. 

(3)  Be  exhorted  also,  since  you  are  born  of  God,  to  live  as 
becomes  the  Children  of  God,  and  to  express  your  Heavenly 
Parentage  by  your  Heavenly  Conversation. 

I  have  formerly,  in  the  handling  of  this  subject,  told  you  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God,  two  ways ;  by  Regeneration,  and  by 
Adoption :  adoption  gives  us  the  inheritance  of  children ;  and 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


293 


regeneration  gives  us  the  nature  of  our  Ileavenly  Father.  As  we 
then  bear  the  relation  of  children,  so  let  us  have  the  affections  of 
children. 

[1]  Let  us  possess  our  hearts  with  a  Filial  Fear  and  Eeverence 
of  God. 

God  calls  for  this,  in  Mai.  i.  6;  If. ..I  he  a  Father,  where  is  mine 

honor  f  And  so  the  Apostle,  1  Pet.  i.  17;  If  ye  call  God  Father  

pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  with  fear.  This  holy  awe  and 
fear  of  God  will  be  a  great  check  upon  us,  when  we  are  apt  to 
grow  wanton  and  extravagant.  Children,  whatsoever  they  do  at 
other  times,  yet  will  strive  to  deport  themselves  respectfully  in  the 
presence  of  their  father.  Consider  you  are  always  in  the  presence 
of  your  Heavenly  Father,  who  is  omnipresent :  he  is  with  you 
wherever  you  are :  his  eye  is  upon  you,  whatever  you  are  doing. 
Oh,  therefore,  behave  yourselves  with  that  holy  reverence  and 
composedness,  which  becomes  so  awful  a  presence  as  his.  Thou, 
who  wouldst  abstain  from  any  lewd  and  unbecoming  action  before 
the  reverent  face  of  thy  earthly  parents,  wilt  thou  not  much  more 
reverence  the  all-controlling  looks  of  thy  Heavenly  Father  ? 
There  is  not  a  thought  in  thy  heart,  nor  a  word  upon  thy  tongue, 
but  God  knows  it  altogether ;  and  if  this  be  not  a  most  powerful 
restraint  to  keep  thee  from  evil,  know  this,  that  the  very  immodestv 
of  thy  sinning  is  a  clear  proof  that  thou  art  no  child.  "WheD 
Joseph's  brethren  committed  that  horrid  fact  of  selling  him,  they 
contrived  how  they  might  hide  it  from  the  knowledge  of  their 
father :  doubtless,  if  the  authority  of  Jacob's  presence  had  been  with 
them,  it  would  have  overawed  them  from  that  wickedness.  Behold 
a  more  awful  and  dread  Father  than  Jacob  was,  is  always  with  you: 
and,  therefore,  since  you  can  hide  none  of  your  sins  from  your 
dread  Father's  sight,  be  careful  that  you  commit  none  in  his  sight. 

[2]  Imitate  your  Heavenly  Father,  in  his  Goodness  and  Bounty 
unto  all. 

He  is  kind  to  the  froward,  and  to  the  disobedient :  He  causeth 
his  sun  to  shine  upon  the  good  and  upon  the  bad,  and  doth  good 
both  to  the  just  and  to  the  unjust.  Should  God  have  avenged  all 
those  petulant  wrongs  and  those  arrogant  affronts,  that  sinners  have 
done  against  him,  the  whole  world  ere  this  time  would  have  been 
utterly  destroyed ;  but  he  hath  not  left  himself  without  witness  :  it 
is  the  witness  of  his  patience  and  forbearance,  that  the  sun  yet 
shines  upon  us,  that  the  air  supports  us,  that  the  heavens  give  forth 
their  cherishing  influences  to  us.  Here  is  a  pattern  for  you  to  imi 
tate.    Alas!  you  cannot  be  so  much  injured  by  men,  or  so  bene- 


294 


OF  REGENERATION: 


ficial  to  men,  as  God  is :  they  depend  no  more  upon  you,  than  you 
do  upon  them ;  but  we  all  depend  upon  a  patient  and  forbearing 
God ;  and  yet  we  are  apt,  upon  every  slight  provocation,  to  break 
forth  into  fire  and  fury :  this  is  not  the  disposition  of  God,  neither 
should  it  be  the  disposition  of  his  children:  the  divine  nature, 
whereof  we  are  made  partakers,  prompts  us  to  be  long-suffering, 
and  full  of  bowels  of  mercy  and  compassion,  and  is  pleased  wheu 
it  can,  like  God,  forgive  others.  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  all  the  ho^t 
of  heaven  and  earth  in  pay  under  him,  and  could  have  commanded 
whole  legions  to  have  secured  and  revenged  himself:  yet,  when  he 
was,  under  his  sufferings,  hanging  upon  the  cross,  how  patiently 
did  he  endure  the  scoffings,  shoutings,  and  mockings  of  men ;  and 
open  not  his  mouth  otherwise  than  in  prayer  for  them !  Father, 
forgive  them ;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do:  When  he  was  reviled, 
he  reviled  not  ayain.  Imitate  your  Lord  and  Master,  your  God  and 
Father ;  and,  when  the  world  Reproaches  you  and  persecutes  you, 
show  that  you  have  learned  one  thing,  that  nothing  but  true  godli- 
ness can  teach  you ;  to  wit,  that  you  are  able  and  willing  to  forgive 
them. 

[3]  If  you  are  the  children  of  God,  be  Patient  and  Submissive 
under  his  correcting  hand.    Is  it  not  thy  Father  that  afflicts  thee  ? 

The  Apostle  argues  this  strongly,  Ueb.  xii.  9.  If  we  suffer  our 
earthly  parents  to  chastise  us  for  their  pleasure,  how  much  more 
should  we  suffer  patiently  the  chastisements  of  our  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther, who  doth  it  only  for  our  good,  and  if  need  be !  Nothing  puts 
a  sharper  sting  into  afflictions  and  makes  them  more  intolerable, 
than  to  look  upon  them  as  punishments  inflicted  by  an  avenging 
God.  The  soul  is  not  able  to  bear  up  under  such  afflictions,  because 
then  it  looks  upon  the  lightest  and  smallest  evil  that  befalls  it,  to 
be  but,  as  it  were,  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  a  far  greater  that  is  to 
ensue.  But  when  we  can  look  upon  afflictions  as  the  chastisements 
of  a  Gracious  Father,  this  will  enable  us  to  bear  them,  not  only 
patiently,  but  thankfully  also ;  as  being  the  testimonies  and  effects 
of  his  special  love  unto  us ;  for,  says  the  Apostle,  he  chastiseth 
every  son  whom  he  receiveth.  The  end,  for  which  God  casts  thee  into 
the  furnace  of  affliction,  is  to  purify  thee  from  thy  dross,  not  to 
consume  thee :  he  knows  what  afflictions,  and  what  measures  of 
them,  will  best  conduce  to  this  end,  for  he  is  a  Wise  God ;  and  he 
will  bring  no  other  affliction  upon  thee  than  what  shall  accomplish 
this  end,  for  he  is  also  a  Gracious  Father. 

These  Three  Exhortations  belong  to  those,  who,  by  the  signs 
before  named  or  any  other,  have  attained  to  some  assurance  that 
they  are  renewed  and  born  again. 


OR,    THE  NEW-BIRTL. 


295 


2.  In  the  second  place,  let  me  speak  to  such,  as  are  yet  in  a  Natu- 
ral and  Sinful  Estate ;  in  the  same  dephrahle  state  of  Sin  and  Misery, 
in  which  they  came  into  the  world. 

Unto  these  now  I  shall  only  direct  a  Twofold  Exhortation,  and 
so  conclude  the  whole  subject. 

(1)  Beware  that  you  do  not  flatter  yourselves  with  any  Deluding 
Hopes  of  Heaven :  you  are,  as  yet,  without  any  right  to  it. 

This  is,  indeed,  a  dreadful  caution  :  what !  to  beat  men  off  from 
their  hopes  of  heaven !  And,  commonly,  it  proves  as  fruitless,  as 
it  is  dreadful :  men's  hopes,  of  all  things,  frequently  deceive  them  : 
they  maintain  themselves  with  little,  especially  the  hopes  they  have 
of  heaven ;  and  they  live  either  upon  weak  probabilities,  or  upon 
strong  fancies.  And,  hence,  the  Scripture  compares  the  hope  of  a 
hypocrite  to  a  spider's  web:  Job  viii.  14:  men  spin  their  hopes  out 
of  their  own  bowels,  and  settle  themselves  in  the  midst  of  them, 
and  doubt  not  but  they  shall  catch  heaven  itself  in  their  loolish 
cobwebs.  Should  I  come  and  ask  you  all,  one  by  one,  Do  you,  and 
you,  hope  to  be  saved  ?  where  is  the  person,  that  would  not,  by  his 
disdain  at  the  very  question,  testify  how  high  and  how  great  his 
hopes  are  ?  Would  not  the  drunkard,  the  swearer,  the  profane 
person,  and  the  whole  rabble  of  wicked  and  ungodly  wretches 
speak  as  confidently  of  their  salvation,  as  if  they  were  born  with 
sure  proofs  of  heaven  in  their  hands  ?  what !  are  these  men  regene- 
rate ?  or  is  the  price  of  heaven  fallen ;  and  God  become  willing  to 
part  with  it  upon  lower  terms  than  the  New-Birth  ?  art  thou  rege- 
nerated, that  hatest  God  and  godliness,  and  all  those  that  bear  the 
least  resemblance  to  the  divine  purity  ?  art  thou  regenerated,  that 
makest  an  impudent  scoff  at  the  same,  and  deridest  the  very  title, 
that  fallen  man  hath  unto  happiness  ?  is  it  likely,  that  the  new 
nature  should  be  hid  under  an  old  life  ?  Kegeneration  is  the  ran- 
sacking of  the  soul ;  the  turning  of  a  man  out  of  himself ;  the 
crumbling  to  pieces  of  the  Old  Man,  and  the  new  moulding  of  it 
into  another  shape :  it  is  the  turning  of  stones  into  children :  and  a 
drawing  of  the  lively  portraiture  of  Jesus  Christ  upon  that  very 
table,  that  before  represented  only  the  very  image  of  the  Devil. 
This  mighty  change  is  wrought  by  Regeneration.  Man's  partaking 
of  the  divine  nature  is  the  greatest  change,  that  ever  was  wrought 
in  heaven  or  in  earth,  unless  it  were  God's  partaking  of  the  human 
nature.  Art  thou  thus  changed  ?  are  all  old  things  done  away,  and 
all  things  in  thee  become  new  ?  hast  thou  a  new  heart  and  renewed 
affections  ;  and  dost  thou  serve  God  in  newness  of  life  and  conver- 
sation ?  if  not,  what  hast  thou  to  do  with  hopes  of  heaven  ?  thou 


29-3 


OF  REGENERATION: 


art  vet  -without  Christ ;  and  so,  consequently,  without  hope  ?  Sin- 
ners, what  is  it  that  you  trust  to  ?  Is  it  your  own  good  works  ? 
this,  indeed,  is  the  common  refuge  of  those,  that  have  fewest  good 
works  to  produce :  but,  alas !  what  confidence  canst  thou  repose  in 
these,  when  the  very  prayer  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination  unto 
the  Lord  ?  Is  it  the  merit  of  Christ,  that  you  rely  upon  ?  why 
Christ  becomes  a  Saviour  to  none,  but  to  those  in  whose  hearts  he 
is  first  formed.  Is  it  some  slight  and  general  notions  of  God's 
Mercy,  that  you  trust  to?  it  is  true,  God  is  infinitely  merciful, 
though  he  hath  already  damned  thousands  for  their  sins ;  and  he 
will  remain  forever  infinitely  merciful,  when  thou  also  art  damned 
among  them :  it  is  in  vain  to  press  the  mercy  of  God  to  serve  your 
foolish  hopes,  against  that  inviolable  truth  of  his,  that  hath  ex- 
cluded you  out  of  heaven :  Except  you  be  born  again,  you  can  in 
no  wise  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  This  is  that  irreversible 
sentence,  that  is  written  on  heaven-gates  :  no  entering  there,  but  by 
passing  first  through  the  Mew-Birth :  no  dogs  nor  swine  must  come 
into  that  holy  city ;  and  such  are  all  unrenewed  persons :  yea,  the 
Scripture  calls  them  the  children  of  the  Devil :  John  viii.  4A ;  Ye 
are  of  your  Father,  the  Devil:  and,  certainly,  that  God,  who  hath 
chased  devils  out  of  heaven,  will  never  admit  any  of  his  rude  off- 
spring into  it.  And  therefore  let  me,  in  the  first  place,  exhort  you 
not  to  flatter  yourselves  into  hell  and  destruction,  with  false  and 
deluding  hopes  of  heaven. 

(2)  Give  no  rest,  either  to  God  or  to  yourselves,  till  this  thorough 
change  be  wrought  upon  you  in  your  Eegeneration. 

It  is,  as  you  have  heard,  of  absolute  necessity  unto  eternal  salva- 
tion ;  and,  unless  you  think  that  salvation  itself  is  not  of  absolute 
necessity,  what  can  be  the  reason,  that  you  trifle  and  dally  in  that, 
which  is  of  so  vast  a  concernment  ?  What  is  it  that  you  can  plead 
for  yourselves  ?  Is  it,  that  it  is  not  within  the  compass  of  your 
power  to  regenerate  3-ourselves  ?  it  is  true  :  but,  although  you  can- 
not form  this  new  nature  in  you,  why  do  you  not  yet  do  your  ut- 
most to  prepare  and  dispose  yourselves  to  receive  it  ?*  Though 
we  are  all  lamed  and  crippled  by  our  fall  which  we  took  in  Adam, 
yet  such  cripples  as  we  are  may  notwithstanding  make  shift  to  get 
into  that  way  by  which  Christ  useth  to  pass,  aud  may  possibly  be 
healed  by  him.  It  is  a  sure  rule,  Though  God  is  not  bound  to  give 
grace  upon  men's  endeavors,  yet  neither  is  he  wont  to  deny  it :  do 
you  expect  that  this  change,  like  that  of  the  surviving  saints  at  the 
Last  Day,  should  pass  upon  you  ere  you  are  aware  of  it,  in  a  mo 

*  See  Article  x.  and  Article  xiii.  of  the  xxxix.  Articles. 


OK,   THE  NEW-BIRTH. 


297 


ment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye?  it  is  true,  man's  change  of  heart  is 
the  greatest  miracle  that  God  works  in  the  world ;  but  yet,  he  works 
it  in  an  ordinary  way,  by  our  own  endeavors,  as  well  as  by  his  own 
irresistible  and  victorious  grace :  and,  therefore,  God  calls  upon  us, 
Ezek.  xviii.  31 ;  Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit:  for  why  will 
ye  die?  Do  not  therefore  cheat  your  souls  into  eternal  perdition, 
by  such  lazy  conceits  of  your  own  weakness  and  impotency.  Do 
not  content  yourselves  with  a  few  yawning,  drowsy  wishes ;  expect- 
ing till  divine  grace  doth  of  its  own  self  drop  down  out  of  heaven, 
and  of  its  own  accord  change  your  hearts :  possibly,  before  that 
time  you  yourselves  may  irrecoverably  drop  into  hell.  "Will  you 
lose  your  souls  forever,  only  out  of  a  wretched  sloth  ?  doth  one  end 
of  them  lie  burning  as  a  brand  in  hell-fire,  and  will  you  not  stretch 
out  your  hand  to  pluck  it  thence  ?  believe  it,  so  long  as  you  con- 
tinue in  a  sinful  state  you  are  wrapped  about  with  ten  thousand 
curses :  the  wrath  of  God  is  continually  making  its  approaches 
unto  you ;  and  there-  is  only  a  thin  mud  wall  of  flesh  to  fence  it 
out,  which  is  still  mouldering  and  falling  away,  and  whether  it  will 
be  able  to  hold  out  one  day  longer  you  know  not :  you  hang  over 
the  bottomless  pit,  only  by  the  weak  thread  of  a  frail  life,  which  is 
ready  to  be  snapped  asunder  every  moment ;  and,  if  some  consum- 
ing sickness  should  fret  this  thread  or  some  unforeseen  casualty 
should  break  it  off  suddenly,  if  death  work  a  change  upon  you 
before  grace  works  a  change  in  you,  of  all  God's  creation  you  are 
the  most  miserable  :  better,  that  you  had  been  the  most  loathsome 
creature  that  crawls  upon  God's  earth,  yea  better  that  you  had  never 
been,  than  that  you  should  forget  and  neglect  this  great  work  of 
renovation  one  moment  too  long.  Therefore,  use  no  delay  :  every 
moment,  that  is  not  this  present,  is  too  long  a  delay  :  while  you  are 
dreaming  of  repentance  and  converting,  some  months  or  possibly 
some  years  hence,  God  may  snatch  you  away  before  the  next  sand 
is  run  in  time's  glass  ;  and  where  are  you  then  ?  Now  is  the  accepted 
time  ;  now  is  the  day  of  salvation :  whatever  is  not  now,  may  be  too 
late  ;  and,  ere  that  time  comes  that  you  have  prefixed  to  yourselves, 
God  may  set  up  your  souls  as  flaming  monuments  of  his  displea- 
sure, justice,  and  severity  in  hell  forever. 

If  you  ask  me  what  you  shall  do  to  be  renewed,  I  answer,  the 
directions  are  not  many  :  take  only  these  Two. 

[1]  Be  instant  with  God,  by  Prayer,  that  he  would,  by  his  om- 
nipotent grace,  new  create  you  to  himself,  and  stamp  again  upon 
you  his  effaced  image. 

There  is  a  prevalence  in  the  prayer  of  a  mere  natural  man, 


298 


OF  REGENERATION. 


when  lie  prays  for  grace  :  else  St.  Peter  would  never  have  exhorted 
Simon  Magus,  who  was  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond  of 
iniquity,  to  pray  that  so  the  thought  of  his  heart  might  be  forgiven 
him. 

[2]  Improve  diligently,  all  the  Means  of  Regeneration  ;  whereof 
the  Word  is  the  chief. 

Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  by  the  word  of  truth,  says  the  Apostle  : 
Jam.  i.  18.  Attend  it  constantly  :  meditate  upon  it  frequently  :  en- 
deavor frequently  to  practise  it.  This  hath  been  the  way,  in  all 
ages,  that  hath  proved  itself  successful  for  the  bringing  in  of  sin- 
ners unto  God.  Heaven  is  full  of  happy  souls,  that  have  been 
fitted  for  that  glorious  estate,  by  such  very  ordinances  as  these, 
under  which  you  now  sit.  It  is  true,  these  are  not  of  themselves 
a  sufficient  means  :  alas !  what  is  the  weak  breath  of  a  poor  man, 
to  make  impressions  upon  hearts  that  are  harder  than  the  nether 
mill-stone  ?  "What  can  we  do,  to  give  sight  to  the  blind,  and  life 
to  the  dead  ?  but  only  God  who  demolished  the  walls  of  Jericho 
by  the  sound  of  a  few  rams'  horns,  doth  likewise  make  use  of  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  demolish  the  strong-holds  of  Satan ; 
which  would  have  been  as  impertinent  and  as  insignificant  a  sound 
as  that  was,  had  not  God  put  his  institution  upon  it,  and  his  Spirit 
into  it.  Wait  upon  the  ordinances,  therefore ;  that  that  happy 
soul-saving  word  may  at  length  be  spoken,  that  may  cause  thee  to 
arise,  and  to  stand  up  from  the  dead.  Endeavor  to  do  whatever 
lies  in  thy  power,  in  order  to  thy  Regeneration.  It  is  true,  it  is  not 
in  our  power  to  make  ourselves  new  creatures ;  but  when  God  sees 
thee  conscientiously  improving  that  power  that  thou  hast,  he  will 
then  give  thee  that  power  that  thou  wantest.  Never  yet  was  there 
an  instance  of  any,  that  did  vigorously  to  their  utmost  labor  after 
grace,  that  did  not  also  leave  some  good  evidences  behind  them 
that  they  did  obtain  it :  and,  certainly,  thou  hast  no  reason  to 
think,  that  God  will  make  thee  the  first  instance  and  precedent  to 
the  contrary. 

So  much,  for  this  time,  and  for  this  subject. 


THE    DOCTRINE    OF    THE  TWO 
SACRAMENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Bishop  Hopkins's  tract,  on  the  Doctrine  of  the  Two  Sacraments, 
shows  the  same  candor  and  straightforwardness  which  charac- 
terize his  more  elaborate  works.  It  furnishes  no  exception  to 
the  clear  and  evangelical  teachings  for  which  all  his  writings  are 
distinguished.  Theological  and  Ecclesiastical  terms  are  used  with 
freedom,  and  with  an  apparent  want  of  caution  always  discernible 
in  writings  whose  authors  were  not  obliged,  by  the  circumstances 
amid  which  they  wrote,  to  treat  the  subjects  of  discussion  in  a 
controversial  manner. 

The  author  handles  all  the  topics  connected  with  the  Sacraments, 
and  lays  down  his  propositions  in  the  language  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  of  the  Catechism  and  Liturgy  of  the  Church.  Thus  we  find 
a  clear  distinction  between  "the  outward  and  visible  sign"  and 
"the  inward  and  spiritual  grace."  He  terms  the  reception  of  the 
former,  when  speaking  of  Baptism,  "an  Ecclesiastical  regenera- 
tion," "  an  external  sanctification ;"  and  those  who  have  been 
baptized  are  entitled  to  be  called  "  members  of  the  visible  Church," 
and  "  Ecclesiastical  saints."  Of  the  latter  he  speaks  decidedly  and 
earnestly,  and  teaches  that  without  it  the  ordinance  of  Baptism  is 
not  saving.  It  is  "  an  internal,  real,  and  spiritual  sanctification.... 
when  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  infuse  into  his  (the  recipient's)  soul  the 
habits  of  Divine  Grace,  and  maketh  him  partaker  of  the  Divine  na- 
ture, whereby  he  is  inwardly  qualified  to  glorify  God  in  a  holy  life." 

This  spiritual  regeneration  is  not  a  mere  change  of  state,  or  of 
covenant  relation,  but  a  change  of  nature :  "  A  mighty  change," 
"the  greatest  change  that  ever  was  wrought  in  heaven  or  on  earth, 
unless  it  were  God's  partaking  of  the  human  nature."  "The 
external  and  Ecclesiastical  sanctification  is  effected  by  Baptism, 
ex  opere  operate,  by  the  mere  administration  of  the  Holy  Sacrament, 
while  the  internal  and  habitual  sanctification  is  not,"  but  is  wrought 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  moving  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. 

299 


800 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  connection  between  the  two  is  maintained  to  be  contingent, 
and  not  necessary  and  absolute.  He  judges  it  to  be  "unsound 
doctrine,  to  affirm,  that  Baptism  doth  confer  real  sanctification 
upon  all  infants,  as  well  as  upon  some  adult  persons,  who  are  made 
partakers  of  it."  Thus  while  Baptism  is  the  means  of  external 
sanctification  to  all  who  receive  it,  and  is  the  means  of  an  internal 
and  real  change  of  nature  when  the  Spirit  of  God  useth  it  for  that 
end,  yet  "  it  is  not  so  the  means  of  an  internal  and  real  sanctifica- 
tion, as  if  all  to  whom  it  is  administered,  were  thereby  spiritually 
renewed,  and  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  his  saving 
grace."  The  Sacraments,  therefore,  as  means  of  grace,  are  governed 
by  the  same  laws  which  regulate  the  other  means  and  ordinances 
which  God  has  appointed  for  the  salvation  of  mankind. 

In  the  treatise  on  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  or  the  new 
birth,  it  is  set  forth,  that  spiritual  regeneration  is  a  miracle  of 
grace,  whereby  the  soul  of  man  is  endowed  with  a  new  nature, 
furnished  with  holy  principles  and  habits,  and  blessedly  con- 
strained and  necessitated  to  love,  choose,  and  serve  God. 

This  new  nature  is  active,  and  must  exhibit  its  holy  character- 
istics. It  will  not  fail  to  do  so,  when  opportunity  is  offered.  In 
the  following  tract,  the  author  asserts  that,  "they  who  have  the 
seed  of  God  in  them  shall  never  sin  unto  death ;  and  the  perse- 
verance of  those  who  are  inwardly  and  effectually  sanctified,  is 
safe  and  certain."  How  comes  it  then  to  pass,  that  the  greater  part 
of  those  who  have  been  baptized  in  infancy  lead  profane  and 
unholy  lives,  and  too,  too  many  of  them  perish  in  their  sins  ? 
How  else  can  we  account  for  this,  than  by  the  supposition  that 
Baptism  was  not  the  effectual  means  of  their  spiritual  regenera- 
tion ?  And  while  we  dare  not  limit  the  Holy  Spirit  to  any  means 
which  he  hath  appointed  as  the  channels  of  his  operations,  nor  say 
that  He  may  not  spiritually  regenerate  the  infant  at  the  time  of 
water  Baptism,  yet  facts  make  us  believe  that  the  ordinance  is 
rarely,  if  ever,  used  by  Him  for  that  blessed  and  saving  end.  At 
least,  a  well-proven  and  authenticated  instance  of  such  use  is  yet 
to  be  produced. 


THE    DOCTRINE    OF    THE  TWO 
SACRAMENTS. 


That  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it,  with  the  washing  of  water  by 
the  word.    Eph.  V.  26. 

The  holy  sacrament  of  Baptism,  as  it  is  our  solemn  entrance 
and  admission  into  the  visible  Church  of  Jesus  Christ ;  so  is  the 
doctrine  of  it,  with  very  good  reason,  set  as  an  introduction  to 
that  farther  account  of  Christian  faith  comprised  in  our  public 
Catechism. 

And,  indeed,  it  seems  but  reason,  that  we  should  begin  our 
Christian  profession,  where  we  began  our  Christian  race ;  and  that 
the  doctrine  of  Christianity  should  commence  at  the  same  holy 
institution,  where  we  first  took  upon  us  the  name  and  title  of 
Christians. 

I  shall,  therefore,  through  the  assistance  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
is  "the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith,"  endeavor  to  explain  the 
principles  of  our  religion  contained  in  that  brief  summary,  the 
Catechism  ;  beginning  with  that  of  Baptism :  wherein,  as  it  is 
there  expressed,  we  are  "  made  members  of  Christ,  children  of  God, 
and  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

These  are  high  encomiums  of  this  ordinance,  and  inestimable 
privileges  conferred  by  it ;  and,  to  some,  may  possibly  seem  too 
lavish :  yet  I  doubt  not  but  to  make  it  appear,  that  all  these 
privileges  do  appertain  unto  us,  according  to  the  phrase  of  Scrip- 
ture, by  our  being  baptized  into  the  Church  and  faith  of  Christ. 

I  have  chosen  this  portion  of  Scripture,  to  show  the  great  influ- 
ence that  Baptism  hath  upon  our  sanctification,  by  which  it  is, 
that  we  are  made  members  of  Christ,  vitally  joined  by  a  holy 
band  to  a  holy  head.  The  words  are  brought  in  as  a  demonstra- 
tion of  the  love  of  Christ  to  his  Church,  which  the  Apostle  gives 
as  a  pattern  for  conjugal  love  and  amity :  He  "  loved  the  Church," 
so  as  to  give  "  himself  for  it,"  as  it  is  in  the  precedent  verse.  And 
the  end  of  this  unspeakable  gift  we  find  contained  in  this  verse : 
"He  gave  himself  for  his  Church,  that  he  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word."* 

Not  to  speak  any  thing  of  the  context,  nor  to  make  any  laborious 
and  critical  explication  of  the  words,  here  be  two  things  worthy 
of  our  observation : 

*  "vrtig  avtqf."  For  "  her,"  better  than  for  "it,"  as  we  find  in  the  common 
version. 

301 


802 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


That  one  end,  why  Christ  was  given  to  the  Church,  is,  that  he 
might  sanctify  it. 

That  the  means  to  sanctify  the  Church,  are  Baptism  and  the 
word. 

As  to  the  former  of  these,  being  alien  from  our  present  purpose, 
let  it  suffice  to  note  briefly,  that  Christ  hath  purchased  for  us  not 
only  eternal  glory,  but  present  grace,  He,  who  hath  called  him- 
self both  "the  Way  and  the  Life,"  gave  himself  for  us;  not  only 
to  purchase  life,  but  to  lead  us  in  the  way  tending  to  it.  He  died 
to  procure  heaven  for  all,  if  they  would  believe :  but  he  died  to 
procure  grace  for  some,  even  his  chosen  ones,  that  they  might  be- 
lieve and  attain  unto  heaven  and  happiness.  For  their  sakes,  as 
he  tells  us,  John  xvii.  19,  he  sanctified  himself:  that  is,  he  devoted 
and  separated  himself  to  undergo  the  cruel  and  accursed  death  of 
the  cross :  and,  for  his  sake,  God  sanctifies  us  from  our  filth  and 
pollution ;  thereby  preparing  us  to  enter  into  those  mansions, 
which  he  is  gone  before  to  prepare  for  us. 

But,  that,  which  more  concerns  us  at  this  time  to  observe,  is, 
the  means  for  effecting  this  sanctification :  and  they  are  two ;  the 
washing  of  water,  and  the  word.  By  the  former,  I  suppose,  none 
will  doubt  but  that  Baptism  is  meant :  or,  if  they  should,  yet  so 
many  other  parallel  places  might  be  produced,  where  remission 
of  sins,  justification,  and  regeneration,  are  ascribed  to  this  holy 
ordinance,  as  the  effects  of  it,  that  it  may  be  sufficient  conviction 
that  Baptism  is  likewise  in  this  place  understood  by  the  washing 
of  water.  So,  Acts  xxii.  16 ;  "  Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash 
away  thy  sins,"  saith  Ananias  to  Paul ;  which  is  no  other  than 
being  sanctified  and  cleansed  with  the  washing  of  water.  So  like- 
wise, Acts  ii.  38 ;  "  Bepent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins."  And  Baptism 
is  called,  Tit.  iii.  5  ;  fovtpov  jta.%<.yysviei.a.i:  we  render  it,  the  washing  of 
regeneration :  "  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing 
of  regeneration :"  but  the  word  signifies,  the  bath  of  regeneration, 
which  is  that  baptismal  water  wherein  we  are  buried  with  Christ. 

L  But,  before  I  can  come  particularly  to  show  you  what  sancti- 
fication it  is,  that  we  receive  by  Baptism ;  and  how  we  are  in  it 
made  the  members  of  Christ,  the  children  of  God,  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  it  is  necessary,  and  I  hope  will  be  useful,  to 
VINDICATE  THE  PRACTICE  OF  BAPTIZING  INFANTS, 
against  which  some  of  late  have  eagerly  disputed. 

For,  if  the  Church  mistake  in  the  persons  to  whom  this  ordi- 
nance belongs,  certainly  they  can  claim  no  privilege  by  virtue 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


303 


of  their  having  been  baptized.  And,  therefore,  since  Baptism  is 
usually  administered  to  infants,  let  us  briefly  examine  whether 
their  admission  to  this  holy  and  mystical  institution  be  according 
to  the  precept  of  the  Gospel ;  for,  if  not,  how  can  they  say,  as  the 
Catechism  directs,  that  in  their  Baptism  they  were  "  made  members 
bers  of  Christ,  children  of  God,  and  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  ?" 

Herein  I  shall, 

Prove  to  you  the  lawfulness  of  Infant  Baptism. 
Answer  some  objections,  that  are  plausibly  urged  against  it. 
Show  you  what  are  the  uses  of  Baptism,  and  the  ends  for  which 
it  was  ordained. 

i.  1  shall  begin  with  the  arguments,  to  prove  the  lawful- 
ness OF  INFANT  BAPTISM. 

1.  The  first  is  this  :  Infants  are  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ ; 
and,  therefore,  to  be  baptized. 

Two  things  are  here  to  be  proved,  that  Church-members  are  to 
be  baptized ;  and,  then,  that  Infants  are  Church-members. 

(1)  I  suppose  the  former  may  be  evidently  demonstrated,  because 
there  is  no  other  way  of  solemn  admission  into  the  visible  Church 
but  by  Baptism ;  and,  therefore,  if  the  members  of  the  Church 
ought  to  be  solemnly  admitted  into  the  visible  flock  of  Christ, 
they  ought  to  be  baptized.  But,  clear  enough  it  is,  that  those  who 
are  Church-members,  ought  to  be  solemnly  admitted  into  the  visi- 
ble Church  of  Christ.  They  are  members  of  the  Church,  as  a 
king  is  a  sovereign,  before  his  coronation ;  as  a  soldier  is  such, 
before  his  military  oath.  So,  Baptism  is  our  public  and  solemn 
inauguration  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  it  is  our  military  oath 
and  sacrament,  to  be  Christ's  faithful  soldiers  and  servants  unto 
our  lives'  end. 

(2)  It  only  remains  now  to  prove,  that  Infants  are  Church- 
members. 

And  that  appears,  because  once  they  were  so,  and  that  privilege 
is  not  repealed ;  for,  in  the  Church  of  the  Jews,  infants  were  a  part 
of  them,  who  entered  into  covenant  with  God.    See  Dent,  xxi.x. 

10,  11,  12.     "Ye  stand  all  of  you  before  the  Lord  your 

little  ones,  and  your  wives,  and  the  stranger  that  thou  shouldest 

enter  into  covenant  with  the  Lord  thy  God."  It  is  not,  nor  indeed 
can  it  be,  denied,  that  the  Jews'  children  were  members  of  their 
Church  :  consecpuently,  then,  the  children  of  Christians  must  like- 
wise be  members  of  the  Christian  Church ;  unless  it  can  be  mani- 


304 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


fested,  that  Christ  hath  repealed  and  recalled  this  privilege.  No 
such  repeal,  I  am  confident,  can  be  produced.  Nor,  indeed,  can 
the  repeal  of  such  a  privilege,  as  the  being  members  of  the  Church, 
consist  with  greater  mercy  and  goodness  of  God,  revealed  since 
Christ's  coming,  in  comparison  of  what  it  was  before.  The  child- 
ren of  the  Jews  were  members  of  the  Jewish  Church,  before 
Christ's  coming  into  the  world  ;  but,  if  a  Jew  be  converted  to  the 
faith,  shall  not  his  children  be  now  members  of  the  Church  of 
God  ?  if  not,  they  are  in  a  far  worse  condition  since  Christ,  than 
they  were  before  ;  which  is  little  less  than  blasphemy. 

Again,  that  the  infants  of  believing  parents  are  members  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  appears  from  this,  that  they  who  deny  them  to 
be  members  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ,  must  of  necessity 
make  them  to  be  members  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  the  devil : 
for  there  is  no  third  estate  on  earth ;  but  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  Church,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  devil,  divide  all 
mankind  between  them.  Those  who  are  not  of  the  Church,  are 
of  the  world :  since  our  Saviour  affirms,  that  he  hath  called  and 
taken  his  out  of  the  world,  and  that  they  are  not  of  the  world;  and 
the  devil  is  called  the  god  and  the  prince  of  this  world.  There- 
fore all,  that  are  not  of  Christ's  flock  and  of  his  Church,  are  of  the 
world,  and  they  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  the  devil :  and  so,  by  a 
very  uncharitable,  but  yet  an  unavoidable  consequence,  if  we  deny 
infants  to  be  members  of  Christ's  Church,  we  must  hold  that  they 
'are  all  members  of  Satan,  subjects  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness, 
and  in  a  desperate  state  of  condemnation. 

From  all  this  it  follows  clearly,  that  the  children  of  Christian 
parents  are  Church-members ;  and,  being  Church-members,  they 
have  a  right  to  Baptism,  which  is  appointed  by  Christ  to  be  the 
standing  ordinance  for  solemn  admission  into  the  visible  Church. 
So  that,  when  they  are  in  our  Catechism  said  to  be  made  members 
of  Christ  in  their  Baptism,  the  meaning  only  is,  that  now  they  are 
owned  and  publicly  acknowledged  to  be  such,  by  their  solemn 
admission  into  the  society  of  Christians.  They  are  Christians 
nati ;  born  Christians,  by  the  covenant :  Christianity  is  their  birth- 
right, and  their  native  privilege. 

That  is  the  First  argument. 

2.  The  Second  argument  to  prove  Infant  Baptism  may  be 
formed  thus :  Infants  are  Christ's  disciples  ;  and,  therefore  they  ought 
to  be  baptized. 

That  Christ's  disciples  ought  to  be  baptized,  I  suppose  none  will 
deny:  but  that  infants  are  Christ's  disciples,  is  most  evident  from 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


305 


the  express  words  of  Scripture.  See  Acts  xv.  5.  where  it  is  said, 
there  arose  a  great  controversy  in  the  Church,  because  that  certain 
erroneous  brethren,  some  converted  Pharisees,  persuaded  them 
that  it  was  still  needful  to  continue  the  custom  of  circumcising 
their  children.  To  decide  this,  a  council  of  the  Apostles  and 
Elders  assembled  together  ;  and  in  v.  10,  we  have  their  definitive 
sentence  against  the  necessity  of  circumcision:  "Why  tempt  ye 
God,  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither 
our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear  ?"  Now  on  whom  would 
these  Pharisees  have  laid  this  yoke  ?  was  it  not  on  the  disciples  ? 
And  what  was  this  yoke  ?  was  it  not  circumcision  ?  And  who 
were  they,  whom  they  would  have  to  be  circumcised  ?  doubtless, 
all  the  Gentiles,  who  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  both  men  and 
children:  and,  in  following  ages,  especially,  if  not  only,  children 
were  to  have  been  circumcised,  if  this  erroneous  doctrine  had  pre- 
vailed. Well  then,  they  whom  these  false  teachers  would  have  to 
be  circumcised,  were  disciples :  but  it  is  plain  that  they  would 
impose  this,  not  only  upon  adult  persons,  but  children ;  for  that 
they  required  they  should  be  circumcised  according  to  the  law  of 
Moses ;  as  verse  1.  Now,  according  to  the  law  and  manner  of 
Moses,  all  children,  whether  of  native  Jews  or  proselytes,  ought 
to  be  circumcised  the  eighth  day.  And  this,  saith  the  Holy  synod 
of  the  Apostles,  is  a  yoke,  that  neither  they  nor  their  forefathers 
were  able  to  bear.  Not  that  circumcision  itself,  although  a  painful 
was  yet  an  intolerable  rite,  but  only  as  it  was  a  sign  and  seal 
engaging  them  to  keep  the  whole  law  of  Moses,  which  was  this 
pinching  yoke  and  this  insupportable  burden,  that  the  apostolical 
council  decreed  should  not  be  put  upon  the  disciples.  And,  there- 
fore, either  infants  are  disciples  ;  or,  notwithstanding  this  decree, 
they  may  still  receive  circumcision  as  an  engagement  to  the  obser- 
vation of  the  Mosaical  law. 

3.  Another  argument  may  he  drawn  from  the  text:  "He  loved 
the  Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water."  From  whence  I  thus  argue: 
Those  for  whom  Christ  gave  himself  that  they  might  be  saved,  he 
doth  likewise  intend  to  bring  to  salvation,  by  sanctifying  and 
cleansing  them  with  the  washing  of  baptismal  water :  but  he  gave 
himself  likewise  for  infants,  that  they  might  be  saved ;  for  he  ex- 
pressly tells  us,  that  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  not  only  of 
their  conditions,  but  of  their  condition  ;  and,  therefore,  infants  are 
ordinarily  to  be  cleansed  with  the  washing  of  water  in  Baptism. 

I  do  not  say  that  none  can  or  shall  be  saved  without  Baptism. 
Vol.  II.— 20 


306 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


That  were  too  uncharitable  an  opinion  and  doom  upon  those,  who 
are  inevitably  deprived  of  this  holy  institution.  But  this  I  say  : 
that  Baptism  is  the  ordinary  means  appointed  by  God  for  the 
sanctifying  and  cleansing  of  those,  for  whom  Christ  gave  himself 
to  bring  them  to  salvation.  And,  though  the  children  shall  not 
be  damned  for  want  of  Baptism,  yet,  as  King  James  said,  I  doubt 
whether  the  parents  of  them  may  not,  for  their  neglect  and  con- 
tempt of  it. 

Many  other  arguments  might  be  produced :  but  these  may 
suffice  in  a  place,  where  this  great  doctrine  need  not  be  laboriously 
proved ;  especially  being  such  as  cannot  be  sufficiently  answered. 

ii.  Let  us,  therefore,  in  the  next  place,  take  into  consideration 
some  of  the  principal  objections,  that  are  made  against 

INFANT  BAPTISM. 

"Which  I  would  not  mention  in  a  place  where  this  practice  is 
not  contradicted,  but  that  I  know  the  evidence  for  it  is  abundantly 
superior  to  the  cavils  against  it,  and  that  you  may  be  fortified 
against  the  fallacies  of  deceivers  hereafter.  For,  in  these  broken 
and  divided  times,  when  the  whim  of  men  and  their  confident  fan- 
cies have  so  far  prevailed  against  the  unity  of  the  Church,  God 
knows  what  they  may  next  attempt :  and  plentiful  experience  hath 
shown,  that  anabaptism  usually  follows  separation. 

It  is  objected, 

1.  That  "Infants  are  not  capable  of  the  ends  of  Baptism ;  and, 
therefore,  ought  not  to  be  baptized.  The  end  of  Baptism  is,  to  signify 
to  the  receiver  of  it,  the  washing  away  of  sin  by  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ :  but  infants,  not  having  the  use  of  reason,  cannot  possibly 
comprehend  this  significancy :  and,  therefore,  it  being  to  them  an 
insignificant  thing,  it  cannot  be  the  ordinance  of  Christ  that  it 
should  be  administered  to  them." 

To  this  I  answer  ;  that,  although  infants  are  not,  as  such,  capable 
of  all  the  ends  for  which  Baptism  was  ordained ;  yet  it  doth  not 
thence  follow,  that  it  is  insignificant,  and  therefore  unnecessary  or 
unlawful  to  baptize  them. 

For, 

(1)  Baptism  may  be  administered  to  those,  who  are  capable  of 
some  of  the  ends  of  it,  though  they  are  not  of  all. 

It  is  true,  one  great  end  of  Baptism  is  to  be  a  sign  of  the  wash- 
ing away  of  sin,  and  cleansing  the  soul;  and  why  may  net  this  be 
God's  sign  towards  infants,  though  it  cannot  be  theirs  towards  him  ? 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


307 


Certainly,  the  sacraments  are  instituted  to  be  the  signs  of  God's 
favor  to  his  children,  as  well  as  pledges  of  their  service  to  him. 
Again,  we  find  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  was  baptized 
by  John,  whose  baptism  was  the  baptism  of  repentance ;  and  yet 
our  Saviour  had  no  sin  to  be  repented  of,  no  filth  to  be  washed 
away.  By  which  instance  alone,  it  is  sufficiently  clear,  that  an  in- 
capacity for  some  ends  of  an  ordinance,  where  there  is  a  capacity 
for  others,  doth  not  exclude  from  a  right  of  partaking  of  it. 

(2)  Another  great  end  of  the  institution  of  Baptism  was,  to  be 
God's  seal  to  the  covenant  of  his  grace. 

Now,  as  a  man  may  seal  a  deed  of  gift  to  an  infant,  which  shall 
be  valid,  though  he  understand  it  not :  so  God  may  and  doth  seal 
the  promises  of  his  covenant  to  infants ;  and  yet  their  incapacity 
of  knowing  it  doth  not  make  the  truth  and  promise  of  God  of  none 
effect. 

(3)  Though  infants  cannot  perceive  the  significancy  of  Baptism, 
yet  this  can  be  no  reason  to  exclude  them  from  it. 

For,  I  suppose  it  will  be  granted,  that  circumcision  was  signifi- 
cant, being  a  sacrament  as  well  as  Baptism.  And  yet  we  read  and 
know,  that  circumcision  was  instituted  for  infants,  who  were  alto- 
gether as  incapable  of  understanding  the  nature  and  end  of  that 
ordinance,  as  our  children  are  of  Baptism.  If,  therefore,  circum- 
cision were  not  an  idle,  insignificant  ceremony  to  the  Jewish  chil- 
dren, which  it  is  blasphemy  to  assert ;  no  more  is  Baptism  to  the 
children  of  Christians,  though  they  cannot  understandingly  reflect 
upon  the  significancy  of  it. 

(4)  Though,  at  present,  infants  cannot  understand  the  significancy 
of  Baptism,  yet  this  sign  may  be  effectual  and  operative  when  they 
are  grown  up  to  the  use  of  reason ;  and  they  may  then  be  taught, 
as  it  is  the  duty  of  all  parents  to  instruct  their  children,  what  an 
early  covenant  God  entered  into  with  them,  and  they  with  God. 

Certainly,  it  is  of  some  avail  to  have  a  child's  name  put  into  a 
lease  or  deed  of  gift,  though  for  the  present  he  understand  not  the 
use  of  it :  it  may  afterwards  be  of  as  much  value  to  him,  as  all  his 
estate  and  livelihood  is  worth.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  a  deed  of 
gift  made  to  us  by  Christ,  wherein  he  promiseth  to  bestow  upon  us 
eternal  life  and  happiness.  Now,  as  it  would  be  absurd  to  say,  that 
a  child's  name  ought  not  to  be  put  into  any  legacy  or  deed,  till  he 
come  of  age  to  understand  it :  so,  alike  absurd  and  far  more  inju- 
rious is  it,  to  leave  out  our  children  from  this  heavenly  legacy,  that 
Christ  hath  left  to  his  Church ;  which,  though  for  the  present  they 
do  not  understand  it,  yet  may  be  of  infinite  use  to  them  afterwards 


308 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


when  they  are  grown  up  to  years  of  discretion,  and  they  may 
strongly  plead  it  with  God  with  good  success. 

2.  Another  main  objection  against  Infant  Baptism  is,  that  "Nei- 
ther Christ  nor  his  Apostles,  have  anywhere  commanded  Infants  to  be 
baptized.  Now  it  might  seem  strange,  that  a  matter  of  such  con- 
sequence should  be  omitted  in  the  Scripture,  if  it  were  a  necessary 
duty." 

To  this  I  answer, 

(1)  The  Scripture  commands  whatsoever  may  be  deduced  from 
it  by  good  and  necessary  consequence. 

Now  it  is  plain  in  Scripture,  that  infants  are  disciples :  again,  it 
is  plain  in  Scripture,  that  disciples  ought  to  be  baptized.  It  is  .plain 
in  Scripture,  that  infants  are  members  of  the  Church :  again,  it  is 
plain  in  Scripture,  that  the  members  of  the  Church  ought  to  be 
solemnly  admitted  into  it  by  Baptism.  And  this  is  plain  scripture- 
proof,  supposing  that  the  Scriptures  were  written  for  men  who  have 
reason  to  deduce  consequences  from  premises ;  for  it  is  a  known 
and  a  certain  rule,  That  whatsoever  is  drawn  from  Scripture  by 
true  and  solid  reason,  is  Scripture. 

(2)  That  it  lies  upon  them  to  show,  where  Christ  hath  excluded 
infants ;  not  upon  us  to  show,  where  they  are  expressly  admitted. 

The  reason  of  it  is,  because  it  is  clear,  that  infants  were  once 
admitted  to  be  members  of  the  visible  Church  by  circumcision. 
Now  if  Christ  hath  repealed  such  a  privilege  as  this,  let  them  first 
produce  this  repealing  act ;  which  they  can  never  do :  and,  next, 
let  them  show  what  greater  and  better  privilege  Christ  hath  be- 
stowed on  infants  instead  of  it,  or  else  they  will  make  him  to  be 
Durus  Deus  Infantum;  and  that  our  children,  under  the  Gospel, 
are  in  a  far  worse  estate  than  the  Jews'  children  under  the  law. 

(3)  It  is  certain,  that  the  Apostles  knew  nothing  of  the  repeal 
of  this  privilege. 

They  could  not  think  that  Christ  had  excluded  infants  from 
being  any  longer  of  his  Church,  when  they  thought  themselves 
bound  to  observe  the  Jewish  customs,  and  to  continue  all  the  ob- 
servances of  the  Jewish  Church ;  yea,  and  that  after  they  had 
baptized  many  thousands  of  people. 

(4)  We  find  that  those  of  the  Jews,  who  believed  on  Christ, 
were  yet  very  much  offended  at  the  neglect  of  circumcision. 

This  is  clear  from  that  speech  of  the  Jewish  Christians  to  St. 
Paul,  Acts  xxi.  20,  21.  They  said  unto  him,  "  Thou  seest,  brother, 
how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which  believe;  and  they 
are  all  zealous  of  the  law:  And  they  are  informed  of  thee,  that 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


309 


tliou  teachest  all  the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles  to  forsake 
Moses,  saying,  That  they  ought  not  to  circumcise  their  children." 
To  remove  which  prejudice  he  himself  observed  the  rites  of  purifi- 
cation, prescribed  by  the  law  of  Moses ;  and,  upon  the  same  mispri- 
sion, had  before  circumcised  Timothy,  as  we  find  it,  Acts  xvi.  3. 
So  that,  certainly,  St.  Paul  thought  not  any  privileges  of  the  Jew- 
ish Church  to  be  repealed  by  their  becoming  Christians;  but  that 
they  might,  according  to  the  law  of  Moses,  circumcise  their  infants, 
as  being  members  of  the  Church :  and,  therefore  they  ought  to 
baptize  them ;  this  being  as  much  required  by  the  gospel,  as  the 
other  was  by  the  law. 

These  things,  therefore,  being  well  considered,  we  may  see  reason 
and  authority  enough  to  continue  our  practice  of  baptizing  infants ; 
unless  they  can  bring  some  place  of  Scripture,  that  doth  exclude 
them  from  this  ordinance. 

3.  But  then,  again,  they  object,  that  such  a  place  they  can  and 
do  produce :  and  that  is,  Mat.  xxviii.  19,  where  our  Saviour  gives 
commission  to  his  disciples,  to  go  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them.  Here  it  is  clearly  expressed,  that  they  are  first  to  be  taught, 
before  they  are  baptized ;  and,  consequently,  Infants,  who  are  incapable 
of  being  taught,  are  thereby  rendered  incapable  of  being  baptized. 

For  answer  to  this,  you  must  consider, 

(1)  That  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  a  Church  in  its  first 
institution,  and  a  Church  in  its  progress  and  continuation. 

The  Apostles,  who  received  this  commission  immediately  from 
the  mouth  of  Christ  himself,  were  sent  to  frame  a  Church  out  of  the 
heathen  world,  who  had  never  known  the  true  God,  nor  heard  of 
the  name  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  therefore  were  to  be  instructed  in  his 
doctrine  before  they  could  be  baptized  in  his  name  :  it  had  been  a 
strange  and  preposterous  course,  if  men,  grown  up  to  years  and  the 
use  of  reason,  should  be  baptized  into  the  profession  of  Christ,  before 
ever  they  had  heard  who  this  Christ  was,  and  what  was  that  belief 
into  which  they  were  baptized:  but,  when  once  they  were  thus 
taught  and  baptized,  it  is  more  than  barely  conjectural,  that  their 
infants  were  made  partakers  of  the  same  ordinance ;  from  this, 
that  some  whole  families  are  said  to  have  been  baptized  :  wherein 
they  must  be  unreasonably  bold,  who  will  deny  there  were  any 
infants ;  or  children,  as  incapable  to  receive  the  knowledge  of  so 
high  a  mystery,  as  infants  are.  But  we  are  not  to  lay  the  founda- 
tions of  a  new  Church,  but  to  build  upon  the  old :  indeed,  were 
we  to  convert  an  infidel,  reason  and  religion  would  show,  that  we 
should  instruct  hi-m  before  we  baptize  him :  but  the  children  of 


310 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


believing  parents  are  members  of  tbe  Churcb  of  Christ  by  their 
birth-right ;  and  therefore  have  a  right  to  Baptism,  long  before 
they  have  a  capacity  for  instruction.  So  saith  the  Apostle,  1  Cor. 
vii.  14,  that  the  children  of  a  believing  parent  are  holy:  now  to  b>? 
holy,  signifies  to  be  separated  unto  God  ;  and,  certainly,  if  they  bj 
separated  to  God  in  their  state  and  condition,  they  ought  to  be 
solemnly  dedicated  unto  him  in  the  ordinance  of  Baptism.  For  they 
are  not  unclean  :  i.  e.  they  are  not  in  the  same  state  with  the  child- 
ren of  heathen  and  infidels :  but  they  are  holy,  and  therefore  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  (unless  we  would  imagine  a  generation  of 
holy  persons  without  the  Church ;)  and  therefore  are  they  capable 
of  being  baptized  before  they  are  capable  of  being  instructed. 

(2)  If  our  Saviour  had  sent  his  disciples  to  convert  the  Gentiles 
to  the  law  of  Moses,  what  other  words  could  he  have  used  to  them, 
but  "  Go  teach  all  nations,  circumcising  them." 

If  therefore,  such  words  would  not  imply,  but  that  the  infants 
of  proselyted  heathens  ought  to  have  been  circumcised  before  they 
were  taught  and  instructed  in  the  law  of  Moses,  no  more  do  our 
Saviour's  words  imply,  that  the  infants  of  believing  Gentiles  ought 
not  to  be  baptized  before  they  are  instructed  in  the  faith  of  Christ: 
for,  if  Christ  had  used  such  words,  none  would  have  imagined  that 
the  infants  of  proselyted  Gentiles  were  to  be  excluded  by  them 
from  circumcision ;  and,  therefore,  neither  can  there  be  any  reason 
to  imagine,  from  the  words  as  they  lie,  that  our  Saviour  did  intend 
by  them  to  exclude  the  infants  of  Christians  from  Baptism. 

(3)  We  must  consider  what  apprehensions  the  Apostles,  to  whom 
our  Saviour  spake,  had  concerning  the  Church-estate  of  infants  in 
their  time. 

Did  they  not  look  upon  them  as  members  of  the  Church  then  ?  It 
is  plain  that  they  did,  since  they  were  all  circumcised.  And  can  we 
with  reason  think,  that,  when  our  Saviour  bade  them  gather  whole 
nations  into  his  church,  they  should  imagine  that  infants  must  now 
be  excluded  out  of  it  by  a  new  example,  since  they  were  all  in- 
cluded in  the  Church  under  the  dispensation  which  was  in  use 
among  them  ?  This  is  highly  improbable.  And  therefore  we  have 
all  reason  to  conclude,  that,  when  our  Saviour  bade  them  teach  and 
baptize,  they  understood  no  other,  but  that  they  were  to  bring  the 
Gentiles  into  the  same  state  of  a  Church  in  which  the  Jews  were 
before,  that  they  might  enjoy  the  same . privileges  or  greater:  the 
adult  to  be  taught  and  baptized,  and  the  infants  of  these  to  become 
Church-members  upon  the  faith  and  profession  of  their  parents ; 
just  as  it  was  before,  in  the  case  of  proselytes.    And  this  very 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


311 


sense  the  word  fiaOrjrfvttf  doth  well  bear :  for  it  signifies  to  make 
disciples,  as  well  as  to  teach;  and,  as  I  have  before  proved,  that 
children  are  disciples,  so  it  is  clear  that  our  Saviour  himself  chose 
disciples  before  he  had  taught  them ;  and,  that  scholars  are  ad- 
mitted, not  because  they  have  learned,  but  that  they  may  learn. 

4.  It  may  be  again  objected  that  "Baptism  is  an  engaging  sign: 
but  how  can  Infants  covenant  and  engage  with  God?" 

To  this  I  answer, 

(1)  That,  certainly,  our  children  are  as  much  capacitated  to  en- 
ter into  covenant  with  God,  as  were  the  children  of  the  Jews  ;  and, 
that  Circumcision  was  as  much  an  engaging  seal  of  the  covenant, 
as  now  Baptism  is. 

If,  therefore,  they  condemn  Infant  Baptism,  because  infants  can- 
not enter  into  covenant  with  God ;  they  do  but  thereby  pretend  to 
be  wiser  than  God :  and  tell  him,  that  he  may  possibly  be  a  loser 
by  transacting  with  those,  who  perhaps  hereafter  may  plead  non- 
age, and  that  they  could  not  be  obliged  by  any  thing  transacted 
in  their  minority. 

(2)  It  is  true,  that  Baptism  is  an  engaging  sign  between  God 
and  the  baptized;  whereby  they  enter  into  covenant  with  God, 
and  he  with  them :  but,  though  they  cannot  personally  vow  nor 
stipulate,  yet  they  may  have  sponsors  and  sureties  to  undertake  this 
for  them. 

For  parents,  and  those  who  are  appointed  by  parents,  have  cer- 
tainly a  right  to  bind  and  engage  children  in  this  Baptismal  cove- 
nant. It  is  but  a  natural  right  which  they  have  over  them,  to  bind 
them  to  the  terms  of  any  covenant  or  agreement ;  especially  such 
as  shall  be  for  their  benefit  and  advantage.  I  showed  you  before, 
out  of  Deut.  xxix.  10-13,  that  they  were  to  enter  their  child- 
ren into  covenant  as  well  as  themselves.  And,  though  it  be  the 
custom  of  our  church  for  those  who  are  not  the  parents  to  engage 
for  the  child,  yet  their  stipulation  is  in  this  case  valid  and  obliga- 
tory ;  because  they  are  hereunto  appointed  by  their  parents,  who 
have  a  natural  right  over  their  children,  and  make  these  their  rep- 
resentatives. 

But  some  will  say,  and  it  is  commonly  objected,  but  not  more 
commonly  than  very  ignorantly,  that  "These  sureties  promise 
more  than  they  can  perform.  They  promise,  that  the  child  pre- 
sented to  Baptism  shall  forsake  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  and 
renounce  the  pomps  and  vanities  of  this  world,  and  continue 
Christ's  faithful  soldier  and  servant  unto  its  life's  end.  But  this  is 
not  in  their  power  to  effect." 


312 


THE   DOCTRINE  OF 


To  this  I  answer :  It  is  not  they,  that  promise  these  things  for 
themselves ;  neither  indeed  do  they  promise  that  the  child  shall  do 
them ;  but  it  is  the  child,  that  promiseth  these  things  by  them.  It 
is  not  their  duty,  by  virtue  of  that  promise;  but  his.  Indeed, 
they  ought  to  contribute  their  best  help  and  assistance  hereunto ; 
and  that  is  all  that  is  incumbent  on  them :  which,  if  they  have 
done,  and  the  child  prove  notoriously  wicked,  they  have  not  thereby 
broken  any  covenant,  but  only  he  himself;  for,  in  entering  into 
those  holy  engagements,  they  bore  the  person  of  the  infant,  and 
their  stipulation  is  legally  his:  so  that  they  leave  him  obliged  to 
perform  what  in  his  name  is  promised  ;  which  if  he  performs,  eter- 
nal life  will  be  his  reward ;  if  not,  eternal  death.  They  lay  this 
engagement  upon  the  child ;  as  parents,  and  those  deputed  by 
parents,  may  do :  leaving  it  to  him  to  fulfil  the  covenant,  or  to 
transgress  it  at  his  own  peril. 

And  thus,  I  hope,  I  have,  to  all  sober  and  rational  persons, 
made  it  sufficiently  clear,  that  Infant  Baptism  is  lawfully  used  in 
the  Church  of  Christ :  and  that  those  things,  which  are  objected 
against  it,  are  but  of  small  moment ;  being  grounded  either  upon 
mistakes  or  falsehoods. 

iii.  Let  us,  therefore,  proceed  to  the  third  general  propounded, 
which  was  to  show  you  the  various  ends  and  uses  of  baptism. 
Its  use  is  threefold. 

1.  It  is  a  solemn  way  of  entering  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Cliurch. 
For  whosoever  are  partakers  of  it  are  reckoned  visible  members 

of  the  Church ;  and  have  an  interest  in  all  the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  for  their  brethren  on  earth.  And  this  ought,  by  every  sober 
Christian,  to  be  esteemed  a  great  benefit ;  that  his  children,  by 
their  being  baptized,  are  wrapped  up  in  the  prayers  of  all  the 
saints  throughout  the  world,  and  so  daily  presented  to  God,  though 
to  them  unknown.  Baptism  is  the  solemn  enrolling  of  our  names 
in  the  register-book  of  the  church  visible ;  where  we  stand  listed 
under  Christ,  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation;  engaging  ourselves  to 
maintain  a  truceless  war,  against  all  the  enemies  of  his  glory  and 
of  our  happiness. 

2.  Another  use  of  this  ordinance  is,  to  he  a  seal  added  by  God, 
to  confirm  to  us  the  fidelity  of  his  covenant  of  grace  ;  that,  as  circum- 
cision was  a  seal  of  the  covenant  to  the  Jews,  so  Baptism  is  to 
Christians. 

For,  in  this  holy  institution,  God  gives  us  a  visible  sign  and 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


313 


pledge  of  the  truth  of  his  promise  ;  that  he  will  as  certainly  save 
us  if  we  believe,  as  our  bodies  have  been  sprinkled  with  baptismal 
water. 

3.  Another  use  of  it  is,  to  be  a  sign  and  a  representation 
And  thus  it  represents  divers  things. 

(1)  The  original  filth  and  pollution  of  our  natures :  for  washing 
doth  denote  defilement. 

We  all  came  into  the  world  with  foul  and  unclean  natures ;  the 
sinks  of  all  manner  of  filth  and  pollution.  Parents  convey  a  sad 
and  necessary  patrimony  of  original  sin  unto  all  their  posterity  : 
yea,  though  they  themselves  be  sanctified  and  cleansed,  yet  their 
offspring  is  born  with  this  native  taint ;  as  a  circumcised  father 
begat  an  uncircumcised  son  ;  and  as  pure  grain  sown  in  the  earth 
produceth  grain  wrapped  up  iu  husks  and  chaff.  And,  therefore, 
as  they  should  rejoice  that  God  hath  given  them  to  see  of  the 
fruit  of  their  bodies ;  so  they  should  mourn  to  think,  that  they 
have  brought  into  the  world  a  creature  despoiled  of  the  image  of 
God,  and  thereby  woefully  inclined  to  all  manner  of  vice  and 
wickedness;  a  child  of  wrath,  and  an  heir  of  hell. 

(2)  It  signifies  to  us  the  purifying  and  cleansing  virtue  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  which  is  represented  unto  us  by  the  baptismal 
water. 

For,  as  that  cleanseth  the  body  ;  so,  the  sprinkling  of  "  the  blood 
of  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin  :"  1  John  i.  7,  and  purgeth  "  the 
conscience  from  dead  works:"  Ileb.  ix.  14. 

(3)  It  signifies  to  us  the  nature  of  sanctifying  and  renewing 
grace ;  which,  as  water  washes  away  bodily  filth,  so  this  doth  the 
defilements,  the  vices,  and  evil  habits  of  the  soul. 

And,  therefore,  sanctification  is  often  set  forth  by  the  similitude 
of  washing:  Isaiah  i.  16, 17  ;  "  Wash  you,  make  you  clean....cease 
to  do  evil ;  learn  to  do  well :"  and,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25  ;  "  Then  will  I 
sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean  from  all  your 
filthiness."    And  thus  in  many  other  places. 

Now,  though  these  significations  cannot  be  of  use  for  the  present 
to  the  infant,  because  it  wants  the  use  of  reason  to  reflect  upon 
them  ;  yet  they  may  have  very  great  influence  hereafter,  when  he 
is  grown  up  to  more  mature  age :  yea,  and  to  us,  who  are  present 
and  spectators  of  this  holy  ordinance,  the  very  sight  of  the  sacra- 
mental action  should  lively  suggest  to  our  minds  those  spiritual 
tilings,  that  are  signified  thereby ;  how  that  we,  who  have  been 

"  baptized  into  Christ"  were  "  buried  with  him  by  baptism....that, 

like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  death....so  we  also  should  walk  in 
newness  of  life;"  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  Rom.  vi.  3,  4. 


314 


THE   DOCTRINE  OF 


Let  us  not,  therefore,  entertain  any  slight  thoughts  of  this  great 
and  hoi)'  ordinance.  Indeed,  it  is  too  seldom  that  we  seriously 
consider  what  an  obliging  covenant  we  have  entered  into  in  our 
Baptism :  but,  as  if  all  the  promises  of  forsaking  the  devil  and  his 
works,  of  renouncing  the  enticements  of  our  own  lusts,  and  the 
allurements  of  the  world,  were  all  written  on  the  water  that 
sprinkled  us,  and  wiped  off  together  with  it,  we  have  lived  not 
only  careless  of,  but  even  contrary  to  our  baptismal  vows  and 
engagement.  And,  to  conclude  this,  whensoever  we  attend  this 
holy  ordinance,  the  administration  of  this  sacrament,  we  ought  to 
renew  our  covenant  with  God ;  and  again  to  give  up  ourselves 
unto  him,  with  more  unconquerable  resolutions  of  being  his,  and 
wholly  devoted  to  his  service,  than  formerly.  So  that,  though  the 
seal  be  not  applied  to  us,  yet  to  us  may  be  confirmed  the  benefits 
of  the  covenant  by  virtue  of  that  seal,  which  in  our  infancy  was 
applied  to  our  body,  and  is  now,  by  our  faith,  applied  to  our  souls. 

II.  Having  thus,  at  large,  confirmed  to  you  the  lawfulness  of 
Infant  Baptism,  and  removed  those  prejudices  and  cavils  that  lay 
against  it;  I  shall  now  return  MOBE  NAEROWLY  TO  CON- 
SIDER THE  TEXT :  wherein  we  have,  as  I  formerly  told  you, 
two  propositions. 

The  one  is,  That  the  end  of  Christ's  giving  himself  for  the 
Church,  was  to  sanctify  and  cleanse  it. 

And,  secondly,  That  the  means  to  sanctify  and  cleanse  the 
Church,  is  by  the  washing  of  water,  and  the  word. 

It  is  the  latter  of  these,  which  I  shall  insist  on. 

i.  Wherein  two  things  only  require  a  brief  explication. 
What  is  meant  by  the  washing  of  water. 
What  by  the  word. 

1.  As  to  the  first,  washing  of  water  may  be  understood  either 
literally  or  allusively. 

If  we  take  it  literally,  so  it  signifies  Baptism ;  and  the  meaning 
is  plainly,  that  we  are  sanctified  and  cleansed  by  Baptism. 

If  we  take  it  allusively,  so  this  washing  of  water  denotes  to  us 
the  manner  of  the  Spirit's  sanctifying  and  cleansing  the  soul :  for, 
as  water  cleanseth  the  filth  of  the  body,  so  doth  the  power  of  divine 
grace  purify  the  soul  from  its  vicious  filth  and  pollutions. 

But,  certainly,  the  literal  sense  is  here  the  best;  nor  ought  we  to 
depart  from  it,  in  any  text  of  Scripture,  without  apparent  reason 
and  cogent  necessity. 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


315 


For  here  are  two  means  of  our  sanctification  mentioned,  water 
and  the  word :  and,  to  make  both  these  effectual,  the  inward  in- 
fluence of  the  Holy  Ghost  must  concur,  without  which  they  will 
never  attain  their  end. 

2.  By  the  word,  may  be  understood  two  things. 

(1)  Either  the  very  words  used  in  the  form  of  baptizing,  and 
prescribed  by  our  Saviour,  Mat.  xxviii.  19,  where  he  commands  his 
Apostles  to  baptize  "in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

So  that,  according  to  this,  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle  is,  that 
the  washing  of  Baptism,  joined  with  the  words  of  institution,  is  the 
means  appointed  by  Christ  for  the  sanctifying  and  cleansing  of  his 
Church.  And,  indeed,  towards  infants  there  is  no  other  means  ap- 
pointed ;  nor  are  they  capable  of  any  other  ordinance.  Or, 

(2)  By  the  word  here  is  meant,  the  preaching  of  the  whole  word 
and  will  of  God. 

And  this  I  judge  most  probable :  for  so  the  sense  runs  plain, 
that  the  two  great  means,  which  Christ  hath  appointed  for  the  sanc- 
tifying of  his  Church,  are  the  administration  of  the  Sacrament  and 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 

Concerning  the  influence  that  the  word  hath  in  our  sanctification, 
I  shall  not  now  speak.  It  is  the  seed,  by  which  we  are  begotten : 
1  Pet.  i.  23 ;  "  Born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incor- 
ruptible, by  the  word  of  God."  It  is  the  milk  by  which  we  are 
nourished  :  1  Pet.  ii.  2  ;  "Desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that 
ye  may  grow  thereby."  It  is  the  principle  of  our  spiritual  being, 
and  it  is  the  spiritual  food  of  our  souls ;  an  effectual  instrument  in 
the  hand  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  both  to  beget  and  to  increase  grace  in 
us :  and  therefore  our  Saviour  prays,  John  xvii.  17 ;  "  Sanctify  them 
through  thy  truth :  thy  word  is  truth." 

ii.  But  the  subject,  which  I  now  intend  to  prosecute,  is  concern- 
ing Baptism  ;  and  that  this  ordinance  is  appointed  by  Christ  for 
our  sanctification. 

And  here  observe,  that,  to  be  sanctified,  imports,  in  the  proper 
signification  of  it,  no  other  than  to  be  appointed,  separated,  or  dedi- 
cated to  God.  And,  therefore,  in  Scripture,  whatsoever  is  set  apart 
for  the  use  and  service  of  God,  whether  persons,  or  places,  or  things, 
is  said  to  be  holy,  or  to  be  sanctified  to  the  Lord.  So,  the  first-born 
are  said  to  be  sanctified  to  the  Lord  :  Exod.  xiii.  2  ;  and  Aaron  and 
his  sons,  to  be  consecrated  and  sanctified  to  minister  under  the  Lord: 
Exod.  xxviii.  41.    And  so,  for  places,  Moses  was  commanded  to 


316 


THE   DOCTRINE  OF 


sanctify  the  mountain  Sinai,  that  is,  to  make  it  holy,  by  setting  it 
apart  only  for  God's  appearance  on  it,  and  that  the  people  might 
not  come  near  to  touch  it :  Exod.  xix.  23  :  thus,  the  tabernacle,  and 
afterwards  the  temple,  are  said  to  be  sanctified  :  Numb.  vii.  1 ;  for. 
being  set  apart  only  for  the  worship  and  service  of  God,  they  were 
thereby  made  relatively  holy :  so  we  read,  that  the  ground,  on 
which  Moses  stood,  is,  by  God  himself,  called  holy:  Exod.  iii.  5 : 
and  Mount  Tabor,  on  which  our  Saviour  was  gloriously  transfi- 
gured, is,  by  the  Apostle,  called  the  holy  mount:  2  Pet.  i.  18  ;  because 
of  the  special  appearance  of  God  in  those  places,  which  did  then 
hallow  and  consecrate  them.  And  then,  as  for  things,  a  man  is  said 
to  sanctify  his  house  to  he  holy  unto  the  Lord:  Levit.  xxvii.  14,  and  to 
sanctify  his  field:  v.  16,  when  the  rent  of  the  one  and  the  profits 
of  the  other  were  devoted  unto  God,  for  the  maintenance  of  his 
service  and  servants.  And  so,  in  innumerable  other  places,  the 
word  sanctify  is  thus  used  ;  and  the  import  of  it  is  no  other,  than  to 
signify  the  dedication  of  a  person,  thing,  place,  or  time  unto  God. 

There  are  two  ways  of  dedication  unto  God ;  whereby  his  title 
takes  place,  and  what  is  so  devoted  becomes  his. 

The  one  external,  by  men;  as  in  the  instances  before  cited: 
whereby  there  was  no  change  at  all  wrought  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing  thus  dedicated,  but  only  a  change  in  the  relation  and  pro- 
priety of  it.  As  in  a  field  devoted  to  God,  there  was  no  other 
change,  but  only  in  relation  to  the  owner ;  God  himself  becoming 
the  proprietor,  and  receiving  the  increase  of  it  by  his  immediate 
servants  and  ministers.  And  thus  the  piety  of  our  ancestors  hath 
sanctified  the  tenth  part  of  the  increase  of  the  land  unto  God,  for 
the  maintenance  of  his  worship. 

The  other  dedication  is  internal,  and  wrought  by  God  himself. 
And  thus  he  is  said  to  separate  or  dedicate  persons  to  himself, 
when,  by  the  effectual  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  them 
he  endows  them  with  those  habits,  which  enable  them  to  do  him 
service.  » 

Not  to  heap  up  many  places,  we  have  both  of  these,  Acts  xiii.  2  ; 
"  Separate  unto  me  Barnabas  and  Saul,  for  the  work,  whereunto  I 
have  called  them."  Here  is  their  external  separation :  they  were  to 
be  dedicated,  to  be  sanctified,  or  made  holy  persons  by  the  Church : 
Separate  unto  me :  that  is,  set  these  men  apart,  and  appoint  them  by 
a  solemn  mission  for  my  work  and  service  in  the  ministry.  Here 
is,  likewise,  their  internal  dedication ;  whereby  God  had  set  them 
apart  for  himself,  by  the  gifts  and  graces  of  his  Spirit  wrought  in 
them  :  "  Separate  them  to  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them :" 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


317 


i.  e.  whereunto  I  have  inwardly  both  inclined,  and  fitted,  and  fur- 
nished them. 

As  there  is  this  twofold  dedication  or  separation,  so  there  is  also 
a  twofold  sanctification. 

There  is  an  external,  relative,  or  ecclesiastical  sanctification ; 
which  is  nothing  else,  but  the  devoting  or  giving  up  of  a  thing  or 
person  unto  God,  by  those  who  have  a  power  so  to  do. 

There  is  an  internal,  real,  and  spiritual  sanctification :  and,  in 
this  sense,  a  man  is  said  to  be  sanctified,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  doth 
infuse  into  his  soul  the  habits  of  divine  grace,  and  maketh  him  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature,  whereby  he  is  inwardly  qualified  to 
glorify  God  in  a  holy  life. 

I  suppose  by  this,  which  hath  been  said,  the  meanest  capacity 
may  well  apprehend  the  difference  between  these  two  kinds  of 
sanctification,  or  separation  unto  God. 

iii.  In  applying  this  distinction  to  Baptism,  and  to  show  you 
how  it  is  that  Baptism  doth  sanctify,  I  shall  lay  down  these  following 

PROPOSITIONS. 

1.  Baptism  is  the  immediate  means  of  our  external  and  relative  sanc- 
tification unto  God. 

By  this  Holy  Sacrament,  all  that  are  partakers  of  it  are  dedicated 
and  separated  unto  him. 

There  are,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  but  two  regiments  of  men  :  the 
one  is  of  the  world ;  the  other  is  of  the  Church.  And,  in  one  of 
these,  all  mankind  are  listed,  and  do  march.  The  great  captain 
and  commander  of  the  world  is  the  devil ;  who  is  therefore  called 
the  prince  and  the  god  of  this  world :  but  the  great  captain  of  the 
Church  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  called  therefore  the  Captain  of 
our  Salvation,  Heb.  ii.  10.  So  that  all,  who  belong  not  unto  the  Church 
of  Christ,  are  of  the  world,  and  march  under  Satan's  ensign  and 
banner :  and  all,  who  are  not  of  the  world,  but  are  taken  out  of  it, 
belong  unto  the  Church,  and  are  listed  under  Jesus  Christ  as  his 
soldiers  and  servants. 

This  Church  of  Christ  may  be  considered,  either  as  visible  or  in- 
visible. The  visible  Church  of  Christ  on  earth,  is  a  sort  of  people 
who  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  and  own  his  doctrine ;  joining  to- 
gether in  a  holy  society  and  communion  of  worship,  where  it  can 
be  enjoyed.  The  invisible  Church  of  Christ  on  earth,  is  a  number 
of  true  believers,  who  have  internal  and  invisible  communion  with 
Jesus  Christ,  by  their  faith  and  his  Spirit.  The  visible  Church  is 
of  a  much  larger  extent  than  the  invisible :  for  it  comprehends 


318 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


hypocrites,  and  too  many  ungodly  persons ;  yea,  all  those,  who  have 
given  up  their  names  unto  Christ,  and  make  a  visible  profession  of 
his  doctrine,  though  by  their  lives  and  practices  they  deny  it.  And. 
therefore,  the  Church,  which  is  frequently  in  Scripture  called  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  is  compared  to  a  net,  cast  into  the  sea,  gathering 
of  every  kind  of  fish,  both  good  and  bad  :  Mat.  xiii.  47  ;  both  sorts 
are  embraced  in  the  bosom  of  this  net ;  and  no  separation  can  ordi- 
narily be  made,  until  it  be  drawn  ashore  at  the  day  of  judgment: 
and  then  the  good  shall  be  gathered  into  vessels,  and  the  bad  cast 
away  ;  as  it  is  there  expressed.  Again,  the  visible  Church  is  com- 
pared to  a  floor,  wherein  there  is  both  chaff  and  wheat :  Luke  iii.  17  ; 
and  these  will  be  mixed  together,  till  the  last  determinating  and  fan- 
ning day ;  and  then  shall  the  wheat  be  gathered  into  the  garner, 
and  the  chaff  burnt  up  with  unquenchable  fire. 

The  world  out  of  which  this  Church  of  Christ  is  taken,  is  the 
whole  company  of  those  persons,  who  belong  unto  the  devil,  the 
god  of  this  world. 

And  this  Ecclesia  Malignantium,  this  Satanical  church,  may 
likewise  be  either  visible  or  invisible,  as  the  Church  of  Christ 
is.  That,  which  is  visibly  such,  are  all  such,  who  make  no  pro- 
fession of  the  name  of  Christ,  nor  own  his  doctrine  and  religion, 
without  which  there  is  no  salvation  attainable:  so  that  they  do 
visibly  belong  to  the  church  and  kingdom  of  Satan,  who  are  either 
•trained  up  in  heathenish  idolatry,  Mahometan  stupidity,  or  Jewish 
obstinacy ;  or  else  those,  who  revolt  from  the  Christian  profession 
to  embrace  any  of  these.  Those,  who  are  of  the  world,  but  yet 
more  invisibly,  are  all  such  persons,  who,  though  they  make  a 
profession  of  the  name  and  doctrine  of  Christ,  yet,  through 
hypocrisy  or  other  sins,  reject  that  Christ,  whom  they  profess; 
denying  him  in  their  works,  whom  they  own  in  their  words ;  main- 
taining no  vital  nor  spiritual  communion  with  him. 

From  this  distinction  it  follows, 

(1)  That  all,  that  are  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  Jesus,  are 
taken  out  of  the  world ;  so  that  it  may  truly  be  said  of  them,  that 
they  are  not  of  the  world. 

I  cannot  indeed  deny,  but  that  too  many,  yea,  possibly  the 
major  part  of  the  church  visible  of  Jesus  Christ,  may  still  apper- 
tain invisibly  to  the  kingdom  of  the  devil,  which  is  the  world : 
and  if  any  of  those,  who  profess  the  name  of  Christ,  fall  into  any 
public  and  notorious  sin,  they  ought  to  be  cut  off  by  the  censure 
of  excommunication  ;  and,  till  they  give  satisfaction  by  repentance, 
are  to  be  reputed  as  heathens  and  publicans ;  but  yet  this  is  cer- 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


319 


tain,  that,  till  sentence  pass  upon  them,  they  are  to  be  looked  upon 
as  members  of  the  visible  Church,  and  not  visibly  of  the  world. 
Yea,  farther,  excommunication  itself  doth  not  absolutely  and 
simply  cut  men  off  from  being  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ : 
for  they,  who  are  under  an  ordinance  of  the  Church  for  their 
edification,  are  certainly  still  members  of  the  Church:  but,  as 
those,  who  are  outlawed,  are  debarred  of  the  benefits  and  privileges 
of  the  state  in  which  they  live,  and  of  which  they  are  subjects ; 
so,  excommunication,  being  a  spiritual  outlawry,  deprives  persons 
who  lie  under  it  of  the  privileges  of  the  Church,  and  renders  them 
as  incapable  of  the  visible  communion  of  Christians  as  if  they 
did  visibly  appertain  to  the  malignant  church  and  the  kingdom  of 
Satan. 

(2)  Hence  it  follows,  that  all  those,  who  are  members  of  the 
visible  Church,  may  truly  be  called  saints,  and  members  of  Christ, 
and  the  children  and  people  of  God :  because,  by  being  taken  into 
the  Church,  they  are  taken  out  of  the  world ;  and  so  become  God's 
portion,  and  the  lot  of  his  inheritance. 

Deut.  xxxii.  9  ;  "  The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people :  Jacob  is  the 
lot  of  his  inheritance."  Not  that  they  are  all  so  in  an  internal, 
spiritual,  and  saving  manner :  would  to  God  they  were !  and  that 
all  that  are  of  Israel  were  Israel !  as  the  Apostle  speaks,  Rom.  ix. 
6  ;  but  only,  because,  though  many  of  them  are  hypocrites,  and 
many  more  profane ;  yet  they  may  bear  these  titles  from  the  ex- 
ternal relation  wherein  they  now  stand  to  Christ,  by  making  pro- 
fession of  his  name  and  religion. 

I  look  upon  the  Christian  Church,  now  under  the  times  of  the 
gospel,  to  be  in  the  same  capacity,  and  to  stand  in  the  same  rela- 
tion towards  God,  as  the  Jewish  Church  did  under  the  law.  But, 
clear  it  is,  that,  in  the  most  corrupt  state  of  the  Jewish  Church, 
God  still  owned  them  for  his  people :  Jer.  iv.  22 ;  "  My  people  is 
foolish  :  they  have  not  known  me  :"  and  Iaaiah  i.  3,  4  :  "  My  people 
doth  not  consider.  Ah,  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden  with  iniquities, 
a  seed  of  evil-doers !"  Notwithstanding  these  great  complaints  of 
their  universal  wickedness,  as  you  find  throughout  that  whole 
chapter,  yet  are  they  God's  people.  "  My  people ;"  and  yet  "  a 
people  laden  with  iniquity ;"  "  My  children ;"  and  yet  "  a  seed 
of  evil-doers,  children  that  are  corrupters !" 

Yea,  and  in  the  New  Testament  we  find  sanctification  and  holi- 
ness ascribed  to  those,  who  were  never  otherwise  sanctified,  than 
by  their  external  separation  from  the  world,  and  profession  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ.    St.  Paul  directs  his  epistle  to  the  whole 


320 


THE    DOCTRIXE  OF 


Church  of  Corinth,  as  to  saints :  "  To  them  that  are  sanctified  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  called  to  be  saints :"  1  Cor.  i.  2 ;  and  it  was 
the  common  beginning  of  all  his  epistles.  Yet  were  there  some 
in  this  Church  of  Corinth,  that  had  not  the  knowledge  of  God, 
that  denied  the  resurrection,  and  were  grossly  guilty  of  foul  and 
flagitious  crimes ;  as  he  himself  witnesseth  against  them,  and  for 
which  he  sharply  reproves  them  in  that  epistle :  saints  they  are 
called,  only  because  they  were  visible  Church-members,  and  made 
a  profession  of  the  Christian  faith  and  name.  Neither  is  it  easy 
to  be  conceived,  that  all  those  saints,  whose  bowels  Philemon 
refreshed,  whose  feet  the  widows  or  deaconesses  washed,  who  had 
share  of  the  collections  and  contributions  of  the  Church,  were  such 
as  were  internally  united  unto  Christ  by  a  saving  faith :  or,  that, 
when  Saul  persecuted  the  Church  and  shut  up  the  saints  in  prison, 
his  rage  and  madness  looked  no  further  how  to  find  them  out,  than 
merely  by  the  profession  of  the  name  of  Jesus ;  for,  surely,  he  had 
not  then  the  gift  of  discerning  between  sincere  and  rotten  pro- 
fessors :  Acts  xxvi.  10 ;  "  Many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in 
prison :"  and  who  they  were  is  clear :  Acts  ix.  2 ;  all  that  were 
of  that  way ;  that  is,  who  professed  the  name  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Some  are  said  to  be  redeemed,  who  yet  certainly  were  never  better 
than  ecclesiastical  saints :  for,  after,  it  is  spoken  of  them,  that  they 
denied  "  the  Lord  who  bought  them  :"  2  Pet.  ii.  i.  And  some  are 
said  to  be  sanctified,  who  yet  are  supposed  to  sin  unpardonably : 
Heb.  x.  29  ;  accounting  "  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he 
was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing."  These  places  do  irrefragably 
prove,  that,  in  Scripture  language,  those  are  called  saints,  and 
sanctified,  who  were  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  thereby 
federally  or  relatively  holy. 

Again,  they  are  called  "the  children  of  God,"  and  "the  sons  of 
God."  So,  Gen.  vi.  2 ;  "  The  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of 
men :"  that  is,  they,  who  were  of  the  Church,  and  made  profession 
of  the  true  service  and  worship  of  God,  saw  the  daughters  of  those 
who  were  of  the  world,  profane  and  wicked  idolaters,  by  marrying 
of  whom  they  were  also  perverted  and  drawn  from  the  true  wor- 
ship of  God.  So,  Deut.  xiv.  1,  it  is  spoken  to  the  Israelites  in 
general,  "Ye  are  the  children  of  the  Lord  your  God:"  and,  yet, 
"with  many  of  them,"  saith  the  Apostle,  "God  was  not  well 
pleased,"  but  slew  them  "in  the  wilderness:"  there  were  among 
them  murrnurers,  schismatics,  and  rebels ;  and  they  were  a  hard- 
hearted and  a  stiff-necked  people,  under  all  the  miraculous  dispen- 
sations of  God  towards  them ;  as  their  guide  and  governor,  Moses, 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


321 


often  complains.  And  the  Apostle  St.  Paul,  alluding  to  this 
place  of  Deuteronomy,  tells  the  Galatians,  chap.  iii.  26 ;  "  Ye  are 
all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus:"  and  yet  the 
heresy  of  holding  the  necessity  of  Judaical  observations  woefully 
prevailed  among  them,  so  that  they  were  generally  infected,  nay, 
bewitched  with  it;  and  yet  an  external  profession  of  the  name 
and  doctrine  of  Christ,  is,  in  the  Apostle's  judgment,  sufficient  to 
give  them  all  the  honorable  style  of  the  children  of  God.  So,  again, 
Eom.  ix.  -i,  the  Apostle  tells  us,  that  to  the  Israelites,  as  they  were 
a  Church,  pertained  the  adoption:  now  adoption  is  making  men 
sons  of  God:  yet,  certainly,  they  did  not  all  of  them  enjoy  the 
heavenly  and  effectual  adoption,  which  would  bring  them  all  to 
the  heavenly  and  glorious  inheritance ;  but  only  they  were  the 
children  of  God,  being  separated  from  the  world,  and  brought 
under  an  ecclesiastical  economy,  and  dispensation  of  holy  ordi- 
nances. ' 

Again,  to  be  members  of  the  Church  visible,  is  sufficient  to 
style  men,  members  of  Christ.  So  our  Saviour  himself  speaks 
of  some  branches  in  him,  that  bear  not  fruit :  John  xv.  2  ;  and  so, 
Rom.  xi.  17,  the  branches  of  the  true  olive  are  said  to  have  been 
broken  off,  and  others  engrafted  in  their  stead.  Certainly,  this 
vine,  and  this  olive,  is  Christ ;  and  these  barren,  and  therefore 
broken  branches,  are  members  of  his  body :  not,  indeed,  living 
members  united  unto  him  by  the  band  of  a  saving  faith,  whereby 
they  might  draw  sap  and  nourishment  from  him,  for  such  shall 
never  be  broken  off,  nor  burnt;  but  yet  they  are  in  Christ,  and  be- 
long unto  Chript,  as  his  mmbers  by  an  ecclesiastical  or  political 
incision,  as  they  are  parts  and  members  of  the  visible  Church. 

And  thus,  I  suppose,  I  have  made  it  sufficiently  clear  unto  you, 
that  all,  who  are  taken  out  of  the  world  into  the  visible  Church 
of  Christ,  may,  according  to  the  phrase  and  expressions  of  Scrip- 
ture, be  called  saints,  the  children  and  people  of  God,  and  members 
of  Christ. 

(3)  But,  to  bring  this  home  to  our  present*  subject  of  Baptism  : 
from  all  this  it  evidently  follows,  that  those,  who  are  baptized,  may, 
in  this  ecclesiastical  and  relative  sense,  be  truly  called  saints,  the 
children  of  God,  and  members  of  Christ ;  and,  thereupon,  inheritors 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Doubtless,  so  far  forth  Baptism  is  a  means  of  sanctification,  as 
it  is  the  solemn  admission  of  persons  into  the  visible  Church  ;  as  it 
separates  them  from  the  world,  and  from  all  false  religions  in  it,  and 
brings  them  out  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  the  devil  into  the  visi- 
Vol.  II — 21 


822 


THE   DOCTRINE  OF 


ble  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  For,  if  all,  that  are  admitted  into 
the  visible  Church,  are  thereby,  as  I  have  proved  to  you,  dignified 
with  the  title  of  saints  and  the  children  of  God ;  then,  by  Bap- 
tism, which  is  the  solemn  way  of  admitting  them  into  the  Church, 
they  may,  with  very  good  reason,  bp  said  to  be  made  saints,  the 
children  of  God,  and  members  of  Christ.  But  this  is  only  a  rela- 
tive sanctity,  not  a  real :  and  many  such  saints  and  sanctified  men 
there  are,  who  shall  never  enter  into  heaven;  but,  by  their  wicked 
lives,  forfeit  and  lose  that  blessed  inheritance  to  which  they  were 
called.  Many  there  are,  who  are  saints,  by  their  separation  from 
'  Paganism  and  Judaism  into  fellowship  with  the  visible  Church; 
but  they  are  not  saints,  by  their  separation  from  wicked  and  un- 
godly men  into  a  spiritual  fellowship  with  Christ.  And  yet,  to 
such  saints  as  these,  all  the  ordinances  of  the  Church  are  due,  till, 
for  their  notorious  wickedness,  they  be  cut  off  from  that  body,  by 
the  due  execution  of  the  sentence  of  excommunication.  Such  a 
Baptismal  regeneration  as  this  is  must  needs  be  acknowledged  by 
all,  that  will  not  wilfully  shut  their  eyes  against  the  clear  evidence 
of  Scripture ;  from  which  I  have  before  brought  plentiful  proofs 
to  confirm  it.  Yet  let  me  add  once  more  ;  and  that  shall  be  Gal. 
iii.  26,  27.  "Ye  are  all  the- children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus :"  i.  e.  believing  and  professing  his  doctrine  :  "  For  as  many 
of  you,"  saith  the  Apostle,  "  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ ;" 
i.  e.  baptized  into  the  religion  of  Christ,  and  in  his  name,  "have 
put  on  Christ,"  i.  e.  have  professed  him,  and  thereby  put  upon 
yourselves  his  name,  being  called  Christians  :  and  this  putting  on 
of  Christ  in  Baptism,  the  Apostle  makes  a  ground  to  assert  them 
to  be  all  "the  children  of  God."  But  still  it  must  be  remembered, 
that  this  sanctification,  regeneration,  and  adoption,  conferred  upon 
us  at  our  admission  into  the  visible  Church,  is  external  and  eccle- 
siastical :  and,  though  it  alone  will  suffice  to  the  salvation  of  infants, 
because  they  are  thereby  as  holy  as  their  state  can  make  them  capa- 
ble of ;  yet  it  will  not  suffice  to  the  salvation  of  grown  and  adult 
persons,  if  they  contradict  it  by  the  course  of  a  wicked  life  :  for  our 
Saviour  hath  told  us,  "  that  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall," 
themselves,  many  of  them,  "be  cast,  into  outer  darkness:"  Mat. 
viii.  12. 

And  thus  much  for  the  first  position,  that  Baptism  is  a  means 
of  our  external  and  relative  sanctification  unto  God ;  because,  by 
it,  we  are  separated  from  the  visible  kingdom  of  the  devil,  and 
brought  into  the  visible  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  are  devoted  by 
vow  and  covenant  unto  the  service  of  God. 


T  II  E    TWO    SACR  A  MENT  S. 


323 


2.  Another  position  is  this,  That  Baptism  is  not  so  the  means  of 
an  internal  and  real  sanctifieation,  as  if  all,  to  whom  it  is  administered, 
ivere  thereby  spiritually  renewed,  and  made,  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  his  saving  graces. 

Though  an  external  and  ecclesiastical  sanctifieation  be  effected 
by  Baptism,  ex  opere  operato,  by  the  mere  administration  of  that 
Holy  Sacrament ;  yet  so  is  not  an  internal  and  habitual  sanctifiea- 
tion :  and  that,  whether  we  respect  adult  persons  or  infants. 

(1)  For  adult  persons,  we  have  a  famous  and  incontrollable  in- 
stance, in  the  Baptism  of  Simon  Magus,  who  believed  upon  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel :  (for  so  it  is  said,  Acts  viii.  13,)  and,  upon 
the  profession  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  was  admitted  to  the  holy 
ordinance  of  Baptism.  Yet,  v.  23,  St.  Peter  tells  him,  that  he  was 
"still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity:"  in 
the  same  state  of  sin  and  misery,  and  as  much  a  blackamoor  when 
he  came  out  of  the  laver,  as  he  was  before  he  entered  into  it. 
And, 

(2)  For  infants,  it  is  not  easy  to  be  conceived,  what  inward  work 
can,  in  an  ordinary  manner,  pass  upon  them. 

And,  to  feign  an  extraordinary  and  miraculous  work  there  is  no 
necessity,  since  their  salvation  may  be  safe  without  it.  What  the 
miraculous  grace  of  God  is  able  to  do,  is  not  fit  to  be  disputed. 
But,  surely,  we  have  very  little  reason  to  think  that  there  are  any 
real  habits  of  supernatural  grace  infused  into  the  souls  of  infants, 
since  neither  are  they  ordinarily  capable  of  it,  nor  of  exerting  any 
spiritual  acts  by  it.  However,  Baptism  was  not  instituted  to  any 
such  purpose,  that  it  should  be  an  instrument  of  working  a  real 
change  upon  infants :  for  neither  can  it  work  this  change  by  any 
immediate  and  proper  efficiency,  since  the  washing  of  the  body 
cannot  thus  affect  the  soul,  nor  infuse  any  gracious  habits  into  it 
which  itself  hath  not ;  neither  can  it  work  morally,  by  way  of 
suasion  and  argument,  because  infants  have  not  the  use  of  reason 
to  apprehend  any  such.  Again,  if  this  Baptismal  regeneration  be 
real,  by  the  infusion  of  habitual  grace,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that 
the  greater  part  of  those,  who  have  received  it,  lead  profane  and 
unholy  lives,  and  too,  too  many  perish  in  their  sins  ?  They,  who 
have  the  seed  of  God  in  them  shall  never  sin  unto  death ;  and  the 
perseverance  of  those,  who  are  inwardly  and  effectually  sanctified, 
is  safe  and  certain  :  for,  surely,  true  grace  is  saving,  and  true  and 
saving  grace  is  the  effect  of  our  election  unto  eternal  life ;  for 
"  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called :"  Bom.  viii.  30. 
And,  therefore,  I  judge  it  unsound  doctrine,  to  affirm,  that  Baptism 


324 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


doth  confer  real  sanctification  upon  all  infants,  as  well  as  upon 
some  adult  persons,  who  are  made  partakers  of  it. 

But  here  may  some  say,  "  If  Baptism  doth  not  confer  a  real  and 
internal  regeneration  on  infants,  who  partake  thereof,  how  then  is 
it,  that  the  Church  hath  appointed  a  prayer  in  the  office  of  Bap- 
tism, wherein  we  bless  God,  that  it  hath  pleased  him  to  regenerate 
the  baptized  infant  with  his  Holy  Spirit?" 

To  this  I  answer,  that  the  Baptismal  regeneration  of  infants  is 
external  and  ecclesiastical.  They  are  regenerated,  as  they  are  in- 
corporated into  the  Church  of  Christ :  for  this  is  called  Regenera- 
tion, Mat.  xix.  28.  "  Ye,  which  have  followed  me  in  the  regenera- 
tion shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of 

Israel :"  where,  though  some  read  the  words  otherwise,  "  in  the  re- 
generation ye  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,"  meaning  thereby  the 
day  of  judgment  and  the  last  renewing  of  all  things  ;  yet  I  see  no 
enforcing  necessity  to  alter  the  common  and  usual  reading,  "Ye, 
which  have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,"  t.  e.  in  planting  my 
Church,  which  is  the  renewing  of  the  world.  And,  therefore,  the 
Apostle,  2  Cor.  v.  17,  saying,  "  that  old  things  are  passed  away... .all 
things  are  become  new,"  is  thought  to  allude  unto  the  Prophet 
Isaiah  lxv.  17,  "Behold,  I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth  : 
and  the  former  shall  not  be  remembered."  And  this  state  of  the 
Gospel  was,  by  the  Jews,  frequently  called  "The  world  to  come:" 
and  so  likewise  it  is  called  by  the  Apostle,  Heb.  ii.  5,  "  Unto  the 
angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to  come,  whereof 
we  speak."  To  be  admitted,  therefore,  by  Baptism  into  the  Church 
of  Christ,  is,  to  be  admitted  into  the  state  of  regeneration,  or  the 
renewing  of #  all  things,  called  therefore  "  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion :"  Tit.  iii.  5. 

"But  how  then  are  infants  said,  in  Baptism,  to  be  regenerated 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  if  he  doth  not  inwardly  sanctify  them  in  and 
by  that  ordinance?" 

I  answer :  Because  the  whole  economy  and  dispensation  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  managed  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ :  so  that 
those  who  are  internally  sanctified,  are  regenerated  by  his  effectual 
operation :  and  those,  who  are  only  externally  sanctified,  are  re- 
generated by  his  public  institution.  Infants,  therefore,  are  in 
Baptism  regenerated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  because  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  appoints  this  ordinance  to  receive  them  into  the  visible 
Church,  which  is  the  regenerate  part  and  state  of  the  world. 

That  is  the  second  position,  That  Baptism  is  not  so  the  means 
of  sanctification,  that  all,  to  whom  it  is  administered,  must  thereby 
be  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  his  saving  graces. 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


325 


3.  It  is  not  so  the  means  of  sancb'fication,  as  if  none  could  be  inter- 
nally and  really  sanctified,  who  are  necessarily  deprived  of  that  holy 
ordinance. 

Yea,  indeed,  all,  that  are  converted  from  other  religions  nnto 
Christianity,  must  first  believe  and  make  profession  of  that  faith, 
before  they  can  be  admitted  unto  the  sacrament  of  Baptism :  and 
doubtless,  many  thousands  were  by  the  apostles  converted,  not 
only  to  the  Christian  profession,  but  to  a  Christian  and  holy  life, 
before  they  were  baptized. 

We  well  know,  that,  in  the  primitive  times,  very  many  did  delay 
their  Baptism  till  their  declining  age,  out  of  an  erroneous  opinion, 
that  all  voluntary  sins  after  Baptism  were  unpardonable ;  and  yet 
it  would  be  very  uncharitable  to  judge,  that  none  of  these  were 
sanctified  and  inwardly  renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Yea,  and,  perhaps,  to  beat  down  this  misgrounded  practice,  some, 
on  the  other  hand,  held,  that  Baptism  was  of  absolute  and  indis- 
pensable necessity  to  eternal  life :  which  was  to  cure  a  mistake  in 
practice,  by  a  most  grievous  mistake  in  doctrine.  Yet  this  their 
opinion  they  grounded  on  John  iii.  5,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven :"  whence  they  inferred,  that  Baptism  was  as  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  eternal  life,  as  the  renovation  of  the  soul  by  divine  grace  ; 
so  that  they  passed  a  peremptory  doom  of  exclusion  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  upon  all,  both  infants  and  adult,  that  died 
without  the  seal  of  this  institution,  although  it  were  through  no 
default  of  their  own,  but  by  insuperable  necessity  ;  only  they  ex- 
cepted such  as  died  martyrs,  whose  Baptism,  by  their  own  blood, 
they  thought  might  serve  instead  of  Baptism  by  water.  Thus,  as 
St.  Cyprian  in  one  of,  his  epistles  relates,  it  was  determined  by  an 
African  council ;  to  which  determination  he  also  gives  his  assent. 
And  St.  Austin  (called,  therefore,  Durus  Pater  infantum,)  seems,  in 
many  passages  of  his  works  to  be  thus  rigid  in  giving  sentence 
against  all  who  died  unbaptized ;  although  probably,  afterwards, 
the  severity  of  his  opinion  relented :  for  in  his  fourth  book 
against  Donatus,  he  tells  us,  that  not  only  suffering  for  the  name 
of  Christ  may  supply  the  want  of  Baptism,  "  Sed  etiam  fides  con- 
versioque  cordis,  si  forte  ad  celebrandum  mysterium  Baptismi  in 
angustiis  temporum  succurri  non  potest:"  "  But  faith  also,  and  the 
conversion  of  the  heart  to  God,  if  through  unavoidable  necessity 
we  cannot  celebrate  the  sacrament  of  Baptism."  But  whosoever 
were  the  authors  or  maintainers  of  this  opinion,  it  is  certainly  un- 
warrantable, and  uncharitable,  and  contrary  to  the  judgment  of  the 


326 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


higher  primitive  times :  who,  if  they  had  thought  that  no  person 
could  possibly  be  sanctified  or  saved  without  Baptism,  would  cer- 
tainty not  have  stinted  the  administration  of  it  to  their  Dies  Bap- 
tismatum,  two  special  seasons  of  the  year,  Easter  and  "Whitsunday  ; 
nor  would  many  of  them  have  deferred  their  own  Baptism  to  the 
end  of  their  days :  for  how  could  they  be  sure,  that  no  casualty 
should,  in  the  mean  time,  intervene ;  and  cut  off  all  opportunities 
of  receiving  it  ? 

Baptism,  then,  is  not  of  such  absolute  necessity  as  a  means,  that 
none  can  be  saved  without  it :  neither  doth  our  Saviour  in  those 
words  so  assert  it.  For  we  must  distinguish,  between  being  inevit- 
ably deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  Baptism,  and  a  wilful  contempt 
of  it.  And  of  this  latter,  must  the  words  be  understood.  He,  that 
contemns  being  born  again  of  Baptism,  and  out  of  that  contempt 
finally  neglects  it,  shall  never  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God :  but, 
for  others,  who  are  necessarily  deprived  of  that  ordinance,  the  want 
of  it  shall  not  in  the  least  prejudice  their  salvation ;  for  it  is  a  stated 
rule,  Non  absentia,  sed  contemptus  sacramentorum,  reum  facit. 

4.  The  last  Position  is  this,  That  Baptism  is  an  ordinary  means 
appointed  by  Christ,  for  the  real  and  effectual  sanctification  of  his 
Church. 

For  this  is  the  great  end  of  all  gospel  ordinances,  that,  through 
them,  might  be  conveyed  that  grace,  which  might  purify  the  heart 
and  cleanse  the  life.  And,  though  I  do  not  affirm,  that  Baptism 
doth  effect  this  in  all  to  whom  it  is  rightly  applied :  not  in  infants, 
who,  while  such,  are  incapable  of  that  work ;  nor  in  many  adult 
persons,  who,  though  baptized,  may  remain  still  in  the  gall  of  bit- 
terness and  bond  of  iniquity :  yet  this  I  do  affirm  and  maintain, 
that  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  the  salvation  of  any,  who,  by  this 
holy  ordinance,  are  consecrated  unto  God,  until,  by  their  actual  and 
wilful  sinning,  they  thrust  away  from  them  those  benefits,  which 
God  intends  them  by  it.  And,  indeed,  whoso  doth  but  seriously 
consider  the  vows  that  are  upon  him,  and  the  solemn  engagements 
which  he  hath  made  to  be  the  Lord's,  will  find  a  pressing  force  upon 
his  soul,  unless  he  be  lost  to  all  modesty  and  ingenuousness  ;  urging 
him  really  to  fulfil,  what  he  hath  so  justly  and  so  sacredly  pro- 
mised :  no  argument  can  be  more  prevalent  to  enforce  a  holy  life, 
than  when  the  Spirit  of  God  shall  bring  home  to  our  consideration 
the  oath  that  we  have  taken,  to  be  God's,  and  to  oppose  all  the 
enemies  that  oppose  his  glory  and  our  salvation ;  when  we  shall 
be  reminded,  that,  so  long  as  we  continue  in  a  state  of  sin,  we  live 
in  perjury,  having  given  our  most  serious  promise  to  God,  to  yield 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


327 


obedience  to  his  will  and  laws,  and  to  live  as  becomes  his  servants 
and  soldiers. 

I  beseech  you,  therefore,  0  Christians !  consider  seriously  with 
yourselves,  what  bonds  and  obligation  lie  upon  you,  that  you  have 
vowed  and  covenanted  to  be  "the  Lord's:  a  vow,  that  is  binding 
upon  your  souls ;  and  which,  if  you  do  not  fulfil  it,  will  bind  you 
over  to  everlasting  condemnation.  Sit  down,  and  think  with  your- 
selves, to  what  you  stand  obliged ;  and  either  renounce  your  wicked 
life,  or  renounce  your  Baptism.  Deal  ingenuously :  rescind  the 
deed :  and  profess  to  all  the  world,  that  you  look  not  upon  your- 
selves as  listed  under  Christ's  banner,  nor  engaged  to  be  his  ser- 
vants and  soldiers ;  or,  else,  live  as  becomes  Christians.  What  ! 
shall  your  names  be  in  the  register  of  Christ,  and  yet  your  souls 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  devil  ?  Will  you  carry  his  ensign  in  your 
forehead,  and  yet  fight  against  him  in  his  own  camp  ?  This  is  not 
only  hostility,  but  treason :  and,  as  rebels  and  traitors  are  more 
severely  dealt  with  than  enemies,  so  shall  you  be ;  and,  believe  it, 
the  flames  of  hell  burn  the  more  furiously,  for  your  being  sprinkled 
with  baptismal  water. 

iv.  From  all  this,  that  hath  been  said  on  this  subject,  I  shall 
draw  this  one  deduction  and  so  conclude.    Hence  we  may  learn 

WHAT  TO  JUDGE,  AND  WHAT  TO  HOPE,  CONCERNING  THE  STATE  OF 
INFANTS,  WHO  DIE  BAPTIZED. 

Certainly,  since  they  are  in  covenant  with  God ;  since  they  are 
the  members  of  Christ,  being  members  of  his  body,  the  Church ; 
since  they  are  sanctified  and  regenerated,  so  far  forth  as  their  na- 
tures are  ordinarily  capable  of,  without  a  miracle ;  we  have  all  the 
reason  in  the  world  comfortably  to  conclude,  that  all  such  die  in 
the  Lord,  and  are  forever  happy  and  blessed  with  him. 

With  very  good  reason,  therefore,  and  upon  very  clear  evidence, 
hath  our  Church  determined,  that  "  it  is  certain,  by  God's  word, 
that  children  which  are  baptized,  dying  before  they  commit  actual 
sin,  are  undoubtedly  saved :"  Rubric  after  Baptism. 

For  what  should  hinder  ?  Actual  sins,  they  are  supposed  to 
have  none :  and  the  guilt  of  their  original  sin  is  pardoned  to  them, 
by  virtue  of  God's  covenant :  wherein  he  becomes  their  God,  and 
takes  them  for  his  own  children.    Baptism  is  the  sealing  of  Ibis 

pardon  :  Acts  ii.  38  ;  "  Be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins  :*' 

and,  certainly,  the  grant  is  made,  where  the  seal  is  added  :  and, 
since  they  cannot  forfeit  it,  either  by  hypocrisy  or  profancness, 
without  doubt  they  enjoy  the  everlasting  benefits  of  it. 


» 

328  THE    DOCTRINE  OF 

Yea,  let  me  add,  that  not  only  infants  baptized,  but  all  infants 
of  !  elieving  parents,  though  they  should  unavoidably  die  before 
Baptism,  yea,  before  they  see  the  light,  are  in  the  same  safe 
and  blessed  condition,  for  they  are  in  the  same  gracious  covenant. 
For,  since  the  promise  is  made  to  believers  and  to  their  children, 
God  will  not  falsify  his  promise,  where  they  break  no  conditions. 
Since  the  children  of  believing  parents  are  holy,  with  all  that 
holiness  that  their  condition  is  capable  of,  this  is  sufficient  to  make 
them  capable  of  heaven,  into  which  no  unclean  thing  can  enter: 
therefore,  if  they  be  excluded,  it  is  because  they  are  unclean . 
which  the  Apostle  expressly  denies,  1  Cor.  vii.  14.  And  lastly, 
since  they  are  members  of  Jesus  Christ,  being  members  of  his 
Church,  he  will  certainly  be  the  Saviour  of  his  body,  and  present 
his  Church  holy  and  unspotted  to  his  Father.  And,  since  they 
cannot,  either  by  hypocrisy  or  any  other  sin,  debar  themselves 
from  the  privileges  of  God's  children,  they  shall  certainly  enjoy 
them  in  their  largest  and  utmost  extent. 

"We  may  therefore  Veil  comfort  ourselves  for  the  death  of  such : 
for  there  is  far  more  ground  to  be  assured  of  their  salvation,  than 
of  any  other  persons  in  the  world  :  because  there  can  be  no  danger 
of  hypocrisy,  nor  close  dissimulation ;  which  might  make  our 
charity,  or  their  souls,  miscarry. 

Upon  this  account,  David  comforts  himself  for  the  death  of  his 
spurious  child:  2  Sam.  xii.  23;  "I  shall  go  to  him,  but  he  shall 
not  return  to  me."  Did  David  only  mean,  that  he  should  go  to 
the  grave  to  him,  there  were  as  little  comfort  in  that,  as  there  are 
sense  and  enjoyment  in  death.  But  the  consolation  was,  that  he 
should  go  to  that  state  of  bliss  and  happiness,  where  the  soul  of 
this  infant  was  made  perfect :  and  that  it  was  so,  he  could  have  no 
other  assurance,  but  that  his  child  was  born  within  the  pale  of  the 
Church ;  born  in  the  covenant,  and  had  the  seal  of  the  covenant 
applied  to  him. 

The  like  consolation  may  we  have,  whenever  God  takes  from 
us  any  of  our  infant  children,  that,  they,  dying  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Church,  in  covenant  with  God,  and  consecrated  to  him  by 
Baptism,  are  received  to  that  heavenly  felicity,  by  virtue  of  God's 
promise  and  covenant,  to  which  we  ought  to  aspire,  by  a  continued 
course  of  faith,  patience,  and  obedience. 

Tertullian  calls  "  Fidelium  filios,  sanctitatis  candidatos ;  et  sanctos, 
tain  ex  seminis  prairogativa."    Lib  de  Anima. 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


329 


THE    LORD'S    SUPPER;    OR,  THE    HOLY  COMMUNION 
OF    THE    BODY    AND    BLOOD    OF  CHRIST. 

Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinkelh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life ;  and 
I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day:  for  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and 
my  blood  is  drink  indeed.    John  vi.  54,  55. 

1.  These  words  are  altogether  metaphysical  and  figurative.  And 
to  OPEN  them,  I  shall  inquire, 

What  is  meant  by  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ. 

What  is  meant  by  a  Christian's  eating  and  drinking  this  flesh 
and  this  blood. 

For  neither  of  these  expressions  must  be  taken  according  to  its 
proper  and  literal  signification. 

As  to  the  first :  by  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  we  must  not 
only  understand  his  natural  body,  consisting  of  true  flesh  and 
blood :  but  the  phrase  includes  whole  Christ,  as  the  Mediator  of 
believers;  especially  in  the  course  of 'his  humiliation,  to  which  he 
was  subject  by  reason  of  that  flesh  and  blood  of  ours  which  he  took 
unto  him  ;  that  so  he  might,  in  all  things,  be  like  unto  us,  sin  only 
excepted.  So  that  Christ,  as  our  surety  and  Mediator,  is  this  flesh 
and  blood,  which  he  here  speaks  of. 

And,  that  it  is  to  be  taken  in  this  latitude,  will  appear  from  ex 
plaining  the  second  phrase,  What  it  is,  to  eat  this  flesh,  and  drink 
this  blood.    And,  here, 

First.  It  is  impiously  gross  to  conceive,  as  the  Papists  do,  that 
the  words  are  to  be  expounded,  of  a  carnally  real  eating  of  the 
natural  body,  and  a  proper  real  drinking  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  in 
their  eucharist ;  which,  besides  all  the  gross  contradictions  and 
huge  impossibilities  that  they  are  forced  to  swallow  down  with  it, 
is  a  creed  fitter  for  cannibals,  than  for  Christians. 

Secondly.  Therefore  there  is  a  real  eating  of  the  flesh  of  Christ, 
and  a  real  drinking  of  his  blood,  by  faith.  And  of  this,  we  must 
understand  this  place.  Thus  our  Saviour  expounds  himself,  v.  35, 
of  this  chapter :  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life :  he,  that  cometh  to  me, 
shall  never  hunger ;  and  he,  that  believeth  on  me,  shall  never  thirst." 
As  hunger  is  satisfied  by  eating,  and  thirst  allayed  by  drinking ; 
so  here,  it  is  coming  unto  Christ,  this  "bread  of  life,"  that  satisfies 
a  Christian's  hunger;  and  believing  on  Christ,  "the  fountain  of 
living  waters,"  that  allays  his  thirst.  This  eating,  therefore,  the 
flesh  of  Christ,  and  drinking  his  blood,  being  by  Christ  himself 
made  one  and  the  same  with  our  coming  unto  him,  and  that  being 


330  THE    DOCTRINE  OF 

one  and  the  same  with  our  believing  on  him,  it  can  be  nothing  else 
but  an  act  of  faith  terminated  upon  Christ. 

This  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  we  must  thus  eat  and 
drink,  i.e.  which  we  must  believe  in,  is  not  to  be  confined  only  to 
the  true  natural  body  of  Christ ;  but  to  be  extended  to  whatsoever 
he  did  and  suffered  in  his  body,  as  our  Mediator,  for  our  redemp- 
tion and  salvation.  So,  then,  his  being  made  a  curse  for  us;  his 
being  made  under  the  law,  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  subjected  to 
human  infirmities  and  exposed  to  human  miseries;  his  conflicting 
and  wrestling  with  the  wrath  of  God ;  his  stripes  and  scourgings ; 
his  mockings  and  revilings ;  the  obedience  of  his  life,  and  his  obe- 
dience unto  death,  even  the  shameful  and  accursed  death  of  the 
cross ;  his  bearing  of  our  sins  in  his  body  on  the  tree ;  and  his 
eluctating  the  whole  load  of  wrath,  that  the  justice  and  power  of 
God  could  lay  upon  him,  declared  to  the  world  by  his  triumphant 
resurrection  :  briefly,  whatsoever  in  Christ  tended  to  the  satisfaction 
of  divine  justice  and  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  that  is  this  flesh 
and  blood  of  Christ,  which  a  believer's  faith  should  feed  upon. 

It  folio weth  :  "He,  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood :" 
i.  e.  he,  that  believeth  on  me  as  Mediator,  "  hath  eternal  life." 

This  may  be  understood, 

First.  That  grace,  being  an  incorruptible,  immortal  seed,  he,  that 
hath  this  life  of  grace,  hath,  in  this  sense,  an  eternal  life ;  a  life,  that 
shall  never  fade,  nor  die. 

Secondly.  If  this  .eternal  life  be  taken  for  the  life  of  glory,  as 
indeed  it  seems  most  congruous,  then  a  believer  is  said  to  have 
this  life,  both  because  he  hath  the  seeds  and  principles,  the  dawn 
and  beginning  of  it  here ;  and  because  God  hath  assured  to  him 
the  possession  of  it  hereafter,  by  his  immutable  word  of  promise : 
which  is  as  good  security  as  actual  possession,  and  gives  him  a 
right  and  title  to  that  blessed  and  glorious  inheritance ;  and,  cer- 
tainly, what  we  have  a  right  unto,  we  may  well  call  ours.  Hence 
we  may  observe,  that,  Mark  xvi.  16,  it  is  said,  "He,  that  believeth 
....shall  be  saved ;"  there  is  assurance  of  salvation  for  the  future : 
but  John  iii.  18 ;  "He,  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already." 
Unbelievers  are  no  more  actually  condemned,  than  believers  are 
actually  saved  ;  but,  only,  what  God  threatens  or  promises,  it  is  all 
one,  whether  he  saith  it  is  done  or  it  shall  be  done :  for  damnation 
is  as  certain  to  the  one,  and  salvation  to  the  other,  as  if  they  were 
already  in  their  final  state. 

It  followeth :  "  And  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  Now 
here  the  whole  cry  of  the  schoolmen,  taking  advantage  from  some 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


331 


expressions  that  dropped  unwarily  from  some  of  the  Fathers,  do 
from  this  place  assert,  that  there  is  left  a  seminal  virtue  from  the 
partaking  of  the  eucharist,  or  Lord's  Supper  (for  concerning  that 
only  most  of  them  interpret  these  words  of  our  Saviour),  which 
hath  a  power  to  quicken,  and  raise  the  dead  body  at  the  last  day. 
But  this  is  so  wild  and  absurd  a  conceit,  as  needs  no  confuting : 
especially,  since  the  words  are  not  to  be  understood  primarily  and 
principally  of  the  Sacrament ;  but  of  faith  in  the  merits  of  Christ, 
wrought  out  for  us  in  his  body,  and  by  the  shedding  of  his  blood. 
Therefore,  "I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day,"  only  declares  to  us 
Christ's  promise  and  engagement,  that  he  will  be  the  author  and 
efficient  cause  of  our  resurrection.  And,  though  all  men  shall  rise 
again,  as  well  unbelievers  as  believers ;  yet  Christ  raiseth  them 
in  a  different  manner :  those,  who  are  unbelievers,  he  raiseth  by  his 
power,  as  he  is  the  Lord  of  all  things,  both  in  heaven  and  earth ; 
and,  as  their  judge,  he  sends  for  these  malefactors  out  of  the  pri- 
sons of  their  graves,  to  appear  before  his  tribunal :  but  he  raiseth 
believers,  as  their  head ;  and,  as  they  are  parts  of  his  mystical  body, 
unto  a  glorious  and  blessed  immortality.  So  that,  though  Christ's 
miraculous  resurrection,  was  within  three  days  after  his  death,  yet 
his  mystical  resurrection  shall  not  be  till  the  end  of  the  world  ;  for, 
when  all  the  saints  of  all  ages  of  the  world  shall*  together  rise  out 
of  their  graves,  then  riseth  Christ's  mystical  body. 

It  followeth,  verse  55,  "  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my 
blood  is  drink  indeed."  What  is  meant  by  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ,  you  have  already  heard  :  and  here,  by  meat  and  drink,  is 
meant  whatsoever  the  faith  of  a  Christian  pitcheth  upon  in  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  which  he  underwent  by  reason  of  his  flesh 
and  blood:  whatsoever  in  Christ  may  feed  and  nourish  his  soul, 
that  is  here  called  meat  and  drink. 

But  why  is  this  particle  indeed  added  ?  "  My  flesh  is  meat  IN- 
DEED, &c."  I  answer :  We  must  not  be  so  gross  as  the  Transub- 
stantiatists  are,  to  conceive  that  indeed  is  the  same  with  carnally 
and  properly  :  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed;  that  is,  say  they,  it  is  pro- 
perly meat,  and  so  to  be  eaten,  even  in  a  corporeal  manner  in  the 
Sacrament.  For  the  text  only  calls  it  Bpucrtj  ax^Swf,  and  noois  a^e^;, 
not  udiobui  or  xvpi^i.  It  is  meat  and  drink  indeed ;  but  it  is  nut 
meat  and  drink  essentially  or  properly.  This  indeed  must  be  taken 
spiritually.  It  is  meat  indeed,  and  drink  indeed;  but  still  spi- 
ritual: neither  the  less  truly  so,  for  being  spiritually  so;  for  all 
tropical  and  transferent  speeches,  though  they  take  away  from  the 
propriety,  yet  they  do  not  take  from  the  truth  and  reality  of  the 
expression. 


332 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


Therefore,  not  to  insist  longer  on  the  exposition,  take  a  full  view 
of  the  sense  of  the  words,  in  this  short  paraphrase,  wherein  I  will 
lay  aside  all  that  was  figurative  in  them. 

"  Whosoever  believeth  on  me  as  Mediator,  God-man ;  bearing 
the  whole  weight  of  God's  displeasure,  and  the  whole  burden  of 
the  sins  of  the  world  in  my  body ;  pouring  out  my  blood  for  their 
remission,  and  by  my  death  satisfying  the  justice  of  God  ;  he  hath 
an  eternal  life  of  grace,  and  the  seed-plot  of  an  eternal  life  of 
glory,  faith  giving  the  believer  a  present  prospect  of  it,  and,  by 
the  gracious  promise  of  God,  a  firm  right  and  title  to  it.  And 
such  an  one,  being  mystically  united  unto  me,  and  incorporated  in 
me,  I  will  certainly  raise  again,  at  the  last  day,  to  eternal  bliss 
and  joy :  for  the  sufferings  which  I  underwent  by  reason  of  that 
flesh  and  blood  which  I  took  upon  me,  are  the  food  and  nourish- 
ment of  the  soul ;  inasmuch  as  they  are  the  right  objects  for  a 
saving  and  justifying  faith  to  pitch  upon,  and  to  terminate  in." 

This  I  take  to  be  the  genuine  meaning  of  those  metaphorical 
expressions. 

The  sum  of  all  which,  you  may  take  contracted  into  this  one 
Proposition :  That  Christ,  represented  m  his  meritorious 

OBEDIENCE  AND  SUFFERINGS,  IS  THE  RIGHT  AND  PROPER  OBJECT 
OF  A  SAVING  AND  JUSTIFYING  FAITH. 

II.  And,  in  handling  it,  I  shall  not  speak  of  our  acting  faith  on 
Christ  in  general ;  but,  according  to  my  present  design,  shall  con- 
fine myself  to  the  ACTING  FAITH  UPON  HIM.  AS  EXHI- 
BITED IN  HIS  BODY  AND  BLOOD  IN  THAT  GREAT 
GOSPEL-ORDINANCE  OF  HIS  SUPPER ;  which  is,  in  a  very 
special  manner,  meat  indeed  and  drink  indeed ;  the  food  and  nourish- 
ment of  a  believing  soul. 

And  here  we  must  premise,  that  all  the  use  and  benefit  of  a 
Sacrament  is  comprehended  in  these  two  things : 

In  its  being  a  representation,  as  a  sign. 

In  its  being  an  obsignation,  as  a  seal. 

Now  it  is  only  faith,  as  fixed  on  Christ  the  Mediator,  that  makes 
this  ordinance  beneficial  to  us,  either  as  to  its  signifying  or  as  to 
its  sealing  office.  To  dream  of  any  spiritual  advantage  that  ac- 
crues to  the  soul  merely  from  the  opus  operatum,  "  the  work  done," 
though  faith  signifies  nothing,  though  faith  seals  nothing,  is  so  far 
from  truth,  though  eagerly  defended  by  the  Romanists,  that  the 
Apostle  plainly  tells  us,  such  do  but  eat  and  drink  damnation  to 
themselves,  who  discern  not  the  Lord's  body. 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


333 


i.  It  is  FAITH,  AS  REPRESENTING  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST, 
THAT  GIVES  THIS  SACRAMENT  ITS  SANCTIFYING  USE  AND  OFFICE. 

One  grand  end  why  Christ  instituted  this  ordinance  was,  that  it 
might  be  signum  rememorativum,  "a  remembrancing  sign :"  Luke 
xxii.  19,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  So  1  Cor.  xi.  26, 
"  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show 
forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  But  without  faith,  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Sacrament  is  no  better  than  a  dumb  show,  with- 
out any  signification  at  all.  It  is  faith,  that,  in  this  ordinance,  acts 
over  the  whole  tragedy  of  Christ's  sufferings  ;  and  carries  the  soul 
through  them  all,  in  as  lively  representations,  as  if  Christ  were 
but  now  undergoing  them. 

We  are,  I  know,  ready  to  wish  that  we  had  lived  in  the  time  of 
Christ's  abode  here  on  earth ;  that  we  had  been  conversant  with 
him,  as  his  disciples  were,  to  have  seen  both  his  miraculous  actions, 
and  his  no  less  miraculous  passion.  "Why,  truly,  the  disciples' 
sight  of  these  things  hath  no  advantage  at  all  above  our  faith. 
If  we  can  but  exercise  faith  in  this  great  ordinance,  these  things 
will  be  really  present  to  us.  There  we  shall  see  Christ  crucified 
before  our  eyes  ;  yea,  and  crucified  as  truly  and  really  to  our  faith, 
as  ever  he  was  to  the  sense  of  others.  Our  faith  can  carry  us  into 
the  garden,  and  make  us  watch  with  him  in  his  agony,  and  observe 
every  drop  of  blood  that  the  sense  of  his  Father's  wrath  strained 
through  him.  Faith  can  carry  us  to  the  judgment-hall,  to  hear  his 
whole  trial  and  arraignment.  Faith  can  lead  us  through  the  whole 
multitude  and  crowd  of  people  to  his  cross ;  and,  in  this  ordinance, 
we  may  see  his  body  broken  and  his  blood  poured  out,  and  hear 
him  crying,  "It  is  finished,"  the  work  of  redemption  is  completed, 
and  see  him  at  last  give  up  the  ghost.  And  all  this  the  faith  of  a 
Christian  doth  as  lively  represent,  as  if  it  were  but  now  doing ; 
and  thereby  it  makes  the  Sacrament  a  sign,  and  gives  it  its  signifi- 
cancy. 

Briefly,  then,  to  enforce  this.  Whenever  we  come  to  partake 
of  this  great  and  solemn  ordinance,  let  us  be  sure  to  set  faith  at 
work,  to  represent  unto  us  the  whole  sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ. 
A  strong  faith  can  recall  things  that  are  long  passed,  and  make 
them  exist  again  :  so  that  time  devours  nothing,  but  to  an  ignorant 
person  or  an  unbeliever.  And,  truly,  unless  faith  do  thus  recall 
the  sufferings  of  Christ,  not  to  our  memories  only,  but  to  our 
hearts  and  affections,  they  will  all  appear  to  us  but  as  a  story  of 
somewhat  done  long  ago  ;  and  as  a  worn-out,  antiquated  thing. 
Consider :  were  there  a  sight  to  be  represented,  at  which  heaven, 


834 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


and  earth,  and  bell  itself,  should  stand  amazed ;  wherein  God  him- 
self should  suffer,  not  only  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  but  under 
tiie  form  of  a  malefactor:  and  the  everlasting  happiness  of  all 
mankind,  from  the  creation  of  the  world  to  the  final  dissolution 
of  it,  should  be  transacted ;  in  which  we  might  see  the  venom 
and  poisonous  malignity  of  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  wrung 
out  into  one  bitter  cup,  and  this  cup  put  into  the  hands  of  the 
Son  of  God  to  drink  off  the  very  dregs  of  it ;  in  which  we  might 
see  the  gates  of  hell  broken  to  pieces,  devils  conquered,  and  all  the 
powers  of  their  dark  kingdom  triumphed  over :  I  say  were  there 
such  a  sight  as  this,  so  dreadful  and  yet  so  glorious,  to  be  repre- 
sented to  us,  would  we  not  all  desire  to  be  spectators  of  it  ?  Why, 
all  this  is  frequently  represented  to  us  in  the  Sacrament.  There, 
we  may  see  the  Son  of  God  slain,  the  blood  of  God  poured  out : 
we  may  see  him,  that  takes  away  our  transgressions,  numbered 
himself  among  transgressors :  we  may  see  him  hanging  upon  the 
soreness  of  his  hands  and  feet ;  all  our  iniquities  meeting  upon  him, 
and  the  eternity  of  divine  vengeance  and  punishments  contracted, 
in  their  full  extremity,  into  a  short  space:  we  may  see  the  wrath 
of  God  pacified,  the  justice  of  God  satisfied,  mankind  redeemed, 
hell  subdued,  and  devils  cast  into  everlasting  chains.  All  this  is 
clearly  to  be  seen  in  this  ordinance,  if  we  bring  but  faith  to  discern 
it;  without  which,  indeed,  all  this  will  be  no  more  to  us,  than  a 
magnificent  and  exquisite  scene  is  to  a  blind  man.  Indeed,  the 
Apostle  speaks  of  some,  who  did,  in  an  ill  sense,  "  crucify  to  them- 
selves the  Son  of  God  afresh :"  Heb.  vi.  6.  But,  certainly,  in  a 
good  sense,  the  faith  of  every  believer  ought  to  crucify  to  himself 
the  Son  of  God  afresh ;  and  so  lively  to  represent  to  himself  the 
whole  course  of  his  sufferings,  that  the  spectators  themselves  could 
not  have  been  better  informed  of  them,  nor  more  affected  with 
them,  by  their  senses,  than  he  by  his  faith. 

But,  that  in  this  we  may  not  be  deceived  by  the  workings  of  a 
quick  and  lively  fancy,  and  mistake  them  for  the  workings  of  a 
quick  and  lively  faith,  let  us  observe,  that,  when  faith  gives  the 
soul  a  view  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  it  will  stir  up  due  and  pro- 
portionable affections. 

1.  It  will  excite  a  holy  and  ingenuous  mourning. 

Can  you  see  the  body  of  Christ  broken,  and  his  blood  poured 
out,  and  not  have  your  hearts  broken  and  bleeding  within  you  ? 
All  nature  itself  felt  violent  convulsions,  when  the  God  of  Nature 
suffered  :  heaven  put  on  its  blacks  in  that  miraculous  eclipse  : 
the  bowels  of  the  earth  were  rent  with  an  earthquake :  the  silent 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


chambers  of  the  grave  disturbed,  and  forced  to  resign  their  in- 
habitants, as  if  the  whole  frame  of  the  world  suffered  with  the 
Maker  of  it.  And  shall  not  we  be  affected,  whose  sins  caused  this 
sad  tragedy,  and  whose  interest  was  so  deeply  concerned  in  it  ? 
"We  ourselves  had  a  share  in  crucifying  the  Lord  of  Glory :  and, 
what  St.  Peter  said  to  the  Jews,  Acts  ii.  23  ;  "  Ye  have  taken,  and 
by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain  him,"  may  be  truly  said 
of  us:  we  have  crucified  and  slain  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory. 
And  should  not  this  prick  us  to  the  very  hearts,  as  it  did  them? 
What!  that  we  should  nail  him  to  his  cross;  and  throw  that  load 
of  sin  and  sorrow  upon  him,  which  made  him  cry  out,  "My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  How  should  this  cause  us 
to  melt  in  a  holy  and  kind  mourning,  and  to  fulfil  the  prediction 
of  the  Prophet,  Zech.  xii.  10 ;  "  They  shall  look  upon  me,  whom 
they  have  pierced ;  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  that 
mourneth  for  his  only  son  ;  and  shall  be  in  bitterness....as  one  that 
is  in  bitterness  for  his  first-born !"  And  where  can  we  look  upon 
a  broken  and  a  pierced  Saviour  more  lively,  than  in  that  holy 
Sacrament,  which  he  hath  instituted  to  be  a  remembrance  of  his 
death  and  sufferings. 

2.  If  faith,  and  not  memory,  not  fancy  only,  represents  to  you 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  in  this  ordinance,  it  will  stir  up  in  you,  as 
a  holy  mourning  and  sorrow  for  your  sins,  so  a  holy  anger  and 
indignation  against  them. 

Look  upon  your  Saviour  with  sorrow;  and  upon  your  sins  with 
hatred,  as  those,  that  were  his  bloody  murderers,  and  squeezed  so 
much  gall  and  wormwood  into  the  bitter  cup  of  his  passion.  And 
shall  I  find  pleasure  in  that,  in  which  Christ  found  so  much  anguish 
and  horror?  Shall  I  entertain,  and  lodge  in  my  bosom,  the  bloody 
murderers  of  my  God  and  Saviour?  Shall  I  delight  and  sport  my- 
self with  those  sins,  which  caused  unknown  dolors  to  him  ;  and 
must  be,  if  not  expiated  by  his  blood,  eternally  repaid  and  revenged 
in  mine  own  ? 

3.  Faith,  representing  the  sufferings  of  Christ  in  this  sacrament, 
will  stir  up  a  holy  fear  and  reverential  awe  of  God. 

"When  faith  shows  us,  that  the  united  force  of  all  that  wrath, 
which  yet  would  have  been  insufferable  though  parcelled  out 
among  us  to  whom  it  was  due,  met  all  at  once  upon  him,  who  was 
not  only  innocent  but  the  Son  of  God  himself,  it  will  make  the 
believing  soul  fear  and  tremble  under  the  apprehensions  of  this 
strict  and  severe  justice  of  God.  How  can  he  but  think  with  him- 
self, "  Alas  !  what  a  just  God  have  I  to  deal  with !  a  God,  who,  rather 


336 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


than  sill  shall  go  unpunished,  will  so  dreadfully  punish  the  very 
imputation  of  it,  even  in  his  own  Son.  And  what  if  Christ  had 
not  stood  in  my  stead,  and  undergone  my  punishment  for  me  ? 
should  not  all  his  wrath  have  fallen  upon  me  ?  should  not  I  have 
been  swallowed  up  in  eternal  torments,  and  have  lain  under  the 
vindictive  justice  of  God  forever?  How  can  our  souls  but  be 
surprised  with  fear  and  trembling  at  such  reflections  as  these, 
which  faith  ought  to  suggest  to  them  at  their  attendance  upon  this 
holy  ordinance  ? 

4.  If  faith  represent  the  sufferings  of  Christ  to  us,  it  will 
mightily  enkindle  and  inflame  our  love  unto  him. 

How  can  the  believing  soul,  when  he  is  receiving  the  bread  and 
wine,  think  that  now  he  is  taking  that  Christ,  whose  love  was 
so  great  as  to  undergo  no  less  than  infinite  wrath  to  satisfy 
the  offended  justice  of  God,  and  not  dissolve  into  proportionable 
love  towards  Christ  again  ?  To  think,  that  Christ  should  lay  by 
his  robes  of  glory,  wrap  his  deity  in  dust  and  ashes,  hide  and 
eclipse  himself  in  our  flesh,  and  all  this  abasement  only  to  put 
himself  into  a  farther  capacity  of  suffering  for  us ;  that  he  should 
be  crucified  for  those,  who  crucified  him  ;  that  he  should  die  for 
love  of  those,  who  killed  him,  and  suffer  for  those  from  whom 
he  still  suffers ;  if  we  have  any,  the  least  spark  of  gratitude  and 
ingenuousness,  it  must  needs  constrain  us,  not  only  to  admire  the 
infinite  riches  of  the  love  of  Christ  towards  us,  but  to  return 
reciprocal  love  unto  him. 

These  four  affections,  faith  will  excite  in  us  when  we  partake  of 
this  ordinance,  as  it  is  a  sign  and  a  representation  to  us  of  the 
sufferings  of  Christ.  For,  without  these,  merely  to  recall  to  our 
minds  those  great  transactions  may  be  but  the  act  of  memory,  or 
the  representation  of  fancy ;  no  work  of  faith. 

And  thus  I  have  endeavored  to  show  you,  what  is  the  object, 
which  our  faith  ought  to  apprehend  and  pitch  upon  in  this  holy 
institution.  For,  as  faith  is,  in  every  ordinance,  the  great  purveyor 
and  steward  of  the  soul,  that  lays  in  provision  for  the  soul  to  feed 
upon  ;  so  especially  in  this.  It  is  faith  alone,  that  can  find  out  any 
thing  in  material  elements,  that  may  be  suited  and  accommodated 
to  an  immaterial  soul.  For  there  is  a  kind  of  holy  chemistry  in 
this  grace,  that  can  extract  spirit  out  of  visible  and  sensible  objects. 
What  is  there  in  the  bread,  and  in  the  wine,  that  can  nourish  the 
soul  ?  The  body  is,  indeed,  upheld  by  such  earthly  supports ;  but 
these  are  too  gross  feeding  for  our  spiritual  part.    It  is,  indeed, 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


said,  that  "  man  did  eat  angels'  food ;"  Ps.  lxxviii.  25,  to  set  forth 
the  excellency  and  delicacy  of  that  provision  of  manna,  that  God 
made  for  his  unthankful  people  in  the  wilderness ;  yea,  but  a  true 
believer  hath  better  and  choicer  food  set  before  him  on  the  Lord's 
table,  than  the  food  of  angels  themselves.  To  a  carnal  eye,  they 
appear  but  mere  contemptible  bread  and  wine  ;  but  yet  our  enter  ■ 
tainment  there  is  more  refined,  more  spiritual.  The  bread  and 
wine  are  but  the  dishes,  in  which  this  feast  is  served  up ;  not  the 
feast  itself.  Faith  feeds  the  soul,  not  in  the  vulgar  common  way, 
but  nourishes  it  in  a  mystical  manner.  It  eats,  not  the  bread,  but 
the  breaking  of  it :  it  drinks,  not  the  wine,  but  the  pouring  of  it 
forth.  The  elements  may  seem  lean,  poor,  and  beggarly  in  them- 
selves :  but,  when  a  transubstantiating  faith  shall  turn  the  bread 
into  the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  wine  into  his  blood,  it  will  make 
a  believing  soul  cry  out,  with  the  Jews,  in  this  chapter,  "  Lord, 
evermore  give  us  this  bread ;"  and,  with  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
chap,  iv.,  "Sir,  give  me  of  this  water."  It  is  a  Christian's  faith, 
that  makes  it  bread  incarnate.  And,  as  Christ,  by  a  miracle  of 
power,  turned  water  into  wine,  so  here  the  faith  of  the  receiver 
turns  wine  into  blood.  And,  thus,  by  eating  the  flesh  and  drinking 
the  blood  of  Christ,  they  are  incorporated  into  him,  and  made  one 
with  him,  members  of  his  mystical  body ;  and  shall  be  certainly 
raised  by  him  to  an  incorruptible  and  glorious  life. 

ii.  We  have  thus  considered  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, as  it  is  a  sign.  I  shall  now  proceed  to  consider  it  as  a  seal  : 
and,  under  this  respect  also,  it  is  only  faith  in  the  sufferings 

OF  CHRIST,  THAT  CAN  MAKE  IT  ANY  WAY  USEFUL  AND  BENEFICIAL 

unto  us.  For,  as  the  Sacrament  represents  nothing,  so  it  seals 
nothing,  without  faith. 

Now,  here,  I  shall  briefly  inquire  into  these  four  things : 

Why  the  Sacrament  is  called  a  seal. 

What  it  seals  unto,  or  to  what  it  is  affixed. 

Whose  seal  it  is  ;  whether  God's,  or  ours. 

That  faith-  alone,  in  the  sufferings  of  Christ  Jesus,  makes  its 
sealing  office  beneficial  and  advantageous  to  us. 
1.  Why  the  Sacrament  is  called  a  seal. 

A  seal,  you  know,  is  added  for  the  confirmation  and  ratifying  of 
any  compact,  bargain,  or  covenant  between  party  and  party.  The 
Sacrament,  therefore,  is  called  a  seal,  because  it  is  annexed  to  that 
bargain  and  covenant,  that  God  hath  made  with  man.  For,  herein, 
God  is  pleased  to  be  so  gracious  to  our  infirmity,  that  he  hath  not 
Vol.  II.— 22 


333 


THE    DOCTRI NE  OF 


only  passed  his  word,  but  bath  also  confirmed  bis  covenant  by 
seals  ;  "  tbat  by  two  immutable  tbings,  wberein  it  was  not  possible 
for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  abundant  consolation."  And  there- 
fore, the  circumcision  of  Abraham,  which  was  then  the  Sacrament 
of  initiation,  to  which,  in  the  Christian  Church,  Baptism  succeeded, 
this  circumcision  is  called,  Horn.  iv.  11,  "  A  seal  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith."  And  the  cup,  in  this  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, is  said  by  the  Apostle,  1  Cor.  xi.  25,  to  be  "the  new  testament 
in  "  the  "blood  "  of  Christ.  Now  what  else  can  be  understood  by 
that  synecdoche,  that  the  cup  is  the  New  Testament,  but  only  that 
it  is  a  seal  set  to  the  New  Testament ;  the  last  will  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  covenant  which  he  hath  ratified  with  us  in 
his  blood  ?  Thus,  therefore,  it  is  called  a  seal,  because  it  is  a  con- 
firmation of  the  covenant,  made  between  God  and  man ;  even  as 
a  seal  is  a  confirmation  of  any  agreement,  made  between  man  and 
man. 

2.  Therefore  let  us  inquire  what  the  Sacrament  seals  unto. 

The  Sacrament's  sealing  being  nothing  else  but  the  confirmation 
of  the  truth  of  that  to  which  it  is  set,  we  may  conceive  that  the 
Sacrament  seals  to,  {.  e.  it  attests  and  confirms  two  things,  viz.,  Our 
faith  and  God's  covenant. 

(1)  It  seals  to  our  faith,  two  ways : 

[1]  Directly  and  formally  :  in  that  we  do,  by  receiving  this  holy 
ordinance,  attest  unto  God  the  truth  of  our  faith ;  that  we  do  in- 
deed believe  on  Christ  Jesus  exhibited  in  it. 

And,  therefore,  as  the  Sacrament  represents  unto  us  the  death 
of  Christ,  and  what  he  suffered  for  our  redemption  and  salvation, 
as  it  is  a  sign ;  so,  as  it  is  a  seal,  it  doth  witness  and  attest,  that  we  do 
indeed  lay  hold  on,  his  death,  and  apply  those  sufferings  by  faith 
unto  our  own  souls.  "Whensoever  a  true  believer  comes  to  par- 
take of  this  ordinance,  and  sees  the  bread  broken  and  the  wine 
poured  forth,  signifying  unto  him  the  breaking  of  Christ's  body 
and  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  be  ought  then  to  lift  up  bis  heart 
to  God ;  and,  in  the  silent  devotions  of  his  soul,  to  say,  "  Lord,  I 
believe  on  thy  Son  thus  broken,  and  on  his  blood  thus  poured  out 
for  me  :  and,  to  attest  and  witness  that  I  do  indeed  believe,  behold, 
I  now  receive  this  thy  Holy  Sacrament ;  and,  by  it,  do  set  seal  to 
the  truth  of  my  faith,  accepting  of  my  blessed  Saviour,  and  sin- 
cerely devoting  myself  unto  him." 

[2]  It  seals  to  our  faith  consecutively,  by  way  of  effect  and 
causality ;  as  the  receiving  of  it  doth  mightily  confirm  and 
strengthen  our  faith. 


THE    TWO    SACRAMENTS.  339 

For,  there  is  no  ordinance  of  God  whatsoever,  that  is  more  ac- 
commodated to  the  increase  of  faith  than  this:  in  that  it  doth,  as 
it  were,  set  the  death  of  Christ  before  our  eyes.  For,  though  faith 
be  evacuated  where  there  is  clear  and  perfect  vision,  yet  where  the 
representation  is  such  as  doth  not  fully  discover  the  object,  but 
only  hint  it  unto  us,  as  it  is  here  in  the  Sacrament,  faith  takes  a 
mighty  advantage  from  the  type  and  resemblance  that  sense  per- 
ceives, to  look  into  those  more  spiritual  objects  represented  by 
these  material  signs,  which  to  the  eye  of  sense  are  altogether  in- 
visible. And,  indeed,  when  we  consider  that  God  hath  not  only 
engaged  his  word,  that  whosoever  believeth  shall  be  saved ;  but 
hath  also  instituted  this  ordinance,  as  a  witness  between  him  and 
us,  that  he  will  certainly  perform  this  gracious  promise,  if  we  per- 
form the  condition  ;  we  may  well  have  strong  faith,  and  strong  con- 
solation from  that  faith,  since  he  hath  been  pleased  to  assure  our 
salvation  to  us,  both  by  his  word,  and  by  this  pledge  of  the  truth 
and  fidelity  of  his  word.  And,  in  this  sense,  our  faith  may  be 
said  to  be  sealed  by  the  Sacrament,  because  it  is  thereby  greatly 
confirmed  and  strengthened. 

(2)  But,  then,  as  the  Sacrament  seals  to  our  faith;  so,  it  seals 
also  to  God's  covenant  with  us. 

The  brief  tenor  of  this  covenant  you  have  expressly  contained 
in  those  few  words,  Mark  xvi.  16;  "He,  that  believeth. ...shall  be 
saved."    And  to  this  covenant  the  Sacrament  is  affixed  as  a  seal. 

And,  in  it,  there  are  two  things,  that  admit  of  sealing : 

The  tenor  of  the  covenant  itself. 

Our  propriety  and  interest  in  the  mercy  promised. 

The  tenor  of  the  covenant  consists  in  this :  If  I  believe,  I  shall 
be  saved.  Our  interest  and  propriety  in  the  covenant  consist  in 
this :  But  I  do  believe,  and  therefore  I  shall  be  saved. 

Now  each  of  these  may  be  sealed  unto  the  soul :  and,  accord- 
ingly, there  is  a  twofold  sealing : 

An  external  sealing,  by  the  Sacrament. 

An  internal  sealing,  by  the  Spirit. 

Of  these,  the  external  sealing  only  respects  the  Sacrament.  For, 
in  this  ordinance,  God  seals  unto  me,  that,  if  I  believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  I  shall  be  saved ;  and  gives  me  a  visible  pledge  of  this  pro- 
mise, that,  as  sure  as  I  eat  of  the  sacramental  bread  and  drink  of 
the  wine,  so  surely,  upon  my  faith,  I  shall  inherit  eternal  life.  And 
this,  indeed,  is  the  most  proper  sealing  use,  which  the  Sacrament 
hath. 

But  the  internal  sealing  of  the  Spirit,  in  our  own  consciences, 


340 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


respects  our  peculiar  right  and  interest  in  this  covenant.  For, 
though  the  Sacrament  seals  to  me,  that,  if  I  believe,  I  shall  be 
saved ;  yet  it  doth  not  properly  seal  and  attest  to  me,  that  I  do 
believe,  and  therefore  shall  be  saved.  But  this  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  which  seals  us  up  unto  the  day 
of  redemption ;  and  works  in  the  hearts  of  many  believers  a  full 
assurance,  that  grace  is  already  wrought  in  them,  and  that  glory 
shall  hereafter  be  bestowed  upon  them. 

And  thus  you  see  to  what  it  is,  that  the  Sacrament  seals.  Prin- 
cipally and  primarily,  it  seals  to  the  truth  of  the  conditional  cove- 
nant, as  a  pledge  of  God's  veracity :  but,  secondarily,  it  seals  also 
to  our  faith,  as  it  is  a  means  instituted  by  God  for  the  strengthen- 
ing and  increasing  of  it. 

3.  By  what  hath  been  spoken,  we  may  easily  give  a  resolution 
to  the  third  question,  Whose  seal  it  is:  whether  God's  or  ours:  for  it 
is  both. 

(1)  It  is  God's  seal  only,  in  respect  of  its  institution.  For  he 
hath  appointed  this  holy  ordinance  as  a  seal  between  him  and  us. 
And,  indeed,  this  is  so  essential  to  the  nature  and  being  of  a  sacra- 
ment, that  nothing  can  be  such,  but  what  hath  the  stamp  of  divine 
institution  to  warrant  it. 

(2)  It  is  God's  seal,  as  it  is  affixed  to  his  part  of  the  covenant. 
For,  in  this  sacrament,  he  seals  to  us,  that,  if  we  believe,  we  shall 
certainly  be  saved. 

But,  then, 

(3)  It  is  our  seal,  as  we  do,  by  receiving  it,  testify  and  declare 
the  truth  and  reality  of  our  faith ;  and  that  we  do  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  is  exhibited  unto  us  in  this  sacrament. 

4.  These  things,  therefore,  being  thus  clear,  I  shall  come  to  the 
fourth  general  head  propounded,  which  indeed  I  principally  in- 
tended, viz  :  That  it  is  faith  alone,  in  the  death  and  sufferings  of  Jesus 
Christ,  that  makes  the  Seal  of  the  Sacrament  useful  and  beneficial  to  our 
souls. 

(1)  It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  whether  we  believe  or  no,  this  ordi- 
nance will  still  seal  the  truth  and  stability  of  God's  covenant,  that, 
if  we  believe,  we  shall  be  saved. 

Yet,  if  we  do  not  believe,  of  what  use  or  benefit  will  this  be  to 
us?  Yea,  it  will  rather  be  a  fearful  aggravation  of  our  just  con- 
demnation :  in  that  God  hath  not  only  given  his  word  for  our  sal- 
vation, but  hath  so  far  condescended  as  to  set  his  seal  to  it  in  this 
holy  ordinance ;  and,  yet,  neither  salvation  promised,  nor  this  pro- 
mise sealed,  can  work  upon  us  to  act  that  faith,  upon  which  heaven 
and  happiness  are  assured. 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


341 


(2)  The  Sacrament,  without  faith  in  the  partakers,  will  be  still 
a  seal. 

Yea,  but  it  will  only  seal  them  up  to  the  day  of  destruction. 
For,  as  to  a  believing  soul  it  seals  his  salvation,  so  to  an  unbeliev- 
ing partaker  it  only  seals  his  eternal  damnation.  This  great  ordi- 
nance is  never  empty  nor  insignificant :  it  hath  its  signifying,  it 
hath  its  sealing  office,  to  the  unbelieving  receiver,  as  well  as  to  the 
believing.  So  that  I  may  say,  to  all  those  who  join  themselves  in 
this  communion,  what  Christ  said  to  the  Jews,  "  What  come  you 
hither  to  see  ?  or  what  come  you  hither  to  receive  ?  A  little  bread 
and  wine  ?  Nay,  I  say  unto  you,  more  than  bread  and  wine :  for 
this  is  he,  of  whom  it  is  prophesied,  That,  if  ye  eat  his  flesh,  and 
drink  his  blood,  ye  shall  have  eternal  life."  If  ye  be  believers, 
here  ye  may  see,  as  in  a  type,  the  whole  load  of  that  wrath,  which 
Christ  underwent  for  your  sins  :  if  any  of  you  be  unbelievers,  here 
you  may  see,  as  in  a  type,  the  whole  load  of  that  wrath,  which 
you,  in  your  own  persons,  must  eternally  undergo  for  your  own 
sins.  If  you  are  believers,  here  you  may  receive  a  firm  pledge 
and  security  for  your  salvation :  if  unbelievers,  here  you  will  re- 
ceive your  damnation  too  surely  confirmed  to  your  souls,  under  the 
hand  and  seal  of  God  himself.  It  will  be  in  vain  to  think  to  plead 
with  God  at  the  last  day,  like  those  who  pleaded  in  vain,  Luke 

xiii.  25,  26,  "  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us  for  we  have  eaten  and 

drunk  in  thy  presence."  True :  but  did  not  God  even  then  seal 
unto  you,  that,  unless  you  would  believe  and  bring  forth  the  fruits 
of  a  true  faith  in  a  holy  life,  you  should  as  certainly  perish,  as  you 
did  then  eat  and  drink  ?  You  had  his  seal,  indeed :  but  it  was 
only  set  to  ratify  your  condemnation,  so  long  as  you  should  continue 
in  your  impenitence  and  unbelief.  Had  you  performed  the  con- 
dition of  the  covenant,  this  seal  had  been  set  to  the  promise,  and 
confirmed  your  pardon  and  justification;  but,  for  want  of  it,  you 
will  at  last  with  horror  see  it  affixed  to  the  writ  and  warrant  for 
your  execution.  Now  how  sad  and  deplorable  a  thing  is  this,  that, 
when  this  holy  ordinance  is  so  full  of  consolation  and  ravishing 
delights  to  the  worthy  partakers,  sealing  unto  them  the  remission 
of  their  sins  and  their  acceptation  to  eternal  life,  it  should,  for 
want  of  a  true  and  saving  faith,  seal  up  any  soul  under  wrath  and 
condemnation ! 

This  twofold  sealing  office,  the  Sacrament  hath  towards  all  that 
partake  of  it :  it  will  seal  to  them  the  certainty  of  eternal  life  and 
salvation,  if  they  believe  ;  or  of  eternal  wrath  and  condemnation, 
if  they  remain  impenitent  and  unbelieving. 


342 


THE   DOCTRINE  OF 


"Without  faith,  the  Sacrament  can  seal  nothing  to  you,  that  is 
beneficial  and  profitable.  "When  God  holds  forth  to  you  in  this 
ordinance  Christ  Jesus;  and,  through  him,  pardon,  peace,  and 
reconciliation,  justification,  adoption,  yea,  even  heaven  itself,  and 
its  everlasting  glories ;  the  believing  partaker  may  boldly  and 
sweetly  say,  that  all  these  are  his :  for  faith,  indeed,  is  the  convey- 
ance of  these  things  to  the  soul :  and,  therefore,  wheresoever  it  is 
acted,  it  must  needs  make  the  Sacrament  seal  ^effectually.  It  is 
faith,  that  justifies;  and  therefore,  this  Sacrament,  that  seals  unto 
you  your  justification,  if  you  believe,  seals  effectually.  It  is  faith, 
that  makes  you  "accepted  in  the  beloved;"  for,  "without  faith  it 
is  impossible  to  please  God :"  and,  therefore,  this  Sacrament,  which 
seals  your  acceptance,  upon  your  believing,  seals  effectually.  It  is 
faith,  that  saves  you :  and,  therefore,  this  Sacrament,  that  seals  unto 
you  your  salvation,  if  you  believe,  seals  effectually.  For  it  seals  to 
you,  that  that  shall  be  done,  if  you  believe,  which  your  believing 
will  certainly  do. 

But  yet  all  this  it  doth,  by  leading  the  soul  to  the  consideration 
of,  and  recumbence  upon,  the  sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  which 
these  benefits  are  procured.  For  it  would  be  utterly  in  vain  for 
faith  to  apprehend/  or  for  the  sacraments  to  seal  to  us,  that,  which 
was  never  purchased  for  us.  And,  therefore,  the  Apostle  calls  it, 
the  cup  of  the  New  Testament  in  Christ's  blood,  in  the  fore-cited 
,  place :  i.  e.  it  is  the  seal  of  the  New  Testament,  or  covenant,  in  the 
blood  of  Christ.  This  seal  must  be  dipped  in  blood,  before  it  can 
ratify  or  confirm  any  privilege  and  benefit  unto  us.  These  are  all 
purchased  with  blood ;  and  they  all  come  flowing  down  to  us,  in 
a  stream  of  blood. 

"Whensoever,  then,  you  come  to  this  great  seal-office  of  the  Gos- 
pel, be  sure  that  you  set  faith  on  work :  else,  your  frequent  com- 
munication in  this  ordinance,  to  say  nothing  worse,  will  be  but  the 
fastening  and  annexing  of  many  seals  to  a  large  grant  and  charter, 
unto  which  you  have  no  title.  What  a  sad  and  wretched  mistake 
will  it  be,  if,  after  you  have  had  the  covenant  so  often  sealed  and 
confirmed,  all  those  seals  should  prove  of  no  more  use  or  value, 
than  if  they  were  set  to  a  blank !  For  the  promise  is  no  better 
than  a  blank,  if  the  condition  on  your  part  be  not  performed.  Will 
it  not  be  sad  and  dreadful,  when  men,  at  the  last  day,  arraigned 
by  the  justice  of  God,  shall  stand  forth  and  plead,  "Lord,  here  is 
the  covenant,  wherein  thou  hast  promised  me  life  and  salvation  : 
here  are  so  many  seals  hanging  at  it,  whereby  thou  hast  confirmed 
that  promise  to  me :"  and  then  it  shall  be  said,  "  True,  here  is  the 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


343 


covenant,  and  here  are  the  seals ;  but  where  is  the  performance,  of 
the  condition?"  What  a  gross  mistake,  what  shame  and  confusion 
of  face,  will  this  be,  to  look  no  better  after  the  condition  of  that 
bond,  and  the  nature  of  those  seals  that  were  to  convey  to  us  no 
less  than  an  eternal  inheritance ! 

When,  therefore,  you  have  the  elements,  the  bread  and  the  wine, 
delivered  into  your  hands,  do  but  seriously  think  with  yourselves, 
"Now  God  is  delivering  a  broken,  a  bleeding  Saviour  unto  me. 
If  I  will  by  faith  receive  him,  he  testifies  and  seals  by  this  bread 
and  wine,  that  I  shall  certainly  receive  remission  of  my  sins  and 
everlasting  life  through  him."  Let  us  therefore  say,  "  Lord  Jesus, 
I  now  accept  of  thee  upon  thine  own  terms ;  on  the  very  conditions, 
on  which  thou  art  pleased  to  tender  thyself  unto  me.  I  take  a 
broken  Christ,  for  my  entire  Saviour ;  a  Christ  crowned  with 
thorns,  for  my  only  King.  He  shall  be  my  Prophet,  whom  the 
blasphemous  Jews  buffetted,  and  derided,  with  a  '  Prophesy,  Who 
smote  thee  ?'  As  I  reach  forth  my  bodily  hand,  to  receive  the 
bread  and  the  wine  ;  so  I  reach  forth  the  spiritual  hand  of  my  faith, 
to  receive  that  Christ,  whose  body  was  thus  broken,  and  whose  blood 
was  thus  poured  forth."  Now,  to  those  only,  who  thus  by  faith 
receive  Christ  Jesus,  who  thus  eat  his  flesh  and  drink  his  blood, 
this  sacrament  doth  seal  and  confirm,  that  they  shall  have  eternal 
life  by  him,  and  shall  be  raised  up  at  the  last  day  to  that  glory  with 
which  he  is  invested. 

III.  And  now,  my  brethren,  I  am  sent  to  you,  by  my  Lord  and 
Master,  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  both  the  Lord  of  the  feast  and  the  feast 
itself,  to  invite  you  to  come,  and  to  tell  you  that  all  things  are  ready. 
Behold,  he  himself  expects  you :  and,  after  such  cost  that  he  hath 
been  at  in  furnishing  a  table  for  you,  when  he  hath  provided  his 
own  flesh  for  your  meat  and  his  own  blood  for  your  drink ;  after 
so  many  kind  and  endearing  invitations  that  he  hath  made  you ; 
he  cannot  but  take  it  as  a  high  contempt  of  his  love,  and  an  injury 
done  to  the  friendship  which  he  offers,  if  you  should  yet  delay,  or 
refuse  his  entertainment.  Yet,  I  fear,  it  will  befal  this,  as  it  did  the 
wedding  supper,  that  too  many  will  make  light  of  it;  and,  either 
by  slight  excuses  or  downright  denials,  leave  this  table  unfurnished 
with  guests,  which  is  so  abundantly  furnished  with  provision.  Must 
I  be  sent  back  with  a  refusal  ?  Or  shall  I  have  that  joyful  answer 
from  you  all,  that  you  will  come?  I  hope  I  shall  not  return 
ashamed :  that  you  will  not  turn  your  backs  upon  your  Saviour, 
who  hath  given  himself  for  you,  and  now  offers  himself  unto  you ; 


T  II  E    DOCTKINE  OF 


and  that  you  will  not  damp  the  devotion  of  those,  who  present 
themselves  to  this  holy  institution,  by  the  sad  and  discouraging 
consideration  of  the  paucity  of  their  number. 

Suffer  me  a  little  to  expostulate  with  you  :  and  I  beseech  of  you 
only  these  two  things  : 

The  one  is,  to  lay  aside  all  prejudice,  and  to  consider  things 
nakedly  and  impartially :  weighing  them  only  according  to  the 
clear  evidence  of  truth  ;  and  not  by  the  deeeitful  balance,  either  of 
preconceived  opinions,  or  former  practices. 

The  other  is,  that,  in  a  matter  which  you  yourselves  must  needs 
acknowledge  to  be  doubtful  and  disputable,  you  would  think  it 
possible  you  may  be  mistaken. 

Let  not  contrary  customs,  nor  the  deep  impressions  of  any  other 
persuasion,  bribe  your  judgment  to  give  its  vote  against  the  manifest 
dictates  of  truth  and  reason.  For,  otherwise,  if  we  come  to  the 
disquisition  of  any  opinion  with  prepossession  and  a  stiff  adherence 
to  formerly  received  principles ;  though  the  proofs  be  clear  and  the 
arguments  irrefragable,  yet  the  affections  will  blindly  mutiny  and 
murmur  against  the  convictions  of  reason,  and  think  that  still  there 
might  be  somewhat  more  said, in  their  own  defence,  though  they 
know  not  what.  Therefore,  I  beseech  you,  let  not  your  affections 
lead  your  judgment,  but  your  judgment  them.  Take  the  bias  out 
of  your  minds.  Consider  things  indifferently,  as  if  you  had  never 
heard  of  them  before ;  and  be  altogether  unconcerned  which  side 
hath  the  truth,  but  only  concerned  to  follow  the  truth  when  it 
appears  so  to  you.  This  is  but  an  equal  request ;  not  only  in  this, 
but  in  all  other  debates  concerning  the  truth  of  doctrine :  for, 
where  the  mind  is  forestalled  with  an  overweening  conceit,  that  the 
notions  which  we  have  already  taken  up  are  infallibly  true  and  cer- 
tain, and  that  whatsoever  can  be  said  against  them  is  but  sophistry 
and  delusion ;  this  will  render  us  wholly  incapable  of  being  con- 
vinced of  our  mistakes,  and  reduced  from  our  errors.  Prejudice  is 
the  jaundice  of  the  soul,  and  colors  every  thing  by  its  own  distem- 
per. Or,  as  a  man,  that  looks  through  a  painted  glass,  sees  every 
object  of  the  same  color  that  the  glass  is ;  so,  when  our  understand- 
ing is  once  deeply  tinctured  with  former  notions,  all  that  we  look 
upon  will  receive  a  color  from  them :  nor  can  we  ever  hope  to  see 
things  as  they  are,  until  our  judgment  is  cleansed  from  all  things 
whatsoever,  with  which  our  affection  to  such  a  way,  or  our  admira- 
tion of  such  persons,  or  any  other  perverter  of  reason,  have  painted 
and  dyed  them. 

Let  me,  then,  argue  the  case  with  you,  and  I  shall  do  it  plainly 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


345 


and  freely :  and,  I  hope,  without  any  bitterness ;  or  giving  offence 
to  any,  who  will  not  be  offended  with  reason,  that  contradicts 
them. 

May  not  most  of  the  SCRUPLES,  that  have  hitherto  kept  you 
from  communion  with  us  in  this  gospel-ordinance  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  be  reduced  to  these  four  heads  ? 

Some  scruple  their  fitness  and  preparedness. 

Others,  the  gesture  of  kneeling  in  receiving. 

Others,  our  promiscuous  assemblies;  and  the  admission  of  those 
to  the  Sacrament,  who  are  ignorant,  or  scandalous,  or  both. 

Others  are  afraid  of  giving  offence  unto  or  grieving  their  weak 
brethren,  who  are  not  satisfied  in  the  lawfulness  of  communicating 
with  us  upon  the  accounts  before  mentioned. 

I  think  I  have  faithfully  collected  the  sum  of  all  that  any  have 
to  object,  under  these  four  heads.  And,  if  there  be  any  thing 
which  is  not  reducible  to  one  of  these,  I  should  gladly  learn  it, 
and  endeavor  to  give  full  satisfaction.  Now,  whether  any  of  these 
be  such  excuses,  as  may  sufficiently  justify  your  rejecting  the  in- 
vitation I  have  made  you  to  this  gospel  and  spiritual  feast,  I  shall 
leave  to  your  own  consciences  to  judge,  after  we  have  particularly 
examined  them. 

i.  To  the  first,  who  desireth  to  be  held  excused ;  not  because 
he  judgeth  the  administration  of  the  Sacrament  in  the  way,  wherein 
it  is  now  dispensed,  unlawful ;  but  only  because  he  looks  upon 

HIMSELF  AS  UNPREPARED,  AND  THEREFORE  IS  AFRAID  TO  COME  ; 

I  answer, 

1.  Hast  thou  not  had  time  and  opportunities  enough  to  prepare  thy- 
self? 

How  often  hast  thou  been  warned  and  admonished,  to  fit  and 
put  on  thy  wedding-garments,  for  that  thou  wert  by  the  great  King 
of  Heaven  expected  shortly  to  be  at  his  supper !  And  dost  thou 
make  conscience  not  to  come  because  thou  art  not  prepared,  and 
yet  make  no  conscience  to  be  prepared  that  thou  mightest  come  ? 
But, 

2.  Judge  thou,  which  is  the  greater  sin,  either  wholly  to  neglect  a 
duty,  or  else  to  'perform  it  with  such  preparations  as  thou  hast,  or  canst 
make,  though  they  be  not  altogether  such  as  they  ought. 

We  ought  to  be  prepared,  to  pray  unto  God  and  to  hear  his 
word :  yet,  certainly,  if  we  neglect  our  due  preparations,  it  will  be 
our  sin,  it  cannot  be  our  excuse ;  and  we  ought  to  perform  these 
duties,  the  best  we  may,  in  the  respective  seasons  of  them.  "We 


346 


THE    DOCTKINE  OF 


ought  to  be  humbled  for  our  want  of  preparation ;  but  our  want 
of  preparation  must  not  cheat  God  of  his  service.  We  are  to  labor 
with  our  hearts  in  the  very  entrance  upon  holy  duties,  if  we  have 
sinfully  neglected  it  before,  to  bring  them  into  some  holy  and 
spiritual  frame,  fit  to  maintain  communion  and  fellowship  with 
God.  And  know,  for  certain,  that  thou  dost  but  double  thy  crime, 
whosoever  thou  art,  that  neglectest  thy  duty,  because  thou  hast 
neglected  thy  preparation  for  thy  duty  :  for  this,  indeed,  is  nothing 
else,  but  that  thou  darest  not  but  sin,  because  thou  hast  sinned. 

"  But,"  some  may  say,  "  the  Apostle  terrifies  me,  in  this  matter 
of  the  Sacrament ;  by  pronouncing  that  dreadful  sentence,  1  Cor. 
xi.  29 ;  '  He,  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthiby,  eateth  and 
drinketh  damnation  to  himself.'  And,  therefore,  because  I  have 
sinned  in  neglecting  due  preparation,  - 1  dare  no  more  approach 
unto  those  holy  mysteries,  than  I  dare  eat  burning  coals,  or  swallow 
whole  draughts  of  fire  and  brimstone." 

It  is  true,  the  Apostle  hath  pronounced  that  terrible  doom  upon 
unworthy  receiving :  but,  is  it  not  as  true,  that  he,  that  prays 
unworthily,  prays  damnation  to  himself;  and  he,  that  hears  un- 
worthily, hears  damnation  to  himself?  If  thou  art  not  worthy  to 
receive  the  Sacrament,  neither  art  thou  worthy  to  pray,  saith  St. 
Chr3rsost.  ad  Pop.  Ant.  Horn.  61.  Now  wilt  thou,  or  darest  thou, 
omit  the  duties  of  praying  or  hearing,  upon  a  pretence  that  thou 
art  not  sufficiently  prepared  to  perform  them?  Certainly,  if  to 
receive  unworthily,  be  damnation ;  then,  not  to  receive  at  all,  be- 
cause thou  art  unworthy,  is  double  damnation,  being  double  guilt ; 
unless  thou  canst  sin  thyself  out  of  debt  to  God's  commands ;  and 
make  that  to  be  no  duty,  upon  thy  offence,  which  was  thy  duty 
before  it. 

And,  then,  as  for  preparation,  though  it  be  very  fit  and  requisite, 
that,  before  so  solemn  an  ordinance  as  this  is,  we  should  allot  some 
time  for  a  more  serious  scrutiny  and  search  of  our  own  hearts, 
and  the  stirring  up  of  the  graces  of  God  within  us :  yet  I  must 
profess,  that  I  look  upon  that  man,  who  hath  endeavored  to  serve 
God  conscientiously  in  the  ordinary  duties  of  every  day,  to  be 
sufficiently  prepared  for  this  holy  and  blessed  ordinance,  if  he  be 
suddenly  called  to  partake  of  it ;  and  called  to  it  he  is,  whensoever 
he  hath  an  opportunity  of  receiving.  And,  that  a  pious  and  in- 
offensive Christian  life  was  looked  upon  as  the  best  preparation  to 
this  holy  ordinance,  as  this  ordinance  itself  was  looked  upon  to  be 
the  greatest  obligation  to  such  a  life,  appears  by  the  histories  of 
the  primitive  times ;  wherein  we  have  account  given  us,  that  the 


THE  TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


347 


Christians  did  every  day,  and,  at  the  farthest,  every  Lord's  Day, 
communicate  in  the  Lord's  supper :  yea,  in  St.  Cyprian's  time,  250 
years  after  Christ,  he  tells  us,  Eucharistiam  quotidie  ad  cibum  salulis 
accipimus:  in  Orat.  Dom.  num.  48.  So,  that  certainly,  there  could 
be  no  considerable  space  of  time  set  apart  for  a  particular  prepara- 
tion ;  but  a  holy,  blameless  life  was  thought  sufficient  to  qualify 
them  for  worthy  receivers :  neither  do  we  find  that  they  put  such 
a  mock-honor  upon  the  Holy  Sacrament,  as  to  advance  it  so  high, 
that  they  durst  not  come  near  it ;  and  to  neglect  it,  out  of  pure 
respect. 

And  this  is  all  that  I  shall  leave  to  the  consideration  of  those, 
who  absent  themselves,  because  they  are  not  duly  prepared.  It  is 
their  great  sin,  that  they  are  not  prepared :  but  this  sin  cannot  ex- 
cuse them  from  their  duty.  To  avoid  one  sin,  they  become  guilty 
of  two :  to  avoid  receiving  unworthily,  they  receive  not  at  all ; 
but  most  unworthily  forbear :  and,  because  they  sin  in  not  pre- 
paring, they  resolve  likewise  to  sin  in  not  receiving.  Which  is 
just  as  good  an  excuse,  as  if  a  servant  should  therefore  refuse  to 
do  any  thing  the  whole  day,  because  he  rose  not  so  early  in  the 
morning  as  he  should  have  done. 

ii.  Others  scruple  the  very  lawfulness  of  receiving  the  Sacra- 
ment in  our  way  of  administering  it ;  and  say  they  are  not  satis- 
fied as  to  the  gesture  of  kneeling  ;  for  so,  and  not  otherwise, 
hath  authority  commanded  us  to  communicate. 

Two  things  they  object  against  it : 

The  one,  that  it  symbolizeth  too  much  with  the  idolatry  of  the 
Church  of  Rome. 

The  other,  that,  not  kneeling,  but  sitting,  is  a  table-posture ;  and 
that,  which  Christ  used  when  he  celebrated  his  last  supper  with 
his  Apostles,  whose  example  we  ought  to  imitate. 

1.  It  is  objected,  that  It  symbolizeth  and  agreeth  too  much  with  the 
idolatry  of  the  Romish  Church.  For  they,  according  to  their  absurd 
and  impious  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  falsely  believing  the 
corporeal  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Eucharist,  that  the  bread  is  truly 
and  properly  his  body  and  the  wine  his  blood,  do,  consonantly 
enough  to  that  error,  fall  down  and  worship  him  whom  they  be- 
lieve to  be  there  bodily  present.  If,  therefore,  we  disavow  that 
doctrine,  why  should  we  imitate  that  practice  ? 

To  this  I  answer : 

(1)  It  is  well  known  that  the  Pope  himself,  the  head  and  prince 


343 


THE    DOCTEIXE  OF 


of  that  Anti -christian  synagogue,  receives  the  Sacrament  sitting, 
and  not  kneeling :  thinking  it,  belike,  the  privilege  and  preroga- 
tive of  his  supereminent  dignity,  to  be  more  rude  and  unmannerly ; 
and  more,  as  it  were,  of  an  equal  fellow  with  our  Saviour  than  is 
allowed  unto  others. 

Yet,  we  object  it  not  to  our  dissenting  brethren,  that  they  imi- 
tate this  man  of  sin,  who  exalts  himself  above  all  that  is  called 
God  :  for  they  disavow  it.  Let  them  afford  us  the  same  charity ; 
and  be  more  sober  and  modest  than  to  object  to  us,  that  we  imitate 
his  vassals :  for  this  we  equally  disavow  and  renounce. 

I  answer, 

(2)  That  a  gesture  abused  to-  idolatry,  becomes  not  therefore 
idolatrous. 

Otherwise,  because  the  heathen  used  kneeling  and  prostration  to 
their  false  gods,  it  would  now  be  unlawful  for  Christians  to  use 
them  to  the  true.  And  why  do  they  not  object  to  us,  that  the 
Papists  do  idolatrously  kneel  to  their  images,  and  when  they  pray 
to  their  saints,  and  that  therefore  we  must  not  kneel  when  we 
worship  God ;  but,  that  we  may  be  at  a  perfect  distance,  both  from 
Rome  and  reason,  must  sit,  as  too  many  of  them  most  irreverently 
do  in  their  choicest  devotions  ? 

I  answer, 

(3)  That  the  end,  for  which  all  outward  postures  of  the  body 
are  used,  determines  them ;  and  makes  them  either  morally  good 
or  evil :  for  kneeling,  being  of  itself  an  indifferent  action,  it  is  only 
the  end  which  we  propound  to  ourselves  in  it,  which  can  render  it 
good  or  bad. 

Now,  lest  any  should  be  either  so  weak  or  so  ill-natured,  as  to 
surmise  that  this  custom  is  retained  as  a  relic  of  idolatry,  and  that 
it  will  prove  an  advantage  for  it  to  creep  in  again  amongst  us,  see 
what  the  Church  hath  most  expressly  declared,  in  that  excellent 
caution  annexed  at  the  end  of  the  order  for  the  Communion: 
"  Lest,"  say  they,  "  that  kneeling  should,  by  any  persons,  be  mis- 
construed and  depraved,  it  is  declared,  that  thereby  no  adoration 
is  intended,  or  ought  to  be  done  either  to  the  Sacramental  bread 
and  wine  there  bodily  received,  or  to  any  corporeal  presence 
of  Christ's  natural  flesh  and  blood.  For  the  Sacramental  bread 
and  wine  remain  still  in  their  very  natural  substances,  and  there- 
fore may  not  be  adored ;  for  that  were  idolatry,  to  be  abhorred  by 
all  faithful  Christians.  And  the  natural  body  and  blood  of  our 
Saviour  Christ  are  in  heaven,  and  not  here:  it  being  against  the 
truth  of  Christ's  natural  body,  to  be  at  one  time  in  more  places 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


349 


than  one."  A  declaration,  let  me  speak  it  without  offence,  that 
will  be  of  more  validity  to  keep  out  that  prodigious  and  stupid 
error  of  Popery,  than  all  the  discontented  clamors  of  those  who 
cry,  "  It  is  coming  in."  And,  if  ever  God  so  far  abandon  us  to 
suffer  that  pestilent  doctrine  again  to  prevail  over  us,  it  must  first 
be  by  pulling  down  the  orders  and  discipline  of  the  Church : 
which  some,  with  equal  zeal  and  ignorance,  are  very  busy  to  do ; 
and  therefore  prove  the  most  industrious  factors  for  the  promoting 
of  that  cause,  which  they  pretend  most  of  all  to  detest.  And  if 
ever  the  discontents  and  divisions  of  Protestants  proceed  to  effect, 
what  the  misled  passions  and  furious  bigotry  of  so  many  of  them 
design,  then,  and  not  till  then,  shall  the  Anti-christian  faction  ob- 
tain its  ends  ;  and  enter  upon  that  harvest  which  our  rents,  schisms, 
and  separations  have  ripened  for  them.  I  speak  the  words  of  truth 
and  soberness  :  you,  that  are  wise,  judge  ye  what  I  say. 
But,  then, 

2.  Others  object  against  kneeling,  that  It  is  not  a  table-posture: 
it  was  not  used  by  our  Lord  nor  his  disciples,  when  he  instituted 
this  most  holy  ordinance.  And  why  should  not  we  be  allowed  to 
imitate  Christ,  and  them ;  and,  to  receive  the  Sacrament  in  the 
same  posture  wherein  he  administered  it,  that  is,  sitting,  or  some 
other  gesture  correspondent  to  it,  since  his  pattern,  where  we  have 
no  express  command,  is  the  best  rule  and  guide  of  our  actions  ? 

To  this  I  answer : 

(1)  It  must  be  proved,  that  Christ  used  that  gesture,  intending 
to  make  it  exemplary  to  us,  and  obliging  us  to  the  imitation  of  it. 

If  this  cannot  be,  then  he  used  it  as  a  thing  wholly  indifferent. 
And  all  know,  that  those  actions  of  Christ,  which  were  merely  in- 
different, lay  no  obligation  upon  our  practice  to  do  the  like.  If  all 
the  circumstances,  that  Christ  observed  in  the  administration  of 
his  supper,  must  likewise  be  necessarily  observed  by  us,  then  must 
we  celebrate  it  in  the  evening,  after  supper,  in  an  upper  room,  and 
that  leaning  upon  beds ;  with  many  other  particulars,  which  long 
use  and  custom  have  made  obsolete,  if  not  to  us  absurd  and  ridicu- 
lous. But  these  being  all  indifferent  things,  they  lay  no  obligation 
upon  us  to  imitate  them. 

(2)  We  do  not  condemn  sitting,  in  those  Churches,  whose  laws 
have  not  prescribed  against  it. 

The  customs  of  churches  are,  in  this  particular,  diverse :  and  let 
each  retain  its  own,  so  long  as  there  is  nothing  in  it  substantially 
and  materially  amiss.  Some  reformed  Churches  receive  sitting ; 
others,  standing  or  walking.    Now,  were  I  cast  among  those 


350 


THE    DOCTRINE  OP 


Churches,  I  would  never  refuse  their  communion,  because  they  did 
not  kneel :  neither  would  I  kneel  myself ;  to  avoid  giving  offence, 
by  introducing  a  practice,  which,  though  as  lawful  as  theirs  and 
perhaps  more  commendable,  yet  would  be  a  stranger  to  their  cus- 
tom. Would  any  of  you,  were  you  in  the  reformed  Churches  of 
France,  forsake  their  communion,  rather  than  receive  any  other 
way  than  sitting  ?  I  suppose  you  would  conform  to  their  gesture 
of  standing  or  walking:  and  why  not  then  to  ours,  of  kneeling; 
unless  it  be,  that  nothing  so  much  displeaseth,  as  what  we  find  at 
home  ?  For  the  surmise  of  idolatry  in  it,  I  have  before  proved  it 
vain.  This  I  am  sure  is  the  direction,  which  St.  Ambrose  gave  to 
St.  Augustin's  mother,  Monica,  when  she  was  to  travel  to  other 
Churches,  that  observed  different  customs  from  that  of  Milan : 
"  If  thou  wilt  not,"  saith  he,  "  either  give  offence,  or  take  offence, 
conform  thyself  to  all  the  lawful  customs  of  the  Church  whither 
thou  comest." 

(3)  I  think  I  may  somewhat  forcibly  retort  the  argument. 

"  Our  Saviour,"  say  they,  "  used  sitting :  therefore  we  ought  not 
to  kneel."  Yea,  let  it  not  seem  strange  to  you  if  I  argue  thus : 
"  Our  Saviour  used  sitting :  therefore  we  may  kneel."  This  con- 
sequence, which  may  possibly  seem  somewhat  uncouth  at  first,  I 
make  good  thus :  In  the  institution  of  the  Passover,  God  com- 
manded that  it  should  be  eaten  in  a  standing  posture,  with  their 
shoes  on  their  feet,  and  their  staves  in  their  hands :  but  yet  time 
and  custom  had  at  length  worn  out  this  observation  :  and,  therefore, 
when  the  use  of  the  nation  had  brought  it  to  recumbency,  or  lean- 
ing on  beds  after  the  Roman  manner,  though  at  first  there  were  an 
express  command  for  another  gesture;  yet  our  Saviour  so  far 
accommodates  himself  to  the  received  custom,  as  to  use  it  with 
them.  Now  could  there  be  as  much  produced  to  prove  the  neces- 
sity of  sitting  at  the  Sacrament,  as  there  might  have  been  to  prove 
the  necessity  of  standing  at  the  Passover ;  I  doubt  whether  those, 
who  plead  so  much  for  it,  would  not  mainly  triumph  in  such  an 
argument,  and  account  it  altogether  unanswerable.  And  yet  we 
see  the  custom  of  the  Jewish  Church  prevails  with  our  Saviour  to 
do  that,  which  seems  literally  to  contradict  a  command  of  God ; 
and,  rather  than  he  would  go  contrary  to  the  observances  that  were 
then  in  use  among  them,  he  chooseth  to  omit  that  which  was  re- 
quired in  the  primitive  institution :  how  much  more  then  ought 
we,  who  have  nothing  at  all  left  to  determine  the  gesture,  to  con- 
form ourselves  to  the  usage  of  the  Church  in  which  we  live,  and 
whose  members  we  are !  for  this  is  to  conform  ourselves,  not  indeed 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


351 


to  the  very  gesture,  but,  what  is  much  more  considerable,  to  the 
will  and  intention  of  Christ. 
But  then,  again, 

(■i)  Whereas  it  is  objected,  that  kneeling  is  a  very  improper  pos- 
ture at  a  table,  I  think,  if  I  should  pass  it  over  with  this  short 
answer,  that  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  Church  is  more  to  be 
regarded,  than  what  some  men  account  proper  or  improper ;  and, 
that  it  is  not  the  accurateness  of  every  petty  circumstance  and 
punctilio,  that  ought  to  be  laid  in  the  balance  against  so  weighty 
and  fundamental  a  duty,  as  our  participation  of  this  ordinance ; 
and,  that  it  is  no  extenuation  of  our  sin,  to  turn  our  backs  upon 
these  holy  mysteries,  because  every  thing  is  not  ordered  as  we 
fancy,  and  deem  most  convenient :  if,  I  say,  I  should  give  no  other 
answer  but  this,  yet,  I  suppose,  this  would  be  enough  to  satisfy  all 
grave  and  considerate  persons. 

But,  yet,  to  vindicate  this  custom  from  the  imputation  of  impro- 
priety, let  us  add  further : 

[1]  That  that  can  be  no  unfitting  gesture,  which  is  most  signifi- 
cant of  our  humility  and  prostration  of  soul. 

Should  we  grovel  in  the  very  dust  before  our  dear  Redeemer,  to 
testify  our  abhorrence  of  ourselves,  and  our  most  bitter  repentance 
fir  those  sins  which  shed  that  most  precious  blood,  and  brake  and 
pierced  that  blessed  body,  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  comes  there 
to  offer  us  as  a  pledge  of  our  pardon  and  salvation,  would  any  be 
so  proudly  censorious  as  to  call  this  an  improper  action  ?  Or  is  it 
improper,  for  guilty  malefactors,  rebels  cast  and  condemned  by  law, 
to  receive  their  pardon  upon  their  knees?  Doth  not  God  seal  to 
every  penitent  and  believing  sinner  the  pardon  of  his  sins,  and  his 
acceptation  into  grace  and  favor,  in  this  holy  Sacrament?  and  can 
any  gesture  be  so  humble  and  reverent,  as  to  be  judged  improper 
for  the  receiving  of  so  great  and  so  inestimable  a  mercy  as  that  ? 

[2]  Consider  that  the  very  sacramental  action  itself  is  accom- 
panied with  prayer. 

There  are  both  thanksgiving  and  petition  in  it;  and  both  those 
are  parts  of  prayer :  and  what  gesture  more  proper  for  prayer,  than 
kneeling  ?  The  Sacrament  itself  is  a  sacrifice  of  praise  ;  and,  there- 
fore, constantly  called  by  the  ancients  Ei^apifta,  or  "  Thanksgiving." 
And  the  administration  of  it  is  attended  with  prayer :  "  The  body 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  given  for  thee,  preserve  thy 
body  and  soul :"  and,  "  The  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which 
was  shed  for  thee,  preserve  thy  body  and  soul  unto  everlasting 
life :"  now  he  must  have  the  knees  of  an  elephant  and  the  heart  of 


352 


OF    THE  DOCTRINE 


an  oak,  who  will  not  bow  himself,  and,  with  all  humble  adoration 
and  worship,  cry  Amen  to  a  prayer  so  pathetic,  made  by  the 
minister  to  God  on  his  behalf. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  second  great  objection  about  the  posture  : 
wherein  I  hope  I  have  sufficiently  evinced,  that  kneeling,  in  the  act 
of  receiving,  is  neither  idolatrous,  nor  improper,  nor  a  deviation 
from  the  example  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 

iii.  Another  great  stumbling-block,  which  lies  in  the  way,  which 
yet  I  hope  to  remove  if  you  yourselves  do  not  fasten  it  by  your 
prejudices,  is  that  of  promiscuous  receiving  ;  and  the  admission 
of  those  to  the  Sacrament,  who  are  ignorant,  or  scandalous,  or  both. 

To  answer  this, 

1.  Dost  thou  know  any  of  them  to  be  so? 

If  not,  the  standing  rule  of  charity  is,  to  think  no  evil :  1  Cor. 
xiii.  5.  A  doctrine,  much  to  be  pressed  upon  this  wildly  censori- 
ous age  ;  wherein  every  one  judgeth  himself  to  be  holy  and  godly, 
according  as  he  can  judge  and  condemn  others  to  be  wicked  and 
ungodly.  And,  let  me  tell  you  freely,  this  whispering  and  back- 
biting, and  entertaining  of  blind  rumors  and  idle  reports,  screwing 
and  wresting  everything  to  the  worst  sense,  and  speaking  evil  of 
others  at  random  and  peradventure,  is,  according  to  the  observa- 
tions that  I  have  been  able  to  make,  a  great  and  reigning  sin  in 
this  corner  of  the  world:  and  it  is  a  sin  so  contrary  to  the  mild 
and  gentle  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  a  sin  so  truly  suspicious  of  hypoc- 
risy and  pharisaism,  that  I  profess  I  think  I  should  as  soon  think 
a  man  a  good  Christian  because  he  is  proud,  or  because  he  is  en- 
vious or  malicious,  as  I  should  because  he  is  continually  accusing, 
and  censuring,  and  exclaiming  against  the  faults  of  other  men ;  as 
if  it  were  a  certain  mark  of  his  Christianity,  to  set  a  mark  of  in- 
famy upon  others. 

2.  But,  then,  suppose  thou  dost  certainly  know  them  guilty,  and 
therefore  refused  to  communicate  with  them,  let  me  ask  thee, 
Whether  thou  hast  observed  the  rule  of  Jesus  C/trist  towards  thy  offend- 
ing brother,  before  thou  thus  account  Mm  a  heathen  and  a  publican. 

The  rule,  that  he  hath  given  us,  we  find  Mat.  xviii.  15,  16,  17. 
And  it  is  a  most  observable  place  to  this  purpose :  "  If  thy  brother 
shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee 
and  him  alone :  if  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  bro- 
ther. But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two 
more,  that,  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses,  every  word 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


353 


may  be  established.  And  if  lie  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it 
unto  the  Church :  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be 
unto  thee  as  a  heathen-man  and  a  publican."  This  is  a  perpetual 
standi Dg  rule  in  this  case,  from  which  we  ought  not  to  vary.  "  If 
thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee :"  t.  e.  not  only  if  he  shall 
wrong  thee,  but  if  he  shall  wrong  either  his  God  or  his  religion, 
by  any  flagitious  crime  that  gives  offence  and  scandal  to  thee,  and 
so  is  a  trespass  also  against  thee :  what  then?  must  thou  presently 
forsake  the  communion  of  the  Church,  because  of  such  an  one's 
offences  ?  No,  saith  our  Saviour,  first  of  all  it  is  thy  duty  to  ad- 
monish him  privately :  if,  thereupon,  he  reform,  thou  savest  thy 
brother :  if  yet  he  persist,  thou  must  not  as  yet  break  off  commu- 
nion with  him,  but  try  another  course.  Take  with  thee  grave  and 
faithful  witnesses,  and  again  admonish  and  reprove  him.  Though 
this  course  should  not  prevail  neither,  yet  still  thou  must  own  him 
as  thy  brother ;  and  communicate  in  all  ordinances  with  him,  till 
thou  hast  tried  the  last  remedy :  and  that  is,  to  tell  the  Church : 
i.  e.  the  Sanhedrim,  who,  in  our  Saviour's  time,  were  both  ecclesi- 
astical and  civil  judges :  inform  those  of  his  miscarriages,  who 
have  the  power  of  the  keys  committed  unto  them.  And,  if  he 
hear  not  them  neither,  but  still  persist  obstinately  and  resolvedly 
in  his  sins,  then  at  last,  "  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen-man 
and  a  publican ;"  that  is,  after  the  Church  hath  excommunicated, 
and  cast  him  out  from  the  assembly  and  society  of  the  faithful : 
for  that  is  supposed  in  those  words,  "if  he  hear  not  the  Church," 
and  will  not  obey  their  sentence  and  decree. 

(1)  "  But  suppose  I  should  tell  the  Church,  and  yet  the  offender 
is  not  cut  off  by  a  due  execution  of  the  sentence  of  excommunica- 
tion, may  I  not  then  look  upon  him  as  a  heathen,  and  refuse  com- 
munion with  him?" 

By  no  means:  for  our  Saviour,  in  this  place,  bids  us  to  account 
such  as  a  heathen  and  a  publican,  on  supposition  only  of  Church- 
censures  passed  upon  him.  And  therefore  he  presently  adds,  v. 
17,  "  Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen-man  and  a  publican ;" 
and,  v.  18,  "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on 
earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven :"  i.  e.  whosesoever  sins  ye  shall 
bind  upon  his  soul  by  the  dreadful  sentence  of  excommunication, 
they  shall  be  bound  upon  his  soul  by  the  God  of  heaven,  and  your 
deed  shall  be  ratified  and  confirmed  by  his  justice.  So,  then,  as 
long  as  he  continues  in  the  Church,  so  long  thou  oughtest  to  account 
him  thy  brother,  and  to  communicate  with  him  in  all  ordinances : 
for,  though  thou  oughtest  to  be  his  reprover,  yet  thou  art  not  to  be 
Vol.  II.— 23 


33-1  THE   DOCTRINE  OP 

his  judge ;  neither  must  thou  remove  thyself,  because  perhaps  thou 
canst  not  remove  him. '  "What  some  men's  opinion  in  this  matter 
may  be,  I  do  not  know ;  but  I  am  sure,  this  is  the  mind  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  his  express  command. 

Now  thou,  who  refusest  to  come  to  the  holy  communion,  be- 
cause perhaps  there  may  be  some  scandalous  sinner  there,  hast 
thou  discharged  thy  duty  first  towards  him?  Hast  thou  rebuked 
him  privately,  between  him  and  thee?  .  Hast  thou,  upon  contempt 
of  that  private  admonition,  rebuked  him  before  select  witnesses  ? 
Hast  thou,  upon  his  continued  obstinacy,  complained  to  the  Church 
of  the  scandal  and  offence  which  he  hath  given  thee  ?  If  not, 
whosoever  thou  be,  I  charge  it  upon  thy  soul,  and  answer  it  to 
God,  his  judge  and  thine,  how  darest  thou  to  separate  from  the 
communion  of  the  Church  ?  How  darest  thou  contradict  the  ex- 
press order  and  command  of  Christ;  and  think  thyself  the  more 
holy  and  more  pure,*for  doing  so?  Is  this  conscience?  Is  this 
religion  ?  Is  this  strict  piety  and  godliness  ?  Let  me  tell  thee,  it 
is  a  piece  of  gross  hypocrisy  and  pharisaical  pride,  to  separate, 
because  of  their  sins,  and  yet  never  to  reprove  them  for  their  sins. 
Never  think,  by  this  course,  to  escape  being  a  partaker  of  their 
guilt.  If  they  profane  this  holy  ordinance,  if  they  eat  and  drink 
damnation  to  themselves,  thou  art  the  cause  of  it,  who  oughtest, 
after  admonition,  to  have  accused  them ;  and  art  as  much  polluted 
by  it,  as  if  thou  hadst  joined  with  them  ;  yea,  and  more,  since 
another  man's  sins  cannot  pollute  me,  unless  I  am  defective  in  my 
own  duty.  Thou  communicatest  with  them  in  their  guilt  and  sin, 
but  only  refusest  to  communicate  with  them  in  the  worship  and 
service  of  God. 

(2)  But,  possibly  you  will  say,  "  Tell  the  Church !  To  what 
purpose  is  that  ?  When  is  it,  that  we  see  any  cut  off  for  notorious 
and  scandalous  crimes  ?  It  may  be  for  disobeying  the  orders  of 
the  Church  in  point  of  government  and  discipline,  some  few  may 
undergo  this  heavy  censure ;  but  fewer  for  transgressing  the  laws 
of  God,  and  the  great  precepts  of  moral  and  Christian  honesty." 

To  this  I  answer  : 

[1]  It  is  a  gross,  though  common  mistake,  to  think,  that  disobe- 
dience against  the  lawful  commands  of  authority,  is  not  as  heinous 
a  sin,  as  those  open  pollutions  which  abound  too  much  in  the  world, 
and  appear  black  and  ugly  to  every  man's  eye  and  reason  :  for,  sure 
I  am,  it  is  as  often  and  as  expressly  forbidden,  as  any  sin  whatso- 
ever ;  and  the  consequences  of  it  are  of  more  public  mischief,  than 
those  of  other  sins,  which  may  be  more  scandalous,  but  cannot  be 
more  damning. 


T  IT  E    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


355 


[2]  I  answer :  That  never  was  there,  nor  indeed  can  there  be, 
either  in  our  Church  or  in  any  other  Church,  shape  the  government 
of  it  after  what  model  you  please,  any  person  excommunicated,  but 
onlv  upon  the  account  of  contempt  of  its  authority.  Let  his  crime 
be  what  it  will,  in  the  first  instance ;  yet  it  cannot  be  for  that,  but 
only  for  disobedience,  that  this  dreadful  sentence  is  denounced 
against  any.  For,  if  the  offender  submit  and  be  penitent,  there 
needs  no  such  censure;  since  it  is  appointed  only  to  bring  him  to 
repentance.  If  he  doth  not  submit,  either  to  the  trial  of  the  cause, 
or  the  satisfaction  imposed :  in  the  first  case,  there  can  be  no  judg- 
ment made  concerning  the  crime  of  which  he  stands  accused ;  in 
the  second,  he  is  excommunicated,  not  because  his  guilt  is  proved, 
but  because  he  obstinately  refuseth  to  give  due  satisfaction  for  it : 
so  that,  in  both,  it  is  merely  contempt  and  disobedience,  that  can 
involve  any  person  in  this  censure.  And  this  holds  certainly  and 
universally  of  all  the  Churches  of  Christ  upon  earth,  of  whatsoever 
denomination  or  discipline  they  be. 

[3]  But  if  so  few  are  excommunicated,  who  are  guilty  of  scan- 
dalous and  flagitious  offences,  I  beseech  you  to  consider,  whether  a 
great  part  of  this  blame  may  not  be  laid  upon  yourselves,  for  not 
doing  your  duty  in  accusing  and  convicting  them.  Have  you  ever 
made  any  public  complaints  against  obstinate  and  incorrigible  sin- 
ners, that  were  not  heard  and  accepted  ?  If  not,  why  do  you  accuse 
the  Church,  to  which  you  ought  to  accuse  others? 

But,  once  for  all,  let  me  speak  it  to  you  who  are  of  this  parish, 
that,  if  any  of  you  shall  duly  accuse  any  of  those  too  few  who  com- 
municate with  us  of  a  scandalous  crime  committed  by  him,  and  will 
undertake  to  prove  and  justify  his  accusation,  I  will  here  under- 
take not  to  admit  such  an  one,  until  he  hath  given  satisfaction 
according  to  the  nature  of  his  offence. 

But,  howsoever,  suppose  that  all  the  officers  of  the  Church  were 
negligent  in  their  duty,  that  can  be  no  excuse  for  not  performing 
yours.  If  you  do  your  duty,  you  leave  it  upon  their  consciences, 
and  have  delivered  your  own  souls.  But,  in  any  case,  you  ought 
not  to  separate  from  communion  with  any  Church-member,  till  he 
ceaseth  to  be  a  Church-member,  and  is  cut  off  by  the  sword  of  ex- 
communication. Then,  and  not  till  then,  you  may  look  upon  him 
as  a  heathen-man  and  a  publican.  For  wicked  men's  communicat- 
ing pollutes  the  ordinance,  only  to  themselves,  and  not  to  you :  if 
they  eat  and  drink  unworthily,  they  eat  and  drink  damnation  to 
themselves,  but  not  to  the  worthy  partakers.  The  virtue  and  effi- 
cacy of  the  ordinances  come  not  to  you,  through  those  who  are 


356 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


communicants  with  you ;  for  then,  indeed,  it  might  receive  a  taint 
from  their  pollution :  but  it  comes  immediately  from  the  institution 
and  benediction  of  Jesus  Christ.  So  that,  when  you  have  per- 
formed your  duty,  you  may  receive  a  pure  sacrament  in  the  assem- 
bly, whereof  some  may  be  impure  and  defiled. 

But  here  I  know,  flesh  and  blood  will  tumultuate,  and  say, 
"  This  is  the  ready  way  to  run  my  head  into  a  bee-hive.  "What 
need  I,  that  may  live  quietly  by  my  neighbors,  provoke  their 
enmity  and  hatred  by  turning  informer  ?  For  accusing  them  will 
prove  but  a  thankless  and  troublesome  office." 

Truly,  I  know  no  necessity  for  it,  besides  the  strict  and  express 
command  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  wilt  thou  be  thought  to  value 
the  purity  of  his  ordinances,  who  dost  not  value  the  authority  of 
his  commands  ?  "  Tell  it  the  Church,"  is  his  injunction :  and,  if 
this  be  to  be  an  informer,  know  that  the  name  is  more  honorable, 
than  is  vulgarly  apprehended ;  and  it  is  far  better  to  be  an  in- 
former, than  a  schismatic. 

(3)  But  the  great  place  insisted  on  to  invalidate  all  this  that  I 
have  said,  is  1  Cor.  v.  11 ;  "But  now  I  have  written  unto  you,  not 
to  keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  forni- 
cator, or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an 
extortioner;  with  such  an  one,  no  not  to  eat."  And  from  this  it  is 
argued,  that  if  I  may  not  eat  common  bread  with  them ;  then, 
much  less,  may  I  eat  sacred  bread  with  them,  at  the  Lord's  table. 

I  am  sorry  I  have  so  just  occasion  to  retort  the  argument  against 
their  practice.  For,  certainly,  if  our  dissenting  brethren  would 
exclude  all  fornicators,  and  railers,  and  drunkards,  from  their  so- 
ciety, their  sacraments  would  not  be  such  general  musters  as  they 
are,  but  perhaps  be  as  thin  as  ours. 

But  to  pass  that  by,  I  return  a  double  answer. 

[1]  That  we  may  well  conceive  the  Apostle  here  giving  direc- 
tion to  the  whole  Church  of  the  Corinthians,  what  method  they 
should  use  towards  those,  who  were  profligates  and  notorious 
sinners. 

And  he  bids  them,  that  they  should  not  company,  nor  eat  with 
them :  i.  e.  that  they  should  cast  them  out  of  the  Church;  not  cast 
themselves  out :  they  should  excommunicate  them  from  the  body 
of  the  faithful ;  but  not  that  any  of  them  should  separate  from 
the  communion  of  holy  ordinances,  before  they  were  excommuni- 
cated. This  sense  seems  very  fair  and  full :  for,  in  the  foregoing 
part  of  the  chapter,  the  Apostle  had  given  them  in  charge,  to  cast 
out  the  incestuous  person :  who  was  a  notorious  example  of  wick- 


THE   TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


357 


edness,  and  a  great  scandal  to  their  Church :  afterwards,  he  sets 
down  rules,  how  they  should  demean  themselves  towards  others, 
who  were  likewise  guilty  of  known  crimes :  and  these  he  distin- 
guished into  two  sorts ;  those,  who  visibly  belonged  to  the  world, 
and  were  professed  heathens  ;  and  those,  who  belonged  to  the  visible 
church,  and  were  wicked  Christians.  For  the  former  sort,  he  tells 
them,  that  they  might  civilly  eat  with  them,  vv.  9,  10  ;  "I  wrote 
unto  you  in  an  epistle,  not  to  company  with  fornicators :  Yet  not 
altogether  with  the  fornicators  of  this  world,  or  with  the  covetous, 
or  extortioners,  or  with  idolaters ;  for  then  must  ye  needs  go  out 
of  the  world :"  that  is,  I  meant  not  that  you  should  wholly  abstain 
from  the  converse  of  heathens,  who  are  vile  and  wicked ;  for,  since 
the  greatest  part  of  the  world  are  heathens,  the  necessity  of  human 
life  requires  that  you  should  have  commerce  and  dealing  with  them. 
But,  for  the  other  sort,  those  who  are  lewd  and  wicked  Christians, 
cast  them  out :  company  not :  eat  not  with  any  brother  that  is  a 
fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  a  drunkard,  or  the  like :  account  them 
as  heathens,  yea,  worse  than  heathens,  inasmuch  as  they  deny  that 
faith  by  their  practice,  which  they  profess  with  their  mouths.  The 
whole  scope  of  which  seems  to  be,  that  the  Apostle  commands  them 
to  deal  with  such  as  with  the  incestuous  person,  and  that  the  Church 
ought  to  cut  them  off  by  excommunication ;  but  not  that  any  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  should  separate  from  communion  with  them  in 
the  public  ordinances,  until  that  judicial  act  were  passed  upon 
them.  But, 

[2]  Most  likely  it  is,  that,  when  the  Apostle  forbids  us  to  eat 
with  such,  he  means  only  familiar,  domestical  eating;  and  not 
ecclesiastical,  in  the  participation  of  the  Lord's  Supper ;  if  so  be 
they  be  not  cut  off  by  the  censure  of  excommunication. 

And  that  appears,  because  the  Apostle  forbids  them  so  to  eat 
with  wicked  Christians,  as  they  might  lawfully  eat  with  wicked 
and  idolatrous  heathens.  "  I  forbid  not,"  saith  he,  "  all  converse 
with  heathens,  that  never  made  profession  of  the  faith  and  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ :  but  I  forbid  you  to  company  with  a  brother,  that 
walketh  disorderly  ;  yea,  I  would  not  have  you  so  much  as  to  eat 
with  such  an  one."  Now  if  they  might  eat  with  professed  heathens, 
but  not  with  licentious  Christians,  I  suppose  it  will  be  evident  to 
every  one,  that  hath  but  understanding  enough  to  name  him  a  man, 
that  this  eating,  here  spoken  of,  was  not  eating  at  the  Sacrament, 
for  what  had  heathens  to  do  there  ?  but  only  of  private,  friendly, 
and  familiar  eating. 

But,  still,  it  may  be  and  it  is  urged,  that,  "  If  we  may  not  eat 


358 


THE    DOCTRINE  OF 


with  them  civilly  at  their  own  table,  much  less  then  may  we  eat 
with  them  religiously  at  God's." 
To  this,  I  answer, 

1st.  That  we  have  now  the  same  liberty  allowed  for  our  con- 
verse with  wicked  Christians,  as  the  Apostle  granted  for  converse 
with  wicked  heathens ;  or  else,  truly,  as  he  saith,  "we  must  needs 
go  out  of  the  world."  And,  therefore,  the  circumstances  of  times 
being  so  much  altered,  we  may  lawfully  eat  and  converse  with 
them,  since,  in  many  places,  there  are  few  others  to  converse  with. 

I  answer, 

2dly.  It  doth  not  at  all  follow,  that,  if  I  may  not  eat  familiarly 
with  a  loose  Christian,  therefore  I  may  not  eat  sacramentally  with 
him  :  for  the  one  is  of  mere  choice ;  the  other  is  my  necessary 
duty,  till  he  be  cast  out  of  the  Church.  I  may  choose  my  ac- 
quaintance and  familiar  friend,  with  whom  to  converse  :  and,  if  I 
choose  those  who  are  wicked  and  ungodly,  I  then  sin ;  because  I 
show  I  have  a  delight  in  vain  persons.  But  I  cannot  choose 
Church-members ;  nor  say  I  will  communicate  with  this  man,  and 
not  with  this,  till  one  of  them  be  cut  off  from  the  body  of  Christ 
by  excommunication,  unless  I  intend  to  make  a  rent  and  a  schism  ; 
which  certatnly  they  do,  who  depart  from  the  communion  of  the 
Church,  upon  such  a  pretence. 

This,  I  think,  may  be  sufficient,  in  answer  to  the  third  great 
objection,  That  it  is  unlawful  to  partake  with  us  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  because  sometimes  wicked  men  are  admitted  unto  it.  For, 
besides  that  our  Saviour  himself  admitted  Judas,  whom  he  calls  a 
devil ;  and  that  the  congregations  of  the  schism  are  not  so  perfectly 
pure,  but  that  we  may,  without  breach  of  charity,  tell  them,  all  are 
not  saints  whom  they  admit :  besides  this,  if  you  know  any  scan- 
dalous persons  among  us,  it  is  your  own  fault  that  they  are  ad- 
mitted. And  will  you  leave  off  that,  which  is  your  duty,  for  not 
doing  your  duty  ?  If,  when  you  have  done  your  duty,  yet  they 
are  still  retained,  the  fault  ceaseth  to  be  yours,  and  lies  upon  them 
whose  care  it  ought  to  be  to  exclude  such ;  nor  doth  your  commu- 
nion in  that  case  pollute  the  ordinance  to  you.  We  are  not  to  eat 
with  them  after  they  are  cut  off  by  the  censures  of  the  Church ; 
but  we  may  eat  with  them  whilst  they  continue  members  of  the 
Church,  although  perhaps  it  may  be  the  sin  of  others  to  retain 
them. 

iv.  Lastly,  Some  may  think  it  unlawful  to  communicate  with  us, 


THE    TWO  SACRAMENTS. 


3u9 


because  of  the  scandal  and  offence,  that  thereby  will  be 
GIVEN  TO  WEAK  BRETHREN.  Though  they  have  no  such  great 
doubts  nor  scruples  in  themselves,  that  should  deter  them  from 
coming;  yet  they  are  afraid  of  that  woe,  which  Christ  hath  de- 
nounced against  those  who  offend  any  of  the  little  ones. 

To  this  I  answer  only  in  brief,  That  if  we  are  once  fully  satisfied 
in  our  consciences  that  it  is  our  duty,  we  ought  not  to  take  any 
notice  at  all  of  the  censures  and  offences  of  the  whole  world.  Yea, 
though  the  offence  they  take  should  not  be  only  an  offence 
of  contristation,  and  cause  sorrow  in  them  when  they  see  us  do 
that  which  is  contrary  to  their  present  judgment ;  but  though  it 
should  prove  an  occasion  of  sin  unto  them  :  yet  we  ought  not  to 
forbear  it ;  nor  to  sin  ourselves,  to  keep  others  from  sinning.  For, 
as  we  must  not  do  evil  out  of  hope  that  good  may  come  thereby, 
so  neither  must  we  forbear  what  is  good  out  of  fear  that  evil  may 
ensue  thereupon.  When  we  approve  ourselves  to  God  and  our 
own  consciences,  we  ought  not  to  value  the  censures  of  others,  who 
decry  our  duties ;  nor  to  put  ourselves  out  of  the  way  of  our  obe- 
dience, to  put  others  out  of  their  groundless  offences.  If  they  will 
be  offended  at  my  doing  of  my  duty,  let  them  be  offended :  and 
this  shall  be  my  comfort,  that,  if  I  have  not  their  good  word,  yet 
I  shall  have  the  good  word  of  my  own  conscience ;  and,  at  last, 
the  good  word  of  my  God,  with  an  Eugl,  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant ;"  and  then,  let  all  the  men  in  the  world  think  and 
speak  what  they  will  of  me. 

And  thus  I  have  gone  through  those  four  grand  objections,  that 
usually  keep  men  off  from  participating  in  the  holy  ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  and  hope  I  have  answered  them  satisfactorily. 

Nothing  now  remains,  but  earnestly  to  beseech  you,  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ's  sake,  who  offers  that  flesh  and  blood  to  you,  which 
he  offered  upon  the  cross  to  his  father,  that  you  would  no  longer 
content  yourselves  in  your  separation;  but  come  unanimously  with 
us,  to  receive  that  blood,  by  which  both  you  and  we  hope  to  be 
saved.  And  let  not  some  little  circumstances  (which  yet  you  see 
how  defensible  they  are,  and  how  hard  to  be  gainsaid  by  scripture 
or  reason)  make  you  fly  off  from  so  substantial  and  necessary  a 
duty  as  this  is.  Certainly,  it  shows  that  we  have  but  little  spi- 
ritual hunger  and  thirst,  if  we  cannot  endure  wholesome  food, 
though  it  be  not  in  every  particular  dressed  as  we  could  fancy. 


THE 


ALL- SUFFICIENCY  OF  CHRIST  TO  SAVE  SINNERS, 

WITH  THE  PREVALENCY  OF  HIS  INTERCESSION. 

Wherefore  lie  is  alle  also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come 
tmto  God  by  him:  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them. 
Heb.  vii.  25. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The  general  design  of  the  Apostle  in  this  Epistle,  is,  to  show 
the  dignity  of  Christ,  above  the  Levitical  Priesthood :  which  he 
doth,  as  by  many  other  deep  and  accurate  arguments :  so,  likewise, 
by  affirming  him  to  be  a  priest,  "after  the  order  of  Melchisedec," 
in  the  last  verse  of  the  foregoing  chapter. 

In  this  chapter  he  prosecutes  the  argument,  by  drawing  a  long 
parallel,  between  the  priesthood  according  to  Melchisedec's  order, 
and  the  priesthood  according  to  Aaron's  order :  and,  in  every  com- 
parison, he  gives  the  pre-eminence  to  the  former  above  the  latter ; 
and  thereby  proves,  that  Christ,  who  was  a  priest  "  after  the  order 
of  Melchisedec,"  obtained  a  more  excellent  priesthood  than  they, 
who  were  priests  according  to  the  order  of  Aaron. 

1.  Now  because,  in  this  parallel,  there  are  many  things  hard  to 
be  understood,  I  shall  give  you  a  brief  EXPLICATION  of  them, 
and  thereby  bring  you  to  the  text. 

Concerning  this  Melchisedec,  there  is  much  inquiry  who  he  was. 
Some  think  him  to  be  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  the  Second 
Person  in  the  Blessed  Trinity;  who  assumed  human  shape  then, 
when  Abraham  returned  from  pursuing  the  four  kings  :  but  this  is 
altogether  impossible,  because  the  Scripture  makes  him  to  be  the 
"  King  of  Salem,"  a  visible  and  a  temporal  king  over  Jerusalem ; 
lor,  by  Salem,  that  must  be  implied,  as  is  clear  from  Ps.  lxxvi.  2. 
Others  conjecture  this  Melchisedec  to  be  the  same  with  Shem,  the 
son  of  Noah ;  but  whether  it  was  he  or  no,  it  is  not  much  mate- 
rial :  this  is  certain,  that  he  was  appointed  and  raised  up  by  God 
to  be  an  eminent  and  illustrious  type  of  our  High-priest,  Jesus 
Christ. 

i.  Now,  though  the  Levitical  Priesthood  was  a  clear  type  of 
Christ's  priesthood,  yet  this  Melchisedec,  who  lived  four  hundred 

360 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST. 


361 


}Tears  before  the  institution  of  that  order,  WAS  A  more  close, 
adequate  type,  and  far  superior  to  them.  And  this  is  here  ex- 
pressed : 

1.  In  that  he  was  King  of  Salem,  as  well  as  j>riest  of  the  Most  High 
God:  v.  4. 

Now  the  Levitical  Priests  were  not  kings,  as  he  was :  as,  in  those 
first  ages  of  the  world,  it  was  a  usual  custom,  for  the  same  person 
that  was  king  to  exercise  the  priestly  office ;  and  therefore  he  was 
a  more  express  resemblance  of  Christ,  than  the  Aaronical  priests 
were. 

2.  In  that  he  was  described  to  be  first  King  of  Righteousness,  and 
then  King  of  Salem:  v.  2,  that  is,  the  King  of  Peace. 

Herein,  also,  he  is  a  most  lively  type  of  Christ,  who  observed 
the  same  order.  Christ  was  "  King  of  Righteousness,"  to  subdue 
our  sins  and  sanctify  our  natures :  and  he  was  "  King  of  Peace,"  to 
pacify  our  consciences,  through  the  assurance  of  pardon  and  accept 
ance ;  for  this  peace  he  doth  usually  bestow  upon  us,  as  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  formerly  communicated  to  us. 

3.  In  that  he  was  without  father  or  mother,  without  descent;  having 
neither  beginning  of  days,  nor  end  of  life,  as  Melchisedec  is  described 
in  the  third  verse. 

And,  herein,  he  outvies  the  Aaronical  priesthood :  for  their 
birth  and  death  the  Scripture  records ;  but,  of  Melchisedec,  it  wit 
nesseth  that  "  he  liveth :"  v.  8.  Now,  herein,  he  is  a  nearer  resem 
blance  to  Christ,  than  they:  for  Christ,  as  God,  was  "without 
mother;"  and,  as  man,  he  was  "without  a  father:"  as  God,  he  hath 
not  "beginning  of  days;"  as  God  and  man,  he  is  without  "end  of 
life." 

4.  In  that  Aaron,  who  was  the  father  of  all  the  Aaronical  Priests, 
did  pay  tithe  to  him :  so  v.  4. 

And  he  received  them  from  him :  v.  6,  which  denotes  that 
Abraham  himself  was  inferior  to  him :  as  v.  7 ;  and  much  more 
the  children  of  Levi,  the  offspring  of  Aaron,  who  themselves  are 
said  to  pay  tithes  to  Melchisedec,  being  in  the  loins  of  their  father 
Abraham  :  as  we  have  it  in  the  9th  and  10th  verses.  As  the  public 
acts  of  the  parent  are  interpretively  the  acts  of  a  child,  so  likewise 
Abraham's  paying  tithes  to  Melchisedec  is  recorded  by  God,  as 
Levi's  paying  tithes  in  Abraham's  loins  ;  and,  thereupon,  they  were 
professedly  inferior  to  him. 

ii.  That  this  comparison  may  be  the  more  clear  and  evident,  we 
must  consider,  that  Melchisedec  was  a  type  of  Christ,  under 
a  twofold  respect  : 


362 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 


As  he  was  in  his  own  personal  capacity. 

As  described  to  us  in  the  Scripture. 

For  there  is  a  great  difference,  as  we  shall  see  anon. 

1.  If  we  consider  his  Personal  Capacity,  so  he  was  king  and 
priest :  he  was  really,  in  himself,  so :  he  met  Abraham,  received 
tithes  from  him,  and  conferred  a  blessing  upon  him.  But  there  are 
other  things  spoken  of  this  Melchisedec  in  the  sixth  chapter,  which 
to  understand  as  really  agreeing  to  the  person  of  Melchisedec  were 
utterly  impossible  :  as,  that  he  was  without  father  or  mother,  or  with- 
out descent,  or  beginning  or  end  of  life;  as  we  have  it  in  the  third 
and  eighth  verses :  and  therefore  some,  considering  that  this  de- 
scription could  not  agree  to  any  man,  have  fondly  fancied  that  this 
Melchisedec  was  not  true  man ;  but  was  either  Christ,  or  the  Holy 
Ghost,  or  some  angel. 

2.  Therefore,  we  must  note,  that  these  things  were  spoken  of  Mel- 
chisedec, not  as  really  he  was  in  himself,  but  as  he  is  represented  to 
us  in  the  Scripture.  Therefore  he  is  said  to  be  "  without  father  or 
mother,"  because  the  Scripture  mentions  nothing  of  them  ;  records 
nothing  of  his  parentage  or  pedigree,  nothing  of  his  birth  or  death, 
but  is  purposely  silent  in  these  things  :  v.  3  ;  that  he  might  be  made 
like  unto  the  Son  of  God.  The  Scripture  is  purposely  silent  con- 
cerning the  pedigree  of  Melchisedec,  and  the  beginning  and  ending 
of  his  days,  that  he  might  be  a  more  lively  type  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
who  himself,  in  his  divine  nature,  was  without  beginning  or  end  of 
days.  So  that,  though  truly  and  really  Melchisedec  was  a  man, 
born  of  parents  by  a  long  descent  from  Adam,  whose  life  had  a 
date  both  when  it  begun  and  when  it  ended ;  yet  it  is  truly  said 
that  he  was  without  these,  because  they  are  not  mentioned  and 
recorded  in  the  Scripture.  Now  among  these  high  privileges  and 
prerogatives,  Melchisedec  doth  typify  the  priesthood  of  Christ 
better  than  the  Aarouical  priests  could  typify  him  ;  for  he  is  one, 
that  abideth  and  continueth  a  priest :  v.  3 ;  and  he  liveth,  as  in  the 
eighth  verse.  The  Scripture  speaks  nothing,  either  of  his  laying 
down  his  office  or  his  life. 

Now,  in  this,  he  is  an  eminent  and  conspicuous  type  of  Christ, 
our  High-Priest.  For, 

(1)  He  hath  not  laid  down  his  life,  so  as  to  lose  it :  for  he  was 
made  "  after  the  power  of  the  endless  life ;"  as  v.  16. 

(2)  Nor  hath  he  laid  down  his  Priesthood,  so  as  not  to  exercise 
it :  for  he  is  "  a  priest  forever ;"  and,  "  because  he  continueth  for- 
ever," therefore  he  "  hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood  ;"  as  in  v.  24. 

The  words  of  the  text  are  a  most  comfortable  inference,  drawn 


TO   SAVE   AND  INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS.  363 

from  all  this  discourse  concerning  the  eternity  of  Melchisedcc's 
priesthood  :  the  eternity  of  it,  I  say  ;  because  the  Scripture  speaks 
nothing  of  the  cessation  of  it.  So  that  my  text  is  a  comfortable 
inference :  Christ  "  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come 
unto  God  by  him ;  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
them."  Doth  Christ  forever  live,  and  forever  sit  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  ?  doth  he  continually  lay  open  his  wounds,  repeat  over  his 
sufferings,  plead  his  death  and  merits,  claim  a  right  to  a  sure  pur- 
chase ?  is  he  continually  perfuming  heaven  with  the  odor  of  that 
sweet  incense,  which  he  daily  offers  up  with  prayers  for  all  the 
saints  ?  Believe  it,  such  a  Sacrifice  must  needs  be  acceptable : 
such  an  Advocate  must  needs  be  prevalent :  such  a  Saviour  must 
needs  be  all-sufficient.  "Wherefore  he  is  able  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him ;  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them." 

II.  In  these  WOEDS  we  have, 

A  position  couched  under  a  supposition.  The  supposition  is 
this :  If  so  be  Christ  shall  ever  live  to  make  intercession  for  the 
saints.  The  position  is :  That  Christ  doth  live  forever  to  make 
intercession,  &c,  which  the  Apostle  before  proves  :  He  is  a  High- 
Priest  forever. 

There  is  an  inference  or  corollary  drawn  from  it :  Therefore  "  he 
is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,"  &c. 

First.  In  the  position  observe  these  two  things : 

First.  The  eternity  of  the  life  of  Christ  in  the  highest  heaven. 

Secondly.  The  eternity  of  his  priestly  office. 

The  former  is  this  :  "  He  liveth  forever."  The  latter  is,  And  he 
liveth  for  this  very  end,  "  to  make  intercession"  for  us. 

Secondly.  In  the  inference  we  may  observe, 

First.  The  truth  inferred  and  asserted:  "He  is  able  to  save." 

Secondly.  The  measure  and  degree  of  this  salvation  :  and  that  is, 
"to  the  uttermost,"  to  all  ends  and  perfections:  he  is  able  to  save 
to  all  perfections  ;  that  is,  altogether. 

Thirdly.  The  persons,  whom  he  is  able  thus  perfectly  to  save  : 
and  they  are  those  only,  that  "come  unto  God  by  him."  And 
these  are  described, 

First.  By  their  obedience:  They  "come  unto  God;"  that  is, 
they  perform  service,  obedience,  and  duty  to  God. 

Secondly.  By  their  faith :  They  "  come  unto  God  by  him ;"  that 
is,  by  Christ. 

All  the  duties  and  services  which  they  perform,  they  tender  up 


3G4  THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHEIST 

by  faith  in  Christ,  and  by  Christ  to  God :  They  "  come  unto  God 
by  him." 

Thirdly.  And,  besides  all  these,  here  is  a  connexion  of  the  in- 
ference and  the  position  together,  by  the  word  wherefore :  "  "Where- 
fore he  is  able  to  save,"  &c.  In  the  connexion  we  have  also  the 
number  of  those,  for  whom  Christ  makes  intercession:  not  for  all 
men,  but  for  those,  "  that  come  unto  God  through  him." 

Oh,  what  a  rich  vein  of  Scripture  is  before  our  eyes,  which  lies 
as  an  inestimable  and  unsearchable  treasure  in  golden  mines! 
Though  I  may  seem  to  have  but  broken  and  crumbled  the  words, 
yet  there  is  abundance  of  preciousness  in  every  part  and  parcel  of 
them.  I  shall  not  now  stand  to  raise  and  insist  upon  all  those  ob- 
servations, that  might  pertinently  and  properly  be  made  from  the 
words  thus  divided ;  but  shall  briefly  speak  to  some  few. 

i.  From  the  TRUTH  inferred,  Re  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost, 
observe, 

Doct.  I.  That  Jesus  Christ  is  an  almighty  and  all-sufft- 
cient  Saviour. 

He  is  a  High-Priest  and  a  Saviour  all-sufficient : 

1.  By  his  Father's  eternal  designation :  Ps.  lxxxix.  19,  "I  have 
laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty,"  &c. 

2.  By  his  ovm  voluntary  sitsception  and  undertaking  for  us:  Ps. 
xl.  7,  8,  "  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come :  in  the  volume  of  thy  book  it 

is  written  of  me  to  do  thy  will,  0  my  God."    And  the  Apostle 

quotes  it  in  Heb.  x.  7. 

3.  By  the  infinite  glory  and  excellency  of  the  divine  nature:  which 
hath  a  double  influence  to  make  him  an  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

(1)  It  puts  an  infinite  worth  and  value  upon  his  sacrifice ;  and 
so  hath  made  his  offering  acceptable,  and  a  full  price  and  ransom 
for  sinners.    It  is  called  the  blood  of  God :  Acts  xx.  28,  "  Feed 

the  flock  of  God  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood." 

And,  certainly,  the  blood  of  God  must  needs  be  an  all-sufficient 
expiation  for  the  sin  of  man. 

(2)  It  gave  Christ  a  power  and  an  ability,  to  appease  and  satisfy 
infinite  justice  and  wrath ;  and  to  break  the  chains  of  death,  and 
the  bars  of  the  grave,  under  which  he  had  been  detained,  else  our 
salvation  had  been  a  thing  desperate  and  deplorable :  but,  herein, 
is  he  manifested  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  Saviour  of  the  world, 
even  with  power,  in  that  he  died  and  rose  again. 


TO   SAVE   AND  INTERCEDE    FOR   SINNERS.  365 

4.  He  is  an  all-sufficient  Saviour  by  his  human  capacity.  As  lie 
would  not  have  been  able  to  save  us,  unless  lie  had  been  God ;  so 
he  would  not  have  been  capable  to  save  us,  unless  he  had  been 
man. 

Now  Christ's  humanity  hath  a  twofold  influence  into  the  work 
of  our  redemption. 

(1)  In  that,  thereby,  that  person,  who  is  God,  became  passive ; 
and  a  fit  subject  to  receive  and  bear  the  wrath  of  God. 

(2)  Hereby  satisfaction  is  made  to  offended  justice,  in  the  same 
nature,  which  transgressed  and  offended.  "  By  man  came  death  ; 
and  by  the  man  Jesus  Christ  came  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  :" 
1  Cor.  xv.  21.  And  therefore  Christ  saith,  "  a  body  hast  thou  pre- 
pared me :"  Heb.  x.  5.  To  what  end  ?  The  Apostle  tells  us, 
"  that,  through  death,  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of 
death,  that  is,  the  devil."  Both  natures  are  here  required :  his 
human  nature,  without  which  he  could  not  suffer  death ;  and  the 
Divine  nature,  without  which  he  could  not  destroy  him  who  had 
the  power  of  death. 

5.  He  became  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  by  the  overflowing  and 
immeasurable  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Thus,  Isa.  lxi.  1,  "The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me;  be- 
cause the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings,"  &c. 
John  iii.  34,  "  God  gave  not  his  Spirit  in  measure  unto  him  ;"  yea, 
"  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily  in  him :"  Col.  ii.  9,  and 
all  this  was  on  purpose  to  furnish  him  with  gifts  and  graces,  suit- 
able to  the  discharge  of  the  great  work  of  his  mediatorship.  Now, 
certainly,  since  he  was  by  God  the  Father  designed,  and  of  his 
own  self  ready  and  willing,  by  his  humanity  capacitated,  by  his 
Divinity  fortified,  and  by  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirit  furnished 
to  the  work  of  our  salvation,  he  must  needs  be  an  all-sufficient  Sa- 
viour ;  "  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  all  that  come  unto  God  by 
him." 

ii.  In  the  next  place,  for  the  persons  whom  Christ  is  thus  enabled 
to  save,  they  are  described  by  their  faith  and  obedience :  They  come 
to  God  by  Christ.  Observe, 

Doct.  II.  That  Christ  himself,  although  he  is  an  all-suf- 
ficient Saviour,  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  yet  he  is 
not  able  to  save  the  disobedient  and  unbelievers. 


He  only  saves  those,  "  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 


366 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


Now  this, 

\L  Is  not  for  want  of  merit  or  virtue  in  that  sacrifice,  "which  our 
High-Priest  hath  once  offered  up :  not  for  want  of  any  value  or 
preciousness  in  his  blood,  or  sufficiency  in  his  price ;  for  there  is 
intrinsic  virtue  enough  in  the  blood  of  Christ  to  save  the  whole 
world. 

2.  Nor  is  it  from  any  natural  dependance,  that  salvation  hath  upon 
faith  and  obedience  ;  for  God  was  free,  and  might  have  disposed  of 
the  eternal  inheritance  upon  other  terms.  But, 

3.  It  was  only  upon  the  ordination  and  appointment  of  God,  who 
hath  instituted  the  way  of  salvation  to  be  by  the  death  of  Christ, 
who  hath  appointed  the  virtue  of  his  death  to  be  applied  to  us  only 
by  the  grace  of  faith ;  which  faith,  without  obedience  and  good 
works,  is  in  itself  dead,  and  can  neither  justify  nor  save  us.  So, 
then,  without  faith  and  obedience  Christ  cannot  save  us :  because 
that  virtue,  whereby  he  should  save  us,  cannot  without  these  reach 
us ;  faith  being  the  conveyance  of  the  virtue  of  Christ's  merits  to 
the  soul. 

That  is  the  second  proposition. 

iii.  The  third  and  last  shall  be  raised  from  the  CONNEXION  of 
both  parts  of  the  text  put  together.  Therefore  "  he  is  able  to  save 
them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him ;"  because  "  he 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them." 

Observe  from  hence. 

Doct.  III.  That  THE  TRUE  GROUND  AND  REASON  OF  CHRIST'S 
ALL-SUFFICIENCY  TO  SAVE  SINNERS,  IS  LAID  UPON  THE  PREVA- 
LENCY  OF  HIS  INTERCESSION  FOR  US. 

And  this,  because  it  is  the  most  comprehensive  point,  taking  in 
both  the  former,  is  that,  which  I  choose  to  insist  upon. 

In  the  prosecution  of  which  doctrine,  I  shall  speak  concerning 
Christ's  intercession. 

His  all-sufficiency  to  save,  which  depends  upon  and  flows  from  it. 

I.  Concerning  CHEIST'S  INTERCESSION,  I  shall  inquire 
into  three  things : 

What  it  is,  and  wherein  it  doth  consist. 

What  the  extent  and  latitude  of  it  is. 

What  are  the  benefits,  that  do  redound  to  believers  by  it. 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOB   SINNERS.  3G7 

i.  For  the  opening  what  it  is,  we  must  know,  that  intercession 
is  a  law  term,  borrowed  from  courts  of  judicature ;  and  signifies 
the  action  of  a  proxy  or  attorney,  either  in  suing  out  the  rights  of 
his  client,  or  answering  the  cavils  and  objections  brought  against 
him  by  the  plaintiff. 

Thus  doth  Christ  for  believers.  He  appears  for  them :  Heb.  ix. 
2-i.  He  is  entered  "  into  heaven,"  appearing  "  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us."  Nay,  he  doth,  in  some  sense,  carry  believers  into 
heaven  with  him,  and  there  set  them  before  his  Father's  throne ;  as 
we  have  it,  Eph.  ii.  6 ;  "  And  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made 
us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."  Even  as  the 
high-priest  did  bear  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  upon  his  breast, 
when  he  entered  into  the  holy  of  holies  ;  so  Christ,  when  he  entered 
into  heaven,  bears  upon  his  heart  the  names  and  persons  of  all  his, 
and  presents  them  before  his  Father.  He  hath  taken  their  cause, 
and  pleads  it  with  God  his  Father;  as  the  Apostle  speaks:  "We 
have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous :"  1 
John  ii.  1. 

This  intercession  is  of  three  sorts. 

1.  Charitative  intercession. 

And,  thus,  one  man  is  bound  by  the  duty  of  charity  and  con- 
science to  pray  and  intercede  for  another.  And  of  this  kind  of 
intercession  we  have  mention  made,  1  Tim.  ii.  1 ;  "I  exhort,  there- 
fore, that,  first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giv- 
ing of  thanks,  be  made  for  all  men :"  that  is  intercession  of  mutual 
charity  one  for  another. 

2.  There  is  an  adjutory  intercession,  a  helping  intercession. 
And,  thus,  the  Holy  Spirit  makes  intercession  for  believers: 

Eom.  viii.  26,  27 ;  "  Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmi- 
ties :  for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought ;  but 
the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us,  with  groanings  which 
cannot  be  uttered,"  &c.  He  makes  intercession  for  us,  because,  by 
his  holy  inspirations,  he  makes  those  prayers  and  intercessions  for 
us,  which  we  make  for  ourselves.  And  this  is  an  adjutory  inter- 
cession. "We  are  indigent,  and  see  not  our  own  wants,  nor  have  we 
tongues  to  express  them  ;  and,  withal,  we  are  dull  and  heavy,  and 
make  not  importunate  supplications  ;  and,  therefore,  God  sends  his 
Spirit  into  our  hearts,  to  discover  our  necessities  to  us,  to  raise  de- 
sires in  us,  and  to  put  words  into  our  mouths  and  teach  us  what  to 
pray  for,  and  how  to  pray  as  we  ought. 

3.  There  is  an  official  and  authoritative  intercession.  And  this 
properly  belongs  to  Christ. 


368  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 

And  this  may  be  considered  under  a  twofold  respect. 

(1)  His  intercession,  in  his  state  of  humiliation. 

And  this  is  in  a  congruity  to  that  abased  state,  wherein,  "  with 
strong  cries,  and  tears,"  and  groans  he  made  "supplications"  to 
God :  Heb.  v.  7.  Yea,  when  he  was  under  the  sharpest  agonies ; 
when  he  was  bruised  by  God  and  broken  by  men,  suffering  the 
wrath  of  the  one,  and  the  wrongs  of  the  other;  when  his  own 
pains  might  have  made  his  prayers  selfish,  or  his  enemies'  malice 
might  have  made  him  revengeful :  yet,  even  then,  he  forgets  not 
to  intercede  for  them :  Luke  xxiii.  3-A ;  "  Father,  forgive  them ; 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Although  he  was  made  in 
"  the  form  of  a  se/vant ;  despised  and  rejected  of  men"  (Es.  liii.  3)  ; 
accursed  of  God  (Gal.  iii.  13) ;  exposed  to  reproach  and  injuries ; 
devoted  to  death :  notwithstanding  all  this,  his  intercession  was  not 
at  all  regarded  the  less,  or  the  less  prevalent ;  but,  even  in  this  low 
estate  and  vile  appearance,  he  prayed  with  majesty  and  authority, 
"  Father,  I  will  that  that  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  may  be 
with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory,"  &c,  John 
xvii.  24. 

(2)  His  intercession  may  be  considered  as  performed  on  our  be- 
half, in  his  state  of  glory  and  exaltation. 

After  his  offering  up  of  himself  here  upon  earth  as  a  sacrifice 
upon  the  cross,  he  entered  into  the  most  holy  place  ;  and  there  he 
prosecutes  the  same  suit,  which  he  here  commenced  :  Rom.  viii.  3-4 ; 
"  It  is  Christ  that  died ;  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,"  who  is 
ascended  into  heaven,  where  he  continually  "  maketh  intercession 
for  us." 

This  glorious  intercession  of  Christ  doth  principally  consist  in 
these  following  particulars,  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  illustrate  and 
open. 

[1]  In  his  appearing  in  the  court  of  heaven  in  both  natures,  as 
our  Mediator  and  Advocate ;  ready  to  answer  any  charge  laid  in 
against  us,  or  suing  out  any  good  thing  that  belongs  to  us. 

Thus,  when  Joshua,  the  high-priest,  stood  before  the  angel  in 
filthy  garments,  Zech.  iii.  1 ;  Satan  stood  at  his  right  hand  to  accuse 
him  :  the  accusation  was  true  :  the  crime  was  manifest :  now,  here, 
the  angel  (that  is,  Jesus  Christ)  interposeth :  he  appears  for  us,  say- 
ing, "  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  0  Satan :"  what  though  the  garments 
be  filthy,  I  will  take  them  away :  "  I  have  caused"  their  "  iniquity 
to  pass  from"  them.  And  this  may  be  for  our  abundant  consola- 
tion :  though  Satan,  by  his  accusations  and  temptation,  stand  con- 
tinually at  our  right  hand  to  resist  us  ;  yet  Christ,  in  heaven,  always 


TO    SAVE    AND    INTERCEDE    FOR    SINNERS.  369 

stands  at  the  right-hand  of  God  to  plead  for  us  and  silence  Satan. 
And  this  was  typified  to  us,  by  the  high-priest  entering  into  the 
holy  of  holies,  to  make  intercession  for  the  people. 

[2]  Christ  presents,  as  his  own  person,  so  likewise  the  persons 
of  all  bis  blessed  ones  throughout  the  world,  of  all  believers  and 
the  elect  ones,  to  God  the  Father. 

And  that,  not  only  in  the  general  or  total  sum,  that  they  are  so 
many  thousands,  for  whom  he  obtained  mercy,  for  whom  he  must 
obtain  salvation ;  not  only  as  the  high-priest  among  the  Jews,  who 
only  had  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  engraven  upon  their  breast- 
plates, but  not  the  name  of  every  particular  person  of  those  tribes  : 
but  Christ  hath  every  particular  saint's  name  engraven  upon  his 
breast,  and  makes  mention  of  every  particular  saint  in  his  inter- 
cession to  his  Father :  He  is  "  the  good  shepherd,"  John  x.  14;  that 
knows  every  one  of  his  sheep  "  by  name  :"  v.  3.  Let  the  meanest 
Christian,  who  is  so  obscure  that  his  name  stands  unknown  upon 
earth,  take  comfort  and  rejoice  in  this,  that  his  name  is  well  known 
in  heaven  :  Christ  hath  often  spoken,  and  God  hath  often  heard  it. 
Yea,  though  Christ  hath  so  many  to  hear,  so  many  to  relieve  and 
gratify,  yet  let  not  the  meanest,  the  most  inconsiderable  saint  on 
earth  think  that  he  forgets  him ;  for  he  knows  him  by  name ;  and 
takes  as  much  care  and  solicitude  for  his  salvation,  as  if  there  were 
not  a  soul  in  the  world  to  save  besides  him ;  making  prayers  for 
him,  that  his  faith  fail  not,  as  Christ  said  to  St.  Peter :  and  what  is 
said  of  him  may  be  applied  in  truth  to  every  believer :  Luke 
xxii.  32. 

[3]  Christ's  intercession  consists  in  presenting  the  performances 
of  his  people  unto  God. 

All  the  duties  and  services  of  all  the  saints  on  earth  do  only 
ascend  to  God,  when  as  they  are  presented  to  him  by  Christ.  For 
he  is  that  angel,  mentioned  in  Rev.  viii.  3,  "having  a  golden  cen- 
ser, with  much  incense,  which  he  offers  up  with  the  prayers  of  all 
saints  upon  the  golden  altar,"  &c.  It  was  a  true  speech  of  him, 
John  ix.  31,  "  God  heareth  not  sinners :"  and,  therefore,  he  never 
heareth  us,  because  we  are  sinners  ;  but  he  always  heareth  his  Son, 
who  speaks  over  for  us  the  same  prayers  that  we  have  before 
spoken :  and  so  he  hears  us,  speaking  by  him ;  and  he  is  well- 
pleased  with  those  duties,  that  otherwise  would  be  an  abomination 
to  him. 

[4]  Christ  presents  to  God  as  our  services,  so  also  his  own  merits  ; 
;~nd  that  as  the  full  and  equitable  price  of  all  the  mercies  for  which 
he  intercedes. 
Vol.  II.— 24 


370  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 

For  Christ's  intercession  is  not  a  bare  be^snnsr  of  blessings,  to 
be  bestowed  gratis  upon  us ;  but  all  his  transactions  in  the  court 
of  heaven  are  in  a  way  of  satisfaction  and  purchase.  Is  sin  to  be 
pardoned  ?  lo,  here  is  the  blood  of  propitiation  and  atonement.  Is 
mercy  to  be  procured  ?  lo,  here  is  the  price  of  the  purchase.  All, 
that  we  receive  through  the  intercession  of  Christ,  is,  at  once,  both 
the  effect  of  free  grace  and  bounty,  and  yet  likewise  the  purchase 
of  all-sufficiency  and  of  a  meritorious  price.  In  respect  of  us,  all 
is  free  :  in  respect  of  Christ's  undertaking ;  without  our  preordina- 
tion, free,  as  to  performance ;  without  our  premonition,  free,  in  the 
effectual  application  of  it  to  us.  But,  though  all  this  is  free  grace, 
in  respect  of  us;  yet,  in  respect  of  Christ,  it  is  the  purchase  of  a 
full  price,  and  cost  him  the  laying  aside  of  his  own  glory,  the  ob- 
scuring himself  in  a  veil  of  flesh,  and  the  assuming  of  a  body 
to  prepare  him  for  the  work  of  our  redemption :  it  cost  him  the 
losing  of  his  life,  the  shedding  of  his  most  precious  blood  to  ac- 
complish that  redemption :  1  Cor.  vi.  20  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  23  ;  "  Ye  are 
all  bought  with  a  price,"  &c.  We  are  "not  redeemed  with  cor- 
ruptible things,  as  silver  and  gold  but  with  the  precious  blood 

of  Christ:"  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19.  Now,  as  Christ  once  offered  up  him- 
self upon  the  cross,  so  he  continually  offers  up  himself  in  inter- 
cession ;  and  presents  that  blood  to  his  Father,  that  he  formerly 
shed,  for  sinners :  and,  therefore,  it  is  remarkable,  that  where  Christ 
is  called  our  "advocate,"  he  is  called  likewise  our  "propitiation:" 
1  John  ii.  1,  2 ;  "If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the 
Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous :  And  he  is  also  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins  :"  noting  to  us,  that  the  validity  of  the  intercession 
of  Christ  consists  in  the  merits  of  his  death  and  sufferings ;  which 
price,  offered  up  as  a  propitiation  unto  God  in  his  intercession,  is 
for  the  sins  of  all  those  that  believe. 

[5]  Christ  also  presents  his  will  and  desire  to  his  Father,  in  his 
intercession:  which,  by  virtue  of  his  merits,  is  always  heard  and 
granted. 

And  this  he  doth,  not  in  a  supplicatory  manner,  but  by  author- 
ity ;  by  the  absolute  dominion,  which  he  hath  over  those  mercies 
for  which  he  intercedes:  "  Father,  I  will  that  those  whom  thou 
hast  given  me,  may  be  with  me,"  &c.  All  authority  is  given  to 
the  Son  :  John  v.  22.  Therefore  it  is  said,  Eom.  viii.  3-i,  that  he 
"  is  at  the  right-hand  of  God  making  intercession  for  us :"  which 
phrases  import,  that  all  power,  both  in  heaven  and  earth,  is  con- 
signed over  to  Christ ;  and,  therefore,  his  intercession  at  the  right- 
hand  of  God  is  an  intercession  with  authority  ;  such  an  intercession 
as  cannot,  as  shall  not  be  denied. 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  371 

So,  then,  in  these  five  particulars,  we  may  see  wherein  the  inter- 
cession of  Christ  consists:  in  presenting  his  own  person,  and  ap- 
pearing in  the  court  of  heaven  for  us ;  in  offering  up  our  duties 
and  services;  in  presenting  his  own  merits,  and  likewise  his  sover- 
eign and  uncontrolable  will  to  his  Father:  by  all  which  we  may 
rest  abundantly  secured,  that  all  the  good  things,  which  we  ask  in 
his  name  and  that  he  asks  on  our  behalf,  shall  be  certainly  conferred 
upon  us. 

So  much  for  the  first  thing  propounded,  what  the  intercession 
of  Christ  is,  and  wherein  it  doth  consist. 

li.  Let  us  consider,  according  to  the  method  proposed,  this  In- 
tercession of  Christ  IN  THE  LATITUDE  AND  EXTENT  OF  IT. 

I  shall  do  this  under  a  twofold  respect  : 

In  respect  of  the  time,  wherein  it  is  made. 

In  respect  of  the  persons,  for  whom  it  is  prevalent. 

1.  Consider  the  intercession  of  Christ,  in  respect  of  the  time. 

And  so  we  may  take  notice  too,  how  he  performed  it  before  his 
assumption  of  flesh,  and  likewise  how  it  shall  be  performed  after 
the  consummation  of  all  things  to  all  eternity. 

(1)  As  to  the  former,  observe,  that  though  it  be  most  eminently 
performed  since  the  hypostatical  union  of  both  natures  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ ;  yet  it  was  also  effectually  performed  before  his  taking 
of  our  flesh  upon  him. 

For,  as  now  Christ  intercedes  upon  the  account  of  those  suffer- 
ings, which  he  hath  undergone  in  his  body :  so  he  interceded,  and 
his  intercession  was  prevalent,  before  he  was  made  flesh ;  though 
the  merit,  which  made  that  intercession  prevalent,  was  wrought  out 
in  the  flesh.  Therefore  we  find,  in  the  Old  Testament,  Christ  inter- 
ceding before  he  was  God-Man,  actually ;  but,  as  the  Second  Person 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  he  was  afterwards  to  be  made  God-Man : 
Zech.  i.  12  ;  "  The  angel  of  the  Lord  (that  is,  Jesus  Christ)  answered 
and  said,  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  how  long  wilt  thou  not  have  mercy  on 
Jerusalem  and  on  the  cities  of  Judah,"  &c.  Yea,  the  saints  then 
alive  made  use  of  the  name  of  Christ,  in  their  prayers  to  God  the 
Father:  so  you  have  it,  Dan.  ix.  17  ;  "Now,  therefore,  0  our  God, 
hear  the  prayer  of  thy  servant,  &c,  and  cause  thy  face  to  shine  upon 
thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,  for  the  Lord's  sake."  So  that  hence 
you  see,  that  Christ's  intercession  began  in  heaven,  long  before  his 
abode  here  upon  earth :  yea,  it  was  the  very  first  part  of  the  office 
of  his  mediatorship  that  he  entered  upon :  Christ  did  nothing  as 
mediator,  till  after  the  fall :  and  the  first  thing  which  he  did  as  in 


372 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


that  relation,  was  interceding  for  fallen  man;  to  keep  him  from  death 
threatened,  and  to  restore  him  to  life  which  he  had  forfeited. 

(2)  Consider  Christ's  intercession,  not  only  as  performed  from  all 
eternity,  but  after  the  consummation  of  all  things. 

He  intercedes  for  his  Church,  not  only  while  militant  on  earth, 
but  when  triumphant  in  glory  ;  "  He  ever  liveth  to  make  interces- 
sion for  us."  Christ  is  said  to  be  "  a  priest  forever :"  Heb.  vi.  20  ; 
and  to  have  "  an  unchangeable  priesthood,"  in  the  verse  before  the 
text.  The  priesthood  of  Christ  hath  two  parts,  oblation  and  inter- 
cession :  his  oblation  was  when  he  made  his  soul  an  offering  for 
sin,  and  offered  up  himself  as  a  sacrifice  to  God  upon  the  altar  of 
the  cross :  now  this  part  of  his  priesthood  is  ceased,  Heb.  x.  14 ; 
ix.  26.  By  once  offering  up  himself  "he  hath  perfected  forever, 
them  that  are  sanctified,"  &c.  Christ  being  a  priest  forever,  and 
not  being  a  priest  any  longer  in  respect  of  his  oblation,  it  remains, 
that  the  eternity  of  his  priesthood  descends  upon  his  intercession 
only ;  and,  therefore,  his  intercession  is  eternal. 

But,  you  may  ask  me,  "  "What  need  shall  we  stand  in  of  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ, '  when  we  are  glorified  with  him ;  and  what 
then  shall  he  intercede  for  ?" 

To  this  I  answer :  The  intercession  of  Christ  is  twofold,  concilia- 
tory and  reconciliatory.  The  first  is  that,  whereby  mercy  and  all 
good  things,  both  temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal,  are  effectually 
procured  for  us,  and  bestowed  upon  us :  the  other  is  that  whereby 
pardon,  justification,  and  atonement  are  freely  conferred  upon  us. 
While  we  are  upon  the  earth,  we  stand  in  need  to  receive  the 
benefit  of  both  these  intercessions  :  for  they  are  aptly  suited  to  our 
twofold  state,  of  wants  and  miseries,  and  of  sin  and  imperfection. 
Our  wants  are  supplied,  by  his  conciliatory  intercession ;  and  our 
sins  pardoned,  by  his  reconciliatory  intercession :  and  of  both  these 
we  have  absolute  need  while  we  live  here  in  this  vale  of  tears. 
But,  accordingly  as  the  church  and  people  of  God  do  out-grow  the 
state  of  want  and  sin,  so  likewise  these  intercessions  of  Christ,  our 
High- Priest,  cease. 

[1]  Christ's  reconciliatory  intercession  ever  ceaseth  in  heaven, 
when  he  hath  gathered  together  the  number  of  his  elect  into  one : 
for  then  they  shall  all  be  in  a  full,  perfect,  and  sinless  condition. 
We  shall  then  never  more  offend  God,  never  more  be  alienated  and 
estranged  from  God  by  sin :  and,  when  we  are  possessed  of  such  a 
blessed  state  as  this,  there  shall  be  no  more  need  of  a  daysman,  to 
make  intercession  and  reconciliation  for  all  distances ;  and  enmity 
shall  be  utterly  abolished.  Therefore,  Christ's  intercession  doth 
not  last  forever,  as  to  this  part  which  is  reconciliatory. 


TO   SAVE  AND  INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  373 

[2]  As  for  his  consolatory  intercession,  whereby  be  obtains  for 
us  mercy  and  all  good  things,  that  is,  those  good  things  that  are 
either  temporal  or  spiritual,  or  that  respect  either  this  life  or  the 
future  state  of  glory  in  heaven  ;  the  former  part  of  this  intercession 
of  Christ  shall  likewise  shortly  cease,  because  this  life  itself  shall 
shortly  cease,  and  the  saints  themselves  also :  for,  when  all,  that 
have  been  translated  or  that  have  died,  shall  be  raised  to  a  better 
life,  all  the  wants  which  they  do  now  sustain,  a  want  of  grace,  or 
a  want  of  peace,  or  a  want  of  protection,  or  a  want  of  provision, 
inward  wants  or  outward  worldly  wants  or  evils,  shall  all  cease 
there :  and  therefore  the  intercession  of  Christ,  as  it  respects  the 
mercies  of  this  life,  shall  shortly  cease. 

Christ's  intercession  for  future  glory,  is  either  for  the  substance 
of  it  or  for  the  continuance  of  it. 

As  for  the  substance  of  their  glory,  Christ  intercedes  for  that 
before  he  crowns  them  with  it :  John  xvii.  24 ;  "I  will  that  those, 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  may  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me."  The  beatifical 
vision  is  the  very  glory  and  happiness  of  the  saints  in  heaven ; 
and,  when  they  are  brought  to  behold  this  glory  of  Christ,  this  in- 
tercession ceaseth. 

But,  then,  there  is  Christ's  intercession  for  the  continuance  of 
their  glory.  And  this  is  that  intercession,  which  is  everlasting  ; 
that  intercession,  which  he  ever  liveth  to  make.  As  our  Saviour 
Christ  ever  lives,  so  he  ever  makes  intercession  for  the  saints ;  that 
they  may  never  be  cut  off  from  God's  presence,  nor  fall  from  their 
happiness,  nor  forfeit  their  glorious  inheritance :  for,  in  heaven 
itself  though  we  be  there  in  a  most  perfect  and  sinless  state,  yet, 
were  it  not  for  the  intercession  of  Christ  whereby  every  moment 
he  procures  us  a  confirmation  of  that  estate,  we  should  have  no 
more  security  of  our  continuance  than  the  angels  which  fell,  who 
were  more  holy  and  happy  than  ever  we  were ;  we  should  have  no 
more  confirmation  than  Adam  had  in  paradise,  who  forfeited  his 
happiness  by  the  mutability  of  his  own  will.  Therefore,  I  say,  the 
continuance  of  the  saints  now  in  heaven  depends  upon  the  ever- 
lasting intercession  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  we  have  considered  the  extent  of  Christ's  intercession,  as 
to  the  time  wherein  he  makes  it ;  and  that,  before  his  incarnation, 
and  likewise  after  the  consummation  of  all  things. 

2.  Let  us  now  consider  the  extent  of  Christ's  intercession  as  to 
the  Persons,  for  whom  he  intercedes. 

And  that  is  for  all  his,  in  opposition  to  the  world.    We  have 


374 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 


this  plain  in  Christ's  prayer  on  earth,  which  is  the  pattern  and 
draught  of  his  intercession  in  heaven :  John  xvii.  9  ;  "  I  pray  not 
for  the  world ;  but  for  them,  which  thou  hast  given  me  out  of  the 
world."  I  pray  for  them ;  those,  that  thou  designest  shall  be 
brought  to  glory  by  my  merits.  Now,  of  these,  some  are  yet  in  a 
state  of  nature ;  disobedient,  impenitent,  unbelievers :  others  are 
in  a  state  of  grace ;  actually  converted  and  regenerated :  Christ 
intercedes  for  both :  for  these  latter  he  intercedes  throughout  the 
whole  chapter.  John  xvii.  20 ;  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone, 
but  for  all  those,  that  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word :" 
many  of  which  were  then  living,  and  received  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
intercession  in  their  effectual  vocation  and  conversion.  For  unbe- 
lievers, Christ  prays  that  they  may  obtain  grace  ;  for  believers,  that 
they  may  obtain  more  grace,  and  through  it  be  brought  to  glory. 

And  that  is  the  second  consideration  in  respect  of  the  interces- 
sion of  Christ,  as  to  the  latitude  and  extent  of  it,  both  as  to  the 
time  and  persons. 

iii.  Another  thing  propounded,  is,  to  consider,  the  intercession 

of  Christ,  IN  RESPECT  OF  THE  BENEFITS  THAT  FLOW  FROM  IT  :  and 

those  are  very  great  and  manifold  blessings,  worthy  to  be  obtained 
by  so  great  an  advocate. 

There  are  but  two  things,  wherein  the  office  of  an  advocate  pro- 
perly consists : 

To  defend  his  client  from  wrongs  and  injuries. 

To  procure  good  things  for  him. 

The  first  he  doth,  by  answering  the  accusations  and  exceptions, 
that  are  brought  against  him ;  and  the  latter  he  doth,  by  suing  out 
his  right  and  title.  Both  these  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  advo- 
cate, doth  for  us. 

1.  He  defends  us  from  those  evils,  that  our  adversaries,  by  their  ac- 
cusations, would  bring  against  us. 

As  we  are  sinners,  God's  justice,  our  own  consciences,  and  Satan's 
malice  come  in  as  our  adversaries,  and  all  lay  their  several  charges 
against  us.  Justice  calls  for  vengeance,  Conscience  thunders,  Satan 
rages,  and  all  accuse  us.  God  calls  to  the  bar.  "Sinner,  such  and 
such  a  sin  thou  art  guilty  of,  that  deserves  eternal  damnation." — 
"  True,  Lord,"  saith  Conscience  :  "  I  will  witness  the  same  against 
him,  having  warned  him  of  it  and  checked  him  for  it ;  but  he  hath 
fallen  upon  me,  and  wounded  me,  while  I,  in  tby  name,  have  given 
him  these  admonitions." — ''True,  Lord,"  saith  the  devil  too:  "All 
this  he  did  upon  my  suggestions  and  temptations,  therefore  resign 
him  over  to  me  for  punishment." 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  375 

Kow  when  the  poor  sinner  stands  mute  and  trembling,  his 
mighty  advocate  pleads  his  cause ;  and  silences  all  these  accusa- 
tions that  are  brought  against  him,  and  sets  him  right.  And  this 
he  doth  two  ways. 

(1)  He  doth  it  by  reconciling  God  and  conscience,  through  his 
own  blood. 

Which  blood,  as  it  is  the  blood  of  atonement,  so  it  reconciles 
God  and  us ;  and,  as  it  is  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  so  it  reconciles 
our  own  consciences  to  us.  As  it  is  the  blood  of  atonement,  so  we 
are  reconciled  to  God,  and  God  to  us  :  Rom.  v.  10.  We  are  "  re- 
conciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son :"  and  it  is  that  blood, 
which  "  speaketh  better  things  "  for  us  "  than  the  blood  of  Abel ;" 
for,  as  that  cries  to  God  for  vengeance,  so  this  cries  louder  for 
mercy  and  forgiveness.  As  it  is  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  so  it  re- 
conciles our  own  consciences  to  us,  and  makes  them  at  peace  with 
us:  Heb.  x.  22  ;  "Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assur- 
ance of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience, 
&c. :"  an  evil  conscience,  that  is,  an  accusing  and  an  affrighting  con- 
science :  it  is  said  to  be  sprinkled,  because  the  blood  of  Christ  must 
first  produce  purity  in  our  souls,  before  it  can  procure  any  well- 
grounded  peace.  That  is  the  first  particular,  how  Christ  defends 
us  from  the  accusations  of  our  adversaries,  by  reconciling  the  jus- 
tice of  God  and  our  own  consciences  to  us. 

(2)  Our  advocate  defends  us,  as  by  reconciling  God  and  our  own 
consciences  to  us,  so  by  stopping  the  mouth  of  the  devil,  who,  be- 
cause he  can  never  be  reconciled,  therefore  he  must  be  silenced. 

So  we  find  that  Christ  stopped  the  mouth  of  that  great  accuser, 
Zech.  iii.  2  ;  "The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  0  Satan  ;  even  the  Lord,  that 
hath  chosen  Jerusalem,  rebuke  thee,  &c."  Thus  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  his  powerful  intercession,  silenceth  all  the  accusations 
that  are  brought  against  us,  by  the  justice  of  God  and  our  own 
consciences,  reconciling  them  unto  us,  and  stopping  the  mouth  of 
our  implacable  adversary  the  devil ;  so  that  none  of  their  accusa- 
tions, though  preferred  against  us,  can  prevail  to  our  detriment  or 
disadvantage.  All  this  we  have  summarily  collected  together  in 
Rom.  viii.  33,  34 ;  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's 
elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he,  that  condemneth  ? 
It  is  Christ,  that  died ;  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even 
at  the  right-hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

This  is  the  first  great  benefit,  which  we  receive  from  the  inter- 
cession of  Christ ;  he  defends  us  from  those  evils,  which  our  ad  - 
versaries,  through  their  accusations,  endeavor  to  bring  upon  us  and 
prefer  against  us. 


376 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


2.  I  now  come  to  speak  of  those  good  things,  which,  by  Christ'1  s 
merits  wc  have  a  right  and  title  to. 

And  innumerable  are  the  benefits,  that  redound  to  believers  by 
the  intercession  of  Christ. 

If  you  inquire  what  they  are,  I  answer, 

(1)  In  general,  the  whole  work  of  our  salvation  depends,  as  well 
upon  the  life  and  intercession  of  Christ,  as  upon  his  death  and  suf- 
ferings. 

Though  this  may  seem  strange  possibly  to  those,  who  are  wont 
to  hear  our  salvation  ascribed  only  to  the  death  and  sufferings  of 
Christ ;  yet  it  evidently  appears  from  Scripture,  that  our  salvation 
and  all  the  benefits  we  are  to  receive  and  expect  do  as  much  flow 
from  the  virtues  of  his  glorious  life  and  intercession,  as  from  the 
merits  of  his  death  and  passion. 

There  are  two  things  requisite,  before  any  good  thing  can  be- 
come ours. 

A  meritorious  procurement  or  purchase  of  the  thing  itself. 

An  actual  and  effectual  application  of  it  to  us. 

Now  the  purchase  is  made  by  his  death  and  sufferings ;  but  the 
effectual  application  of  them  is  by  his  life  and  intercession.  By 
the  former,  the  mercies  are  purchased :  by  the  latter,  the  purchase 
is  enjoyed.  Therefore,  if  Christ  had  only  died,  and  not  risen  again, 
and  overcome  and  triumphed  over  death  in  his  own  empire,  and 
triumphed  over  the  grave  as  in  his  own  territories,  his  undertak- 
ings had  redounded  to  his  own  disappointment,  but  not  at  all  to  our 
salvation :  but,  herein,  saith  the  Apostle,  doth  he  declare  himself, 

"  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power  by  his  resurrection  from  the 

dead :"  Kom.  i.  4,  our  hopes  of  salvation  had  been  all  buried  in 
the  same  grave  with  him,  but  that  which  he  died  to  purchase  he 
lives  to  bestow  :  for  "he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession." 

There  was  no  one  prejudice,  that  hindered  the  gospel  so  much 
from  taking  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  heathens  in  the  primitive 
times,  as  the  death  and  cross  of  Christ ;  for  they  believed  that  he 
was  lifted  up  upon  the  cross :  but  would  not  believe,  that  he  was 
raised  from  the  grave.  Their  natural  reason  herein  taught  them 
this  inference,  that,  to  expect  life  from  Christ,  was  to  hope  for  it 
from  him,  that  could  not  preserve  his  own,  or  restore  it  again  after 
the  loss  of  it. 

It  is  true,  it  seems  to  natural  reason,  to  be  folly  thus  to  hope  for 
life  from  a  dead  person :  were  it  not  that  his  life  applied  what  his 
death  purchased  ;  and  our  salvation,  which  was  begun  on  the  cross, 
is  perfected  on  the  throne.   And  therefore  we  have  it  in  Acts  ii.  24, 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS.  377 


God  raised  him  from  the  grave,  because  it  was  impossible  that  he 
should  be  held  of  it. 

"Why  was  it  not  possible  that  Christ  should  be  held  of  the 
grave  ?"   I  answer,  upon  these  two  accounts. 

One  impossibility  was  in  regard  of  his  person  ;  another,  in  regard 
of  his  office :  for,  as  he  was  man,  so  he  abhorred  death,  and  a  sepa- 
ration from  his  body  ;  and,  as  he  was  God,  so  he  was  able  to  reunite 
them,  to  overcome  death,  and  burst  asunder  the  bars  of  the  grave : 
so  that,  as  man  having  a  desire  to  live,  and  as  God  having  power 
to  live,  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  be  detained  prisoner  in  the 
grave. 

But  this  is  not  all :  there  is  another  impossibility  in  regard  of 
his  office.  He  was  appointed  to  redeem  lost  man,  to  rescue  him 
from  eternal  death :  and  therefore  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  be 
kept  under  the  power  of  any  temporal  death,  because  this  could 
not  be  done  while  he  lay  under  a  restraint  of  the  grave  :  his  death 
would  have  been  but  a  dead  thing  to  us,  without  his  resurrection : 
it  was  his  life,  that  put  virtue  into  his  death. 

The  obedience  of  Christ  hath  a  twofold  virtue. 

As  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  offended  justice. 

As  it  is  a  purchase  of  forfeited  mercy. 

Both  these  become  benefits  to  us,  by  Christ's  life  and  interces- 
sion. 

[1]  His  satisfaction  to  offended  justice,  whereby  we  are  recon- 
ciled to  God  and  God  to  us,  that  satisfaction  which  was  purchased 
and  procured  by  his  death,  becomes  beneficial  to  us  by  his  life. 

So  we  have  it,  Eom.  v.  10  ;  "  For  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we 
were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being 
reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life."  But  the  actual  applica- 
tion of  this  is  by  his  life :  therefore  it  follows,  in  the  same  place, 
"much  more  shall  we  be  saved  by  his  life."  We  were  fully  recon- 
ciled by  his  death,  in  respect  of  merit ;  but  we  are  much  more 
reconciled  by  his  life,  in  respect  of  the  effectual  application  of  that 
merit  to  us. 

[2]  Christ  purchased  those  blessings  and  mercies,  which  we  had 
forfeited ;  and  they  are  made  effectual  and  beneficial  to  us  by  his 
life. 

There  are  three  great  and  principal  mercies,  which  Christ  pur- 
chased for  us :  justification  and  pardon,  sanctification  or  holiness, 
and  the  future  inheritance  of  life  and  glory.  These  three  become 
effectual  to  us  by  Christ's  life. 

1st.  Justification  and  the  pardon  of  our  sins  become  effectual 
and  beneficial  to  us  by  the  life  of  Christ. 


37S  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 

Rom.  iv.  25.  He  "  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised 
again  for  our  justification."  If  he  had  not  risen  from  the  dead,  he 
himself  could  not  be  justified  ;  much  less  could  we  be  justified  by 
him.  And,  therefore  saith  the  Apostle,  1  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  "And  with- 
out controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness  :  God  was  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  &c.,"  that  is, 
he  was  "manifested  in  the  flesh,"  in  his  incarnation:  he  was  "seen 
of  angels,"  in  his  glorious  ascension:  but  he  was  "justified  in  the 
Spirit,"  in  his  resurrection.  Had  he  never  been  raised  from  the  dead 
by  his  Spirit,  that  is,  by  the  almighty  power  of  the  divine  nature, 
he  had  not  been  declared  just,  nor  could  he  ever  have  justified  us. 

2dly.  Sanctification  and  holiness  is  the  powerful  effect  of  the  life 
of  Christ,  though  it  was  the  purchase  of  his  death. 

Therefore  saith  the  Apostle,  Phil.  iii.  10 ;  "  That  ye  may  know 
him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection  ;"  that  is,  that  power,  which, 
through  his  resurrection,  he  doth  apply  to  us,  and  by  which  he 
raiseth  us  up  also  to  newness  of  life.  And  this  he  calls  our  being 
"  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection  :"  Rom.  vi.  5  ; 
"  For,  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
we  shall  also  be  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurection." 

3dly.  Our  future  inheritance  of  life  and  glory,  is  likewise  ascribed 
to  the  life  of  Christ,  though  it  was  purchased  by  his  death. 

John  xiv.  19  ;  ''  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also  :"  that  is,  be- 
cause I  live  eternally  in  heaven,  ye  shall  live  eternally  in  heaven, 
also. 

So  then,  in  the  general,  you  see  that  there  is  no  benefit  redound- 
ing to  believers  by  the  death  of  Christ,  but  the  same  doth  redound 
to  them  likewise  by  the  life  of  Christ :  which  life  is  ever  employed 
in  the  work  of  intercession  :  "  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession" 
for  us.  See  what  the  Apostle  saith :  "  Whether  we  live,  we  live 
unto  the  Lord ;  and  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord  :  whether 
we  live,  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's."  It  might  happily  be 
inverted  to  us  :  Whether  the  Lord  lives,  he  lives  for  us  ;  or,  whether 
he  dies,  he  dies  for  us;  and,  whether  the  Lord  lives  or  dies,  it  is 
for  our  advantage. 

But  this  is  only  in  the  general ;  and,  therefore, 

(2)  To  come  and  descend  to  particulars :  there  are  very  many 
great  benefits,  that  do  redound  to  believers  by  the  life  and  inter- 
cession of  Christ. 

[1]  Hence  we  obtain  the  mystical  union,  by  which  we  are  united 
both  to  God  and  to  one  another. 

John  xvii.  21 ;  Christ  prays,  that  his  saints  "  may  be  all  one;  as 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOB  SINNERS.  379 

thou,  Father,  art  in  mo,  and  I  in  thee."  And  from  this  union  flows 
all  that  fellowship  and  communion,  which  they  have  either  with 
God  or  with  one  another:  their  communion  with  God  depends 
upon  their  being  united  to  him  in  the  sameness  of  spirit ;  and  their 
communion  among  themselves  depends  upon  their  mutual  union  in 
the  same  body ;  and  both  depend  upon  this  prayer  of  Christ. 

[2]  The  inestimable  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  likewise,  is  the 
benefit  of  Christ's  intercession. 

John  xvi.  7  ;  "  If  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come 
unto  you;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you:"  so,  John 
xiv.  16, 17  ;  "I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another 
Comforter,  that  he  may  be  with  you  forever."  All  the  motions, 
breathings,  evidences,  and  supports  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  you 
enjoy,  as  they  were  the  purchase  of  Christ's  death,  so  also  are  they 
benefits  obtained  by  his  life  and  intercession  for  us.  Hence  also 
was  it,  that,  in  the  first  age  of  the  Church,  there  were  those  extra- 
ordinary and  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  gifts  of 
tongues  and  healing,  &c.  Acts  iii.  33. 

[3]  Through  this  intercession,  we  have  boldness  and  confidence 
at  the  throne  of  grace. 

Heb.  iv.  14,  15  ;  "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great  High  Priest, 

that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  let  us 

therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."  Eph.  iii.  12  ;  "  In 
whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  through  the 
faith  of  him."  Who  would  not  be  encouraged  to  go  boldly  to 
God,  that  hath  an  advocate  to  plead  for  him,  that  never  yet  had  the 
least  denial  ? 

[4]  Hence,  also,  we  receive  all  our  strength  and  growth  in  grace. 

John  xvii.  17  ;  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is 
truth."  Grace,  together  with  all  the  measures  and  degrees  of  it,  is 
derived  to  us,  as  from  Christ's  fulness,  so  by  his  intercession :  it  is 
received  by  our  prayers,  and  conveyed  to  us  by  his  prayer. 

[5]  Hence  we  obtain,  likewise,  perseverance  and  continuance  in 
grace. 

John  xvii.  11 ;  "  Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name 
those  whom  thou  hast  given  me."  "I  have  prayed,"  saith  Christ 
to  Peter,  "  that  thy  faith  fail  not :"  and,  upon  this  incense  of  Christ's 
prayer,  is  built  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  in  grace. 

[6]  Hence,  likewise,  we  are  preserved  both  against  temptation ; 
and,  from  sin,  when  under  temptation. 

John  xvii.  15  ;  "I  pray  that  thou  shouldst  keep  them  from  the 


380 


THE   ALL -  SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


evil :"  that  is,  from  the  evil  of  temptation,  so  that  Satan  never  come 
near  us ;  or,  from  the  evil  to  which  he  tempts  us,  so  that  though 
he  assault  us  he  may  never  prevail :  that  we  may  be  either  free 
from  temptation,  or  at  least  victorious  over  it.  So,  Luke  x.  17. 
The  devil  is  bound  up  by  this  almighty  prayer :  and,  though  there 
be  no  saint  on  earth,  that  enjoys  perfect  freedom  either  from  sin  or 
temptations  to  sin ;  yet  these  temptations  would  be  much  more 
frequent,  and  always  prevalent  over  us,  did  not  Christ's  prayer  in- 
terpose by  mighty  force  and  strength,  and  beat  back  Satan's  fiery 
darts  that  they  cannot  reach  us,  or  rebate  their  force  and  sharpness 
that  they  cannot  hurt  us. 

[7]  From  Christ's  intercession  we,  likewise,  do  obtain  accepta- 
tion of  all  our  duties. 

He  sees  the  iniquity  of  our  holy  things,  and  cleanses  us  from 
all  the.  imperfections,  corruption,  and  sinfulness,  that  adhere  to 
them  :  even  by  that  incense,  that  he  offers  up  with  the  prayers  of 
all  the  saints,  he  makes  them  acceptable  and  a  sweet  savor  to  God 
the  Father.  Not  that  the  incense  of  the  intercession  of  Christ 
casts  a  mist  before  God,  that  he  should  not  discern  the  faults  and 
infirmities  of  our  best  services  :  yea,  he  clearly  sees  them,  and  fully 
knows  them  ;  yet  those  performances,  which  in  themselves  were 
abominable  and  sinful,  through  the  perfume  of  his  incense  become 
a  sweet  savor  to  God,  and  he  accepts  of  them  with  as  much  com- 
placency and  delight  as  he  doth  of  the  perfect  services  of  the  angels 
themselves. 

[8]  From  the  intercession  of  Christ  we  receive  the  benefit  of  the 
Spirit's  making  intercession  for  us  in  our  hearts ;  with  prayer  for 
us,  that  we,  through  the  Spirit,  may  be  enabled  to  pray  again. 

All  our  prayers  are,  indeed,  but  the  echoing  back  of  his  own 
Spirit :  Gal.  iv.  6  ;  "  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the 
Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying  Abba,  Father."  The 
Holy  Ghost  is  here  called  "the  Spirit  of  his  Son,"  because  Christ 
hath  purchased  Him  for  his  by  his  death,  and  sent  Him  into  the 
hearts  of  his  by  his  authority  and  commission. 

Thus  you  see  there  are  sundry  great  benefits  and  privileges, 
which  we  receive  by  the  life  and  intercession  of  Christ  in  heaven. 

But  you  may  say,  "  Doth  Christ's  intercession  always  prevail  ? 
Is  he  never  denied  ?  And  may  we  be  certain  to  obtain  all  these 
benefits  by  him  ?" 

I  answer,  we  may  :  and  this  certainty  is  grounded  upon  three 
things. 

First.  In  that  the  Father  always  hears  and  grants  him  all  his 


TO    SAVE   AND  INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS. 


381 


desires:  John  xi.  41,  42 ;  "I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always." 
lie  is  the  well-beloved  Son  of  God  ;  and,  therefore,  as  we  are  bid 
by  that  heavenly  voice,  Mat.  xvii.  5,  to  hear  him,  in  all  his  com- 
mands; so  will  his  Father  hear  him,  in  all  his  requests. 

Secondly.  The  Father  himself  loves  us ;  and  is  willing  and 
ready  to  give  forth  those  good  things  to  us,  of  which  we  stand  in 

need.    So  we  have  it,  John  xvi.  26,  27;  "I  say  not  that  I  will 

pray  the  Father  for  you :"  you  may  be  fully  assured  I  will ;  and, 

therefore,  whatsoever  I  ask  shall  be  granted :  "  for  the  Father  

loveth  you,"  and  will  deny  me  no  request  that  is  for  your  good. 

Thirdly.  That  all  these  benefits  are  at  the  command  and  disposal 
of  Christ  himself :  and,  therefore,  as  he  intercedes  that  these  bene- 
fits may  be  bestowed  upon  us,  so  he  himself  will  bestow  them  ;  for 
they  are  at  his  command,  and  under  his  authority :  Mat.  xxviii. 
18 ;  "  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth :"  and 
therefore  all  these  things  shall  certainly  be  conferred  upon  you  in 
due  time  and  order,  through  the  prevalence  of  the  intercession  of 
Christ. 

Thus  I  have  cursorily  run  over  these  things,  which  might  have 
been  much  dilated  upon,  because  I  will  hasten  to  that  which  is 
more  practical. 

Thus  much  for  that  position,  That  Christ  "  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  us." 

II.  The  next  thing,  that  remains  to  be  treated  of,  is  the  infer- 
ence deduced  and  drawn  from  the  position  :  Therefore,  "  he  is  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  those  that  come  unto  God  by  him  :"  from 
which  I  shall  handle  CHRIST'S  ALL-SUFFICIENCY"  TO 
SAVE  ;  and,  therein,  labor  to  set  forth  the  freeness  and  fulness  of 
divine  grace  in  the  salvation  of  sinners. 

In  order  whereunto  I  have  already  showed  you,  that  Christ  was 
made  thus  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  by  the  Father's  designation, 
and  his  own  voluntary  susception ;  by  the  capacity  of  his  human 
nature,  fitting  him  to  receive  wrath ;  by  the  power  of  the  divine 
nature,  enabling  him  to  reluctate  it ;  and  by  an  immeasurable  unc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  furnishing  him  with  all  endowments  re- 
quisite to  perfect  our  redemption. 

Christ,  being  thus  every  way  qualified  for  this  great  work,  is 
made  all-sufficient  to  save;  and  his  all-sufficiency  to  save  will 
appear  in  these  following  particulars. 


382 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 


i.  IN  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  NUMBER  AND  THE  HEINOUSNESS 
OK  THE  NATURE  OF  THOSE  SINS,  FROM  WHICH  HE  IS  ABLE  TC 
DELIVER. 

Though  your  sins  be  as  many  as  the  sands,  and  as' great  as  the 
mountains,  swelled  up  with  fearful  aggravations  that  make  them 
out  of  measure  sinful ;  yet  he  can  say  to  the  mountains,  "  Be  re- 
moved, and  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea,"  even  the  red  sea  of 
his  own  blood ;  and  it  shall  be  done.  This  was  prefigured  by  the 
scape-goat,  Lev.  xvi.  21,  upon  which  the  iniquities  of  all  the  child- 
ren of  Israel  were  laid,  that  he  might  carry  them  into  the  land  of 
forgetfulness.  And,  as  the  scape-goat,  so  the  paschal-lamb  repre- 
sented Christ,  and  his  all-sufficiency  to  save :  and  therefore  we 
have  that  speech  of  John  the  Baptist,  John  i.  29 ;  "Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Yea, 
this  was  alluded  to  by  the  imposition  of  his  name :  Mat.  i.  21 ; 
"  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus  :  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
their  sins." 

There  are  two  things  in  sin,  from  which  we  stand  in  need  to  be 
saved. 

From  its  pollution ;  which,  of  itself,  is  enough  to  exclude  us  from 
heaven,  into  which  no  unclean  thing  shall  ever  enter. 

From  its  condemnation ;  by  which  we  are  excluded  from  heaven, 
and  adjudged  to  hell. 

From  both  these,  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  very  uttermost. 

1.  Christ  is  able  to  save  you  from  the  pollution  and  defilement  of 
your  foulest  lusts  and  sins ;  and  that,  "by  the  washing  of  regenera- 
tion, and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost :"  Tit.  iii.  5. 

Those  spots  of  defilement,  that  have  so  polluted  and  stained  your  ' 
consciences,  that  no  tears,  though  your  eyes  were  turned  into  ever- 
running  streams,  would  ever  be  able  to  wash  out,  yet  the  sprink- 
ling of  the  blood  of  Christ  can.  It  can  purge  the  heart  and  con- 
science "  from  dead  works :"  Heb.  ix.  14,  and  change  the  scarlet 
and  crimson  complexion  of  it  into  whiteness  and  purity.  There 
is  no  sinner  here  this  day,  though  his  heart  be  as  foul  and  black 
as  hell,  though  his  life  swarm  with  abominable  lusts  of  all  sorts, 
3*et,  Christ,  by  his  Almighty  Spirit  and  efficacious  grace,  can  in  an 
instant  transform  and  new  mould  him ;  and,  of  a  desperate  and 
outrageous  sinner,  make  him  an  humble  and  broken-hearted  saint. 
See  that  black  catalogue,  1  Cor.  vi.  9 — 11;  "Be  not  deceived: 

neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers  nor  thieves  nor 

•         drunkards  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."    What  saith  the 

Apostle  concerning  such  ?    "  Such  were  some  of  you  :"  why,  is  it 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE    FOB   SINNERS.  383 

possible  that  grace  should  change,  or  mercy  pardon,  or  the  devil 
lose  such  great  sinners  as  these  are?  .Yet,  "such  were  some  of 

you :  hut  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified  in  the  name  of  the 

Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God." 

Yea,  and  this  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  to  save  and  sanctify  the 
vilest  and  most  flagitious  sinner,  is  made  more  eminently  glorious 
in  these  particulars. 

(1)  In  that  he  is  able  to  effect  this  mighty  change  in  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  without  waiting  upon  the  methods  of 
previous  preparations  or  dispositions. 

The  Spirit  doth  not  always  stand  knocking  by  common  motions, 
persuasions,  and  convictions,  and  legal  terrors :  but,  sometimes, 
forceth  and  breaketh  open  the  heart ;  and,  by  his  irresistible  effi- 
cacy, suddenly  surpriseth  the  soul,  and  seizeth  on  it,  and  captivateth 
it  to  the  obedience  of  the  Lord  Christ.  As,  at  mid-day,  when  we 
remove  the  shutters  of  our  windows,  light  doth  not  enter  in  by 
degrees,  first  dawning  and  darting  in  some  weak  beams  of  light,  and 
then  some  further  degrees ;  but  it  springs  in  at  once,  and  at  one 
moment,  irradiates  and  enlightens  the  room  with  a  perfect  and  full- 
grown  brightness :  so,  sometimes,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  doth 
arise  upon  the  heart,  without  the  circumstances  of  a  dawning; 
though  this  is  not,  indeed,  God's  usual  method  in  converting  sin- 
ners. Nay,  sometimes,  it  darts  both  light  and  warmth,  at  once, 
through  the  whole  heart;  by  which  our  Almighty  Saviour  can,  in 
a  moment,  work  a  greater  change  by  far,  than  God  wrought  in  all 
the  six  days'  creation  .  he  can,  at  once,  melt  down  the  hard  heart 
and  subdue  the  stubborn  will,  tame  headstrong  passions  and  violent 
affections,  and  demolish  the  strong-holds  of  iniquity  that  have 
many  years  been  fortifying  against  him  :  he  can  both  wound  and 
heal,  kill  and*  make  alive,  destroy  sin  and  plant  grace  ;  and  that, 
with  such  dispatch,  as  can  prevent,  not  only  the  endeavors,  but  the 
observation  of  a  sinner. 

(2)  The  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  to  save  and  sanctify  appears  in 
this  also,  that  sometimes  he  works  this  mighty  change  at  such  an 
unlikely  season  ;  when  the  sinner  is  the  hottest  and  the  most  eager 
in  the  prosecution  of  his  lust. 

It  is  easy  to  show,  by  some  remarkable  instances,  what  he  is 
able  to  do,  by  converting  a  sinner  to  himself,  not  only  without 
preparations  to  assist  him,  but  against  the  strongest  preparations 
that  the  sinner  and  the  devil  have  made  to  resist  him.  Some  have 
been  surprised  by  grace  in  the  very  act  of  sin,  that  might  have 
provoked  justice  to  have  damned  them :  mercy  hath  made  it  an 


384  THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 

opportunity  for  their  salvation :  some  circumstances  in  their  sin 
have  proved  to  be  the  beginning  of  their  conversion.  Thus  St. 
Paul,  in  the  midst  of  his  threatening,  in  the  height  and  heat  of  his 
persecutions,  when  he  was  going  to  Damascus,  to  hale  and  impri- 
son those  that  made  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ,  was,  by  the 
almighty  grace  of  Christ,  turned  to  be  an  apostle.  And  so,  in  Isa. 
lvii.  18.  Notwithstanding  that  he  goes  on  to  add  sin  to  sin  and 
iniquity  to  iniquity,  "  I  have  seen  his  ways,"  saith  God,  "  and  I 
will  heal  him :"  by  my  efficacious  and  Almighty  grace  breaking 
in  upon  him  in  a  moment. 

(3)  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  sanctify  and  save  a  sinner  appears 
to  be  eminently  glorious,  in  that  he  is  able  to  work  this  great  and 
mighty  change  by  such  contemptible  means,  as,  to  the  eye  of  hu- 
man reason,  is  altogether  insufficient  to  achieve  it ;  and  that  is,  by 
the  preaching  of  the  word. 

Should  God  himself  speak  out  of  heaven  in  thunder ;  should  we 
hear  the  voice  of  his  terrible  majesty  in  the  clouds,  "Eepent, 
repent,  or  eternally  perish ;"  should  some  angel,  that  is  now  mi- 
nistering among  us,  make  himself  visible,  and  from  this  place 
denounce  wrath  and  vengeance  against  impenitent  sinners,  and 
promise  peace  and  pardon  to  all  that  shall  believe,  repent,  and  re- 
form their  lives ;  should  some  damned  wretch  be  released  out  of 
hell,  and  sent  hither  on  purpose  to  warn  you  to  repent,  or  for  ever 
to  be  swallowed  up  in  fiery  wrath,  if  you  should  see  him  speaking 
flames  at  every  word,  this  were  a  likely  course  to  move  you :  for 
who  would  be  so  senseless  and  obdurate,  as  not  to  be  convinced  at 
such  a  sermon  as  this  ?  But  know,  that  God  hath  committed  the 
word  of  reconciliation  not  unto  them,  but  unto  us,  "  earthen  ves- 
sels "  as  we  are.  And  yet,  alas !  what  can  we  do  ?  we  can  but 
stammer  out  a  few  words,  that  are  soon  lost,  that  are  soon  scat- 
tered :  we  can  but  reprove  men  for  their  sins,  threaten  them  with 
wrath,  admonish  them  to  fly  to  Jesus  Christ  for  his  righteousness, 
and  beseech  them  through  him  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  Now, 
that  this  should  be  of  such  force  as  to  persuade  conscience,  to  break 
the  heart,  to  ransack  the  bowels,  even  of  those  very  sinners,  who 
perhaps  came  with  prejudices,  contempt,  and  scorn ;  what  is  this, 
but  a  plain  and  evident  demonstration  of  the  almighty  power  of 
God,  who,  "by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  saveth  those  that  do 
believe ;"  thereby  convincing  the  world  that  there  is  nothing  so 
weak  and  contemptible,  but  God  can  by  it  bring  to  pass  things 
wonderful  and  miraculous. 

That  is  the  first  thing,  whereby  it  doth  appear,  that  Christ  is 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS.  385 

all-sufficient  to  save  sinners :  the  greatness  of  the  number,  the 
heinousness  of  the  nature,  and  the  pollution  of  those  sins,  from 
which  he  is  able  to  deliver;  as  I  have  showed  in  these  three  par- 
ticulars. 

2.  Christ  is  able  to  save,  not  only  from  the  pollution  of  the 
foulest,  bvA  from  the  guilt  and  condemnation  of  the  greatest  sins  ;  and 
that,  by  a  free  pardon  and  remission  of  them. 

What  greater  sins  than  blasji>hemy  and  persecution  ?  yet,  saith 
St.  Paul  concerning  himself,  1  Tim.  i.  13;  "I  was  before  a  blas- 
phemer, and  a  persecutor  but  I  obtained  mercy."  Therefore,  we 

cannot  say  with  Cain,  as  the  marginal  note  renders  it,  "  My  iniquity 
is  greater  than  can  be  forgiven :"  I  have  out-sinned  mercy ;  and 
there  is  nothing  remains  for  me,  but  the  fearful  expectation  of  the 
fiery  indignation,  which  will  certainly  devour  me."  Is  not  that 
blood  of  infinite  value,  which  God  shed  for  thee  ?  Hath  not  this 
all-sufficient  Saviour  borne  the  whole  wrath  which  thou  shouldst 
have  borne  ?  Hath  he  not  "  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light 
and  wilt  thou  be  so  injurious  as  to  think  thy  sins  more  vile,  than 
his  blood  is  precious  ?  or,  that  there  is  more  venom  in  them  to  de- 
stroy thee,  than  there  is  virtue  in  his  blood  to  save  thee  ?  Let  not 
the  devil  persuade  thee,  before  the  commission  of  thy  sins,  that 
they  are  so  little,  that  they  need  no  pardon ;  nor,  after  the  commis- 
sion of  them,  that  they  are  so  heinous,  that  they  cannot  be  par- 
doned. Man  is  in  nothing  more  provoking  to  God,  than  when  he 
believes  that  his  sins  cannot  be  pardoned. 

There  are  but  two  sins  which  are  unpardonable.  The  one,  is  the 
dreadful  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  the  other  is  final  unbe- 
lief. Final  unbelief  cannot  be  pardoned,  because  the  death  of 
Christ,  by  which  all  pardon  is  obtained,  can  be  applied  to  the  soul 
by  no  other  means  than  faith.  The  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
cannot  be  pardoned,  because  it  is  a  malicious  rejection  of  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  all  pardon  by  it. 

Hast  thou  reason  to  think  thyself  guilty  of  either  of  these  sins  ? 

Thou  canst  not  say  thou  art  guilty  of  final  unbelief;  for  that 
cannot  be,  until  the  last  moment  of  thy  life. 

But  that,  which  most  of  all  troubles  the  despairing  soul,  is,  lest 
it  hath  committed  the  unpardonable  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  this  many  are  afflicted  with ;  this  they  fear ;  and  so,  in  the 
extreme  anguish  and  horror  of  their  souls,  they  cry  out  that  they 
are  lost,  that  they  are  damned,  that  there  is  no  hope,  no  pardon  for 
them.  If  it  be  so  indeed,  that  there  is  no  pardon  for  thee;  yet 
this  outcry  confutes  itself:  for  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is,. 
Vol.  II.— 25 


386 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST. 


of  all  others,  the  least  jealous  and  suspicious.  I  am  persuaded, 
that  the  consideration  of  the  nature  of  this  sin  will  persuade  us 
that  there  is  no  man  guilty  of  it,  but  he,  that  is  also  given  up  by 
God  to  a  reprobate  mind  and  a  seared  conscience,  and  so  grown 
quite  past  feeling  as  never  to  complain  of  his  miserable  condition. 

Thy  very  troubles,  therefore,  thy  very  despairing  thoughts,  show 
that  thou  hast  no  reason  to  despair,  and  that  thy  sins  are  not  un- 
pardonable :  and,  therefore,  be  what  they  will,  the  deformity  of 
them  never  so  ugly,  the  guilt  of  them  as  ghastly  as  thy  guilty  con- 
science represents  them,  yet  there  is  an  all-sufficiency  in  Christ 
to  save  thee  fully. 

Is  it  the  numberless  number  of  them,  that  affrights  thee  ? 
Were  they  yet  more,  Christ  can  save  thee  from  them  :  1  John  i.  7 ; 
"The  blood  of.....Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  Dost  thou  com- 
plain,© soul,  that  thy  sins  are  as  many  in  number  as  the  sand  upon 
the  seashore  ?  yea,  but  dost  thou  not  know  likewise,  that  the  sea 
can  cover  the  sands  ?  so  the  overflowing  blood  of  Christ  can  reach 
the  uttermost  borders  and  extent  of  all  thy  sins ;  and  keep  them 
from  the  sight  of  God,  that  they  shall  never  more  appear. 

Is  it  the  greatness  and  the  heinous  nature  of  thy  sins,  that  afflict 
thee  ?  Possibly  thou  mightst  think  I  flatter  thee,  to  tell  thee  thou 
shouldst  gather  ground  of  hope  rather  than  of  despair :  for  thou 
hast  now  a  plea  for  pardon.  See  how  the  prophet  David  urgeth 
this  as  an  argument  with  God,  for  the  forgiveness  of  them :  "  For 
thy  name's  sake,  0  Lord,  pardon  mine  iniquity:"  why?  It  may 
be  they  are  so  great,  that  they  cannot  in  justice  be  pardoned :  Yea, 
"0  Lord,  pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great."  It  is  a  very  strange 
argument,  one  would  think,  thus  to  plead  with  men :  "Pray  pardon 
me,  because  I  have  done  you  a  great  injury :"  and  yet,  with  God, 
whose  thoughts  are  not  as  the  thoughts  of  men,  and  whose  ways 
are  not  as  the  ways  of  men,  this  strange  argument  is  very  forcible 
and  prevalent :  "  Lord,  pardon  me,  because  I  have  sinned  greatly :" 
thou  speakcst  more  reason  by  far,  than  if  thou  shouldst  say,  thy 
sins  are  great  and  heinous,  and  therefore  there  is  no  hope  of  pardon 
for  them. 

3.  Now  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  save  the  greatest  anil  the  worst  of 
sinners  appears  in  these  following  2~>articulars. 

(1)  In  that  he  is  able  to  save  the  oldest  and  most  accustomed  sin- 
ner ;  and  to  make  the  last  hour  of  his  life  the  first  of  his  eternal 
happiness. 

And,  in  this,  if  in  any  thing,  the  Almighty  power  of  Christ  to 
save  is  made  most  wonderfully  glorious.    When  an  old  sinner, 


TO    SAVE    AND    INTERCEDE    FOR  SINNERS. 


387 


that  hath  trudged  on  apace  to  destruction,  and  hath  arrived  even 
at  the  very  brink  of  hell,  when  there  were  but  a  few  steps  between 
him  and  eternal  death,  nay  when  he  stuck  there,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  recover  him,  for  Christ  then  to  give  him  a  lift  over  that 
vast  gulf,  and  then  give  him  another  lift  over  to  everlasting  life, 
what  can  be  said  in  this  case,  but  what  the  Psalmist  saith  in  Ps. 
lxxxix.  13,  "  Thou  hast  a  mighty  arm  :  strong  is  thy  hand?"  Such  a  , 
man's  condition  is  very  sad  and  dangerous :  and,  if  anything  were 
too  hard  for  all-sufficiency  to  achieve,  it  were  altogether  desperate. 

Now  there  are  several  things,  which  advance  the  power  of  Christ 
in  saving  old  sinners.  As, 

[1]  That  the  devil's  possession  of  an  old,  overgrown  sinner  is 
mightily  confirmed  both  in  strength  and  title. 

In  strength ;  in  that  he  hath  had  time  to  fortify  every  strong- 
hold of  iniquity,  and  to  make  them  impregnable.  In  title  ;  because, 
through  long  possession,  the  devil  pleads  right  by  prescription, 
and  time  out  of  mind  over  the  soul,  so  that  it  seems  almost  a  vain 
attempt  to  rescue  that  soul  from  sin  :  and,  though  all  things  were 
made  by  and  for  God,  yet  here  you  see  God's  title  seems  as  it  were 
to  fail,  and  the  devil's  takes  place ;  for,  by  a  long  custom  in  sin, 
such  outstand  the  offers  of  grace,  abuse  the  patience  of  God,  and 
provoke  him  to  give  them  up  judicially  to  hardness  of  heart';  by 
long  delay,  they  more  strengthen  the  devil's  title,  and  make  their 
salvation  the  more  difficult  and  hazardous. 

[2]  Old  sinners  are  so  soaked  and  drenched  in  the  cares  and 
concernments  of  this  world,  that,  by  a  strange  sottishness,  the 
nearer  they  approach  to  the  evil  day,  the  further  they  put  it  off 
from  them  ;  never  thinking  of  eternity,  until  they  are  irrecoverably 
swallowed  up  in  it. 

As  those,  that  work  in  deep  mines,  see  not  the  sun,  and  know 
not  how  the  day  passeth  away  :  so  those  earth-worms,  that  toil  and 
drudge  to  load  themselves  with  thick  clay  out  of  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  never  consider  how  far  their  day  is  spent,  nor  how  near 
their  sun  is  to  setting:  never  consider  once  how  the  day  goes  over 
their  heads,  but  still  work  deeper  and  deeper  till  they  have  opened 
a  passage  through  earth  into  hell,  into  which  at  last  they  fall  head- 
long. 

[3]  Old  sinners  have  long  built  up  and  supported  themselves 
with  false  and  flattering  hopes. 

Either  presumptuous  conceits  of  God's  mercy,  or  proud  conceits 
of  their  own  merits,  or  some  such  rotten  principle  or  other :  and, 
because,  with  these,  they  have  worn  out  many  storms  of  conscience 


388  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY  OF  CHRIST 


and  many  powerful  convictions,  they  will  not  forsake  their  hopes, 
nor  let  go  their  vain  confidence ;  but  cry  out  peace,  peace  to  them- 
selves, till  they  and  their  hopes  perish  together. 

[4]  By  a  long  course  of  sinning  incorrigibly,  they  have  wearied 
out  Divine  patience,  and  all  the  strivings  of  the  Blessed  Spirit  of 
God ;  till,  at  last,  they  have  provoked  the  Lord  to  pronounce  a 
,  curse  and  a  judicial  hardness  upon  these  old  sinners. 

And,  because  they  would  not  be  purged  when  he  would  have 
purged  them,  therefore  they  shall  never  be  purged  from  their  ini- 
quities, till  wrath  seizes  upon  them,  and  seals  them,  and  sets  them 
aside  for  the  devil. 

The  condition,  therefore,  of  old  sinners  is  very  dangerous  and 
deplorable,  and  very  seldom  are  such  converted  and  saved. 

But,  yet,  this  is  not  the  cause:  the  oldness  or  customariness  of 
their  sins  makes  them  not  unpardonable,  nor  sets  them  out  of  the 
reach  of  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  save:  but,  because  they  are  so 
rough  and  stubborn,  that  they  will  not  come  to  God  through  Christ, 
that  they  may  be  saved  by  him.  Yet,  notwithstanding  their  case 
is  thus  forlorn  and  desperate,  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  may  be 
extended  unto  such  as  these,  to  bring  them  to  salvation,  and  to 
cure  and  heal  them,  and  save  them  from  those  sins  that  would 
deprive  them  of  it. 

Poor  sinners!  did  you  never  read  that  Christ  stanched  an  issue 
of  blood  that  had  run  twelve  years  ?  Mark  v.  25 ;  and  how  he 
straightened  a  woman  that  was  bowed  together  eighteen  years? 
yea,  how  he  healed  an  impotent  man,  that  had  an  infirmity  thirty- 
eight  years?  John  v.  5.  And  shall  a  miracle  of  power  be  able  to 
cure  an  old  disease,  and  not  a  miracle  of  grace  be  able  .to  cure  an 
old  sinner  ?  Though  your  bloody  issue  of  sin  bath  run  long ; 
though  you  have  lain  bound  under  sin  not  seventeen  or  eighteen, 
but  perhaps  eighty  years  ;  yet  come,  though  it  be  in  the  last  hour 
of  the  day.  Though  your  sins  are  as  old,  yet  they  are  not  so  old 
as  those  mercies  that  are  everlasting.  You  are  not  too  old  for 
grace,  nor  too  old  to  be  new-born.  Lazarus  riseth  again,  though 
he  had  lain  four  days  in  the  grave ;  and  the  same  hand,  that  raised 
him  can  raise  you  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  though  you  have 
lajn  there  not  four  days,  but  fourscore  years,  dead  in  sin  and  tres- 
passes. The  thief  on  the  cross,  Christ  saved,  not  many  hours  before 
his  death :  as  though  Christ  would  show  the  world,  by  this  exam- 
ple what  he  can  do  in  a  desperate  case.  And  could  he  thus  save, 
when  he  suffered ;  and  cannot  he  much  more  save,  now  he  is  glo- 
rified and  triumphant  ?    Old  houses,  many  times,  are  repaired  and 


TO    SAVE   AND    INTERCEDE    FOR    SINNERS.  389 


made  meet  habitations  again:  so  you,  though  you  have  been  an 
old  tenement  for  the  devil,  may  be  so  repaired  by  grace  as  to  be- 
come a  temple  for  the  Holy  Ghost.  Be  persuaded,  therefore,  yet  at 
length  to  accept  of  the  tenders  of  an  all-sufficient  Saviour.  Your 
day  is  almost  spent,  and  your  life  stands  upon  the  brink  of  the 
grave:  if  you  now  neglect  so  great  salvation,  as  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  the  Gospel  proffers  to  you,  your  death  may  be  so  soon  as  to  pre- 
vent another  offer  of  him  to  you ;  but  it  shall  not,  nay  it  cannot 
be  so  soon,  as  to  prevent  salvation  by  Christ,  if  you  accept  of  this 
offer. 

(2)  Christ  is  able  to  save  those,  who  have  frequently  relapsed  into 
the  commission  of  the  same  sin. 

This  is  that,  I  know,  which  galls  and  stings  the  consciences  of 
many  sinners.  It  is  not  so  much  the  multitude  of  their  sins  that 
affrights  them,  as  the  frequent  commission  of  the  same  sins.  "  Oh," 
saith  one  :  "I  am  guilty  of  reiterated  and  oft-repeated  sins.  I  have 
committed  the  same  sin,  again  and  again ;  notwithstanding  I  have 
been  convinced  of  it ;  notwithstanding  I  have  prayed,  resolved  and 
vowed  against  it.  Notwithstanding  all  the  convictions  and  over- 
tures which  I  have  had,  and  notwithstanding  all  the  resolutions 
which  I  have  made,  I  have  again  relapsed  into  the  same  sins ;  and 
those,  not  of  ordinary  infirmity  and  human  frailty,  but  sins  of  a 
gross  and  scandalous  nature.    And  are  such  sins  pardonable  ?" 

I  answer:  These  relapses,  although  they  are  very  dangerous,  yet 
they  are  not  altogether  incurable.  It  is  hard,  to  soften  a  heart,  that 
is  treacherous  to  God  and  to  itself,  and  very  deeply  engaged  in  some 
particular  lust ;  when  we  are  frequently  overcome  by  the  same 
corruption,  by  the  same  temptation ,  but,  yet,  this  is  not  such  an 
aggravation,  as  should  leave  our  sins  unpardonable,  or  us  desperate. 
The  Jews,  indeed,  have  a  tradition  among  them,  that  the  fourth  re- 
lapse into  the  same  sin  makes  it  an  unpardonable  offence ;  but  we 
know  that  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  infinite  merit  of  Christ,  are 
not  stinted  by  any  number  of  sins,  nor  by  any  number  of  the  same 
sins.  It  is  not  with  us  as  with  drowning  men,  that  if  they  sink 
the  fourth  time  they  never  rise  again.  Certainly,  that  Christ,  who 
bids  us  to  forgive  our  brother,  though  he  should  offend  us  to 
"seventy  time  seven"  offences,  and  hath  not  excepted  reiterated 
provocations,  will,  upon  our  repentance,  so  much  oftener  forgive 
us,  as  his  great  mercy  is  above  our  charity.  Though  we  have 
committed  those  sins  and  provocations  against  himself;  though  it 
be  matter  of  bitter  and  deep  humiliation,  that  any  corruption  should 
be  so  prevalent  as  frequently  to  overcome  us,  and  that  notwith- 


390 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIEXCY   OF  CHRIST 


standing  conviction,  contrition,  and  heart-breaking  confession : 
yet  it  is  no  cause  of  despair  of  mercy.  The  grace  of  Christ  can 
subdue  such  rooted  sinners  as  these.  And  what  sins  soever  the 
grace  of  Christ  can  subdue,  the  mercy  of  God  can  pardon. 

(3)  Christ  can  save  the  profoundest  and  most  notorious  bach- 
slider. 

And  backsliding  is  the  greatest  obstruction  to  a  sinner's  hope. 
This  is  that,  which  fills  him  with  fears  and  terrors :  "  Oh,  I  have 
been  guilty  of  apostacy.  I  have  1  tasted'  of  the  sweetness  '  of  the 
heavenly  gift,  and  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come :'  yet  I  have 
fallen  back  to  my  carnal  temper,  from  the  holy  ways  of  God ;  and 
have  again  backslided  and  wallowed  in  my  former  pollutions,  from 
which  I  seemed  sometimes  to  be  cleansed  and  refined.  And  is  this 
apostacy  pardonable?" 

I  answer :  There  is  indeed  an  unpardonable  apostac}7,  described 
in  that  dreadful  place,  Heb.  vi.  4,  6 ;  it  is  impossible  for  such  a  one 
to  be  renewed  by  repentance,  &c. :  this  is  the  same  with  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  this  no  man  is  guilty  of,  but  he,  that 
hath  cast  off  all  means  tending  to  salvation  and  eternal  life,  and  all 
desires  after  it.  There  is  also  an  apostacy  from  great  attainments, 
both  of  gifts  and  graces :  when  a  man's  zeal  to  God's  glory  cools, 
when  his  vigor  in  holy  duties  faints,  when  his  relish  to  spiritual 
objects  vitiates,  and  he  returns  to  a  lukewarm  and  indifferent  tem- 
per, and  it  may  be  to  a  sinful  and  wicked  life  :  though  this  be  very 
sad  and  dreadful,  yet  the  man  is  both  pardonable  and  recoverable  : 
see  that  most  comfortable  place,  Jer.  iii.  22 ;  "  Eeturn,  ye  back- 
sliding children,  and  I  will  heal  your  backslidings.  Behold,  we 
come  unto  thee :  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God." 

I  shall  not  instance  any  other  aggravations,  which  make  sin  out 
of  measure  sinful,  and  make  the  sinner  out  of  measure  dangerous ; 
since,  if  the  old  sinner,  if  the  relapsing,  if  the  apostatizing  sinner 
be  pardonable  and  salvable,  none  then  have  reason  to  exclude 
themselves  from  the  hopes  of  eternal  life. 

Indeed,  the  only  danger  is,  lest  the  wickedness  of  men  abuse  this 
most  comfortable  doctrine ;  and  turn  that  into  presumption,  which 
is  only  intended  to  arm  them  against  despair. 

Indeed,  both  presumption  and  despair  do  tend,  in  divers  manners, 
to  enrage  and  harden  men  in  sin. 

The  despairing  person  judgeth,  "  If  I  must  not  be  saved,  if  my 
sins  are  such  as  that  there  is  no  pardon  for  them,  to  what  purpose 
do  I  then  live  strictly,  and  vex,  and  cross  myself,  and  perplex  my 
life?    I  will  let  loose  the  reins,  and  enjoy  myself;  and  reap  as 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS. 


391 


great  a  crop  as  I  can  of  pleasure :  and,  if  I  must  go  to  hell,  I  will 
make  the  way  as  delightful  as  I  can." 

And  the  argument,  on  the  other  side,  that  encourageth  and  har- 
deneth  the  presumptuous  sinner,  is  this :  "  Christ  is  able  to  save  to 
the  uttermost  the  vilest  sinners.  We  hear  no  sins  are  beyond  his 
all-sufficiency  to  save  :  therefore,"  say  they,  "what  need  we  trouble 
ourselves  to  repent  and  reform  ?  We  will  yet  awhile  indulge  our- 
selves in  sin  :  for  the  efficacy  of  Christ  is  as  able  to  save  in  the  last 
moment  of  our  lives,  as  after  many  years'  preparations." 

We  see  iniquity  everywhere  fearfully  abounding :  and,  though 
we  use  to  say  despair  kills  its  thousands,  and  presumption  its  ten 
thousands ;  yet,  if  we  narrowly  consider,  possibly  it  may  be  found 
that  this  kind  of  despair  in  men,  arising  from  sloth  and  careless- 
ness, is  as  great  a  source  of  impiety  as  presumption.  Whence  else 
is  it,  that  many,  who  are  convinced,  and  whose  consciences  are 
blackened  with  the  sense  of  wrath,  persist  still  to  add  iniquity  to 
iniquity ;  but  because  they  think  that  there  is  no  salvation  for  them, 
that  their  doom  is  fixed,  and  that  their  state  is  determined  ?  and, 
therefore,  since  they  must  pay  so  dear  as  eternal  damnation,  they 
are  resolved  to  make  up  their  pennyworths  in  their  present  plea- 
sures of  sin :  like  those  in  Jer.  xviii.  12  ;  "And  they  said,  There  is 
no  hope :  but  we  will  walk  after  our  own  devices,  and  we  will  every 
one  do  the  imagination  of  his  evil  heart."  I  should  judge  it  one 
of  the  most  conducible  means  to  promote  men's  endeavors  after 
godliness,  if  I  could  but  bring  them  to  a  serious  and  settled  belief 
that  their  salvation  is  attainable :  for,  certainly,  so  good  a  thing  as 
salvation  is,  cannot  but  stir  up  affections  and  industry  proportion- 
able to  our  apprehensions  of  the  valuableness  of  it. 

Hence,  then,  to  tell  men  what  great  sins  Christ  can  pardon,  what 
great  sinners  he  can  save,  is  no  encouragement  to  presumption,  but 
rather  to  the  exercise  of  holiness:  for,  since  the  way  to  heaven  is 
cleared  from  impossibilities,  it  is  most  unreasonable  for  men  to  stick 
at  difficulties.  But,  if  any  abuse  this  doctrine  of  Christ's  all-suffi- 
ciency to  save  the  greatest  sinners  to  sloth  and  tha  support  of  their 
wickedness  ;  promising  themselves  peace  and  happiness  in  the  end, 
though  they  go  on  in  sin  presumptuously,  adding  iniquity  to  ini- 
quity ;  let  me  only  tell  them,  and  it  will  be  enough  to  damp  all 
their  vain  hopes,  that,  though  Christ  be  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most, yet  he  is  not  able  to  save  them  in  their  sins,  but  only  from 
their  sins. 

That  is  the  first  demonstration  of  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  save 


392 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


sinners,  in  these  particulars.  He  is  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  because 
he  is  able  to  save  men  from  the  greatest  number,  and  from  the  most 
heinous  sins  in  their  nature ;  though  they  be  as  many  as  the  sands, 
and  as  great  as  the  mountains :  he  is  able,  by  his  sanctifying  grace, 
to  remove  the  filth  of  our  sins;  and,  by  his  justifying  grace,  to 
remove  their  guilt :  and  he  is  able  to  convert  and  change  the  sinner 
at  such  an  unlikely  season,  when  he  is  hottest  and  most  eager  in 
the  prosecution  of  his  lusts  :  he  is  able  to  do  this  by  the  most  con- 
temptible means :  he  is  able  to  save  the  oldest  sinners ;  those,  that 
have  frequently  relapsed  into  the  same  sins,  and  the  greatest  and 
most  notorious  backsliders,  if  they  do  but  at  last  repent  and  return 
to  him. 

ii.  Another  demonstration  is  this  :  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  save 
appears  in  this,  that  he  is  able  to  bestow  upon  us  all-scfficing 

MERCY. 

He  is  able  to  instate  us  in  the  choicest  and  richest  blessings,  that 
we  are  able  either  to  receive  or  imagine  ;  and,  therefore,  "he  is  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost."  If  I  sliould  now  mention  temporal  bless- 
ings in  this  account,  the  instance  would  sink  too  low.  The  world 
stands  but  as  an  empty  cipher,  and  signifies  but  a  great  round 
nothing,  when  it  is  reckoned  up  with  blessings  which  flow  in  upon 
us  through  Christ's  all-sufficiency :  and,  yet,  what  a  big  vanity  is 
this  world,  in  the  estimation  of  most  men!  If  they  have  but  a  little 
part  of  it  to  bestow  :  it  may  be  some  slavish  office,  some  slight  and 
trivial  gift ;  what  a  distance  do  they  keep  at !  how  are  they  over- 
whelmed with  suitors  and  floods  of  attendance!  and,  when  they  see 
how  many  stand  in  need  of  them,  they  are  apt  to  think  themselves 
sufficient,  and  to  stand  in  need  of  none.  Should  I  say  to  the  am- 
bitious and  proud  man,  Christ  is  able  to  make  all  the  princes  of  the 
world  crouch  and  humble  themselves  unto  thee,  and  lick  up  the 
dust  of  thy  feet :  should  I  tell  a  covetous  person,  that  Christ  is  able 
to  make  gold  and  silver  not  only  as  plenteous  as  stones,  as  in  Solo- 
mon's time ;  but  that  he  can  turn  stones  into  diamonds  and  dirt  into 
gold,  that  he  can  sequester  the  estates  of  all  men  in  the  world  and 
bestow  them  upon  him :  I  need  say  no  more  unto  such ;  for  these 
men  would  believe,  that  Christ,  by  this,  would  prove  himself  an 
all-sufficient  Saviour:  this  is  that  little,  which  they  most  regard 
and  admire.  Indeed  Christ  can  do  all  this,  for  he  is  Lord  of  the 
whole  world,  and  of  all  things  in  it :  they  are  at  his  beck,  and  at 
his  disposals.  Yet  had  he  no  other,  no  better  treasures  to  bestow 
than  the  whole  world,  it  would  not  be  satisfactory,  since  the  whole 
world  itself  is  but  a  poor  insufficient  thing :  but  Christ  will  have 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS. 


:;<>:} 


his  all-sufficiency  to  be  seen  and  glorified,  by  giving  that  to  his 
people,  which  is  an  all-sufficing  good. 

Three  things,  therefore,  Christ  doth  bestow  upon  them,  which 
indeed  are  all-sufficient. 

Christ  giveth  unto  his  people, 

An  interest  in  an  all-sufficient  God. 

A  possession  of  all-sufficient  grace. 

An  all-satisfactory  inheritance. 

1.  He  gives  them  an  interest  in  an  all-sufficient  God. 

All-sufficiency  is  God's  most  comprehensive  attribute ;  that 
which  speaks  out  all  the  rest  in  one  word.  Wisdom,  power,  just- 
ice, mercy,  goodness,  truth,  are  several  perfections  of  the  Divine 
nature,  that  shine  gloriously,  each  of  them  in  its  own  sphere;  but, 
all-sufficiency  is  as  it  were  the  gloss  and  lustre,  that  doth  redound 
or  result  from  all  these  attributes  combined  together.  Other  attri- 
butes are  like  several  stars,  that  shine  with  their  proper  and  dis- 
tinct light ;  but  all-sufficiency  is  like  a  constellation,  when  all  the 
stars  make  but  one  light.  Therefore,  when  God  proclaims  himself 
to  Abraham  to  be  God  Almighty,  or  God  all-sufficient,  Gen.  xvii. 
1,  it  was  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  "  I  am  wise  in  heart,  mighty 
in  power,  merciful  in  disposition,  just  in  proceedings,  good  in 
promises,  faithful  in  performances  :"  for  all-sufficiency  is  the  issue 
and  product  of  all  the  rest  of  God's  attributes.  Oh  what  a  rich  por- 
tion have  they,  that  have  all  God's  attributes  for  their  own !  This 
all-sufficiency,  by  Christ,  becomes  ours :  Heb.  xi.  16 ;  "  God  is  not 
ashamed  to  be  called  our  God."  What  cau  Christ  do  more  to  ap- 
prove himself  to  be  a  Saviour  to  the  uttermost,  than  giving  unto 
his  an  infinite  boundless  good  ?  If  the  power  of  God,  the  wisdom 
of  God,  the  salvation  of  God  can  save  them,  they  are  sure  to  be 
saved  to  the  uttermost :  and  hence  David  so  often  glories,  that  God 
is  his  portion:  Ps.  xvi.  5;  lxxiii.  26 ;  cxix.  57.  And  what  con- 
clusion doth  he  draw  from  all  this  ?  Ps.  xxiii.  1  ;  "  The  Lord  is  my 
shepherd  :  I  shall  not  want."  "  No,  soul :  it  is  impossible  for  thee 
to  want :  all  things  are  thine  own :  God  is  thine,  and  all  God  hath 
is  thine:  while  others  seek  to  quench  their  thirst  at  the  broken, 
leaky  cistern;  thou  mayst  lay  thyself  at  the  fountain  and  spring- 
head of  living  waters,  and  there  find  complete  satisfaction.  Cer- 
tainly, unless  all-sufficiency  may  fail,  unless  God's  attributes  molder 
and  drop  away  from  him  and  leave  him  a  destitute  and  indigent 
God,  thou  canst  never  be  impoverished  and  without  supply."  God's 
wisdom  is  full  of  counsel,  his  power  is  full  of  protection,  his  mercy 
is  full  of  pardon,  his  truth  and  faithfulness  is  full  of  security  :  and 


894 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 


those,  certainly,  must  needs  be  ravenous  and  unsatiable  desires, 

w  ich  such  an  all-sufficient  God  as  our  God  is  cannot  fill  and  satisfy 
2.  Christ  also  instates  the  soul  in  an  all-sufficing  portion  of  grace, 
Grace  bath  a  double  signification.    It  may  either  be  taken  for 

subjective  or  objective  grace ;  or,  what  is  tbe  same,  for  relative  or 

real  grace. 

Eelative  grace  is  that,  whereby  a  change  is  made  in  the  relation 
in  which  we  stand  to  God. 

In  a  state  of  nature,  we  stood  in  a  threefold  sad  and  wretched 
relation  to  God.  "We  were  strangers  to  God,  rebels  and  enemies, 
and  also  guilty  malefactors;  and,  as  such,  were  liable  to  eternal 
condemnation.  But,  the  grace  of  God  intervening,  makes  a  blessed 
change  in  all  these  relations :  of  strangers,  we  are  brought  near, 
and  enrolled  in  the  family  of  heaven  ;  and  so  are  made  children  of 
God  and  heirs  of  glory,  by  the  grace  of  adoption:  of  enemies,  we 
are  made  friends  and  intimates  ;  and  accepted  through  the  Beloved, 
through  the  grace  of  redemption  :  of  guilty  malefactors,  we  are 
acquitted,  and  paidened,  and  accepted  to  eternal  life,  by  the  free 
and  absolute  grace  of  justification.  Now  this  relative  grace  is  not 
that,  which  is  wrought  in  us  ;  but  it  abides  in  God,  and  is  only  ter- 
minated upon  us  :  indeed  it  is  nothing  else,  but  the  acting  of  God's 
special  love  and  favor  towards  us ;  and  the  word  grace,  in  Scrip- 
ture, is  very  seldom  taken  in  any  other  sense  but  for  relative  grace, 
the  acting  of  God's  love  and  favor  determined  to  us. 

Subjective  or  real  grace  is  that,  whereby  a  change  is  wrought 
upon  our  natures,  in  our  first  regeneration;  and  whereby  it  is  car- 
ried on  gradually  to  perfection,  in  our  further  sanctification. 

Universal  habits  of  holiness  are  infused  in  our  conversion  by 
God ;  which,  in  Scripture,  are  called  the  new  man  and  the  new 
creature :  we  usually  call  them  the.  principle  of  grace,  and  the 
working  of  grace.  Those  specifical  habits,  which  are  as  so  many 
brauches  of  this  universal  habit,  are,  as  1  may  so  speak,  the  several 
limbs  and  members  of  the  new  man  :  and  are  commonly  called  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  as  the  grace  of  faith,  love,  and  hope ;  and  like- 
wise the  Spirit's  acting  of  these  graces,  is  called  the  acting  of  grace. 
Of  these  two  kinds,  the  former  is  properly  called  grace :  the  latter, 
improperly ;  because,  wherever  it  is  wrought,  it  denotes  the  special 
favor  and  grace  of  God  towards  that  soul. 

Now  both  relative  and  real  grace  have  an  all-sufficiency  in  them, 
and  are  of  an  all-sufficing  nature. 

(1)  A  Christian's  portion  in  relative  grace  ;s  an  all-sufficing' and 
satisfactory  portion. 


TO    SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS. 


395 


It  is  so  great,  that  you  can  desire  no  more :  for  this  grace  admits 
of  no  degrees ;  and  he,  that  hath  any  of  it,  hath  as  much  as  any 
can  have.  Here,  therefore,  the  weakest  Christian  may  have  abund- 
ance of  comfort :  others,  possibly,  may  have  greater  measures  of 
gifts  and  parts,  and  of  the  sanctifying  graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
but,  in  relative  grace,  all  stand  upon  the  same  level.  Adoption, 
justification,  reconciliation,  mystical  union,  all  the  privileges  which 
Christ  hath  purchased  for  believers,  are  all  common  ;  and  no  more 
belong  to  the  strongest,  than  to  the  weakest  and  most  feeble  Chris- 
tian. An  infant  may  be  as  much  a  son  and  heir,  as  a  grown  man. 
Others  may,  possibly,  have  greater  measures  of  the  Spirit  of  adop- 
tion, whereby  they  cry  "Abba,  Father;"  but  none  can  have  a  greater 
measure  of  the  grace  of  adoption,  nor  is  God  more  a  Father  to  one 
than  he  is  to  another,  no  more  to  the  strongest  than  to  the  weakest 
Christian  :  others  may  have  a  greater  familiarity  and  acquaintance 
with  God,  but  none  can  be  more  reconciled  to  God  than  tbou  art, 
if  a  true  believer :  others  may  have  a  more  comfortable  sense  of 
this  adoption,  yet  none  can  be  more  adopted  and  more  justified 
than  thou  art.  We  do  not  usually  beg  of  God  further  measures 
and  further  degrees  of  these  things ;  but,  if  we  stand  under  these 
relations  to  God,  and  have  but  the  evidence  of  it  in  our  own  con- 
sciences, then  we  rest  fully  satisfied:  therefore  what  Philip  said  to 
Christ,  "Show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us,"  may  every  true 
Christian  say,  "Lord,  show  me  my  Father,  show  me  that  God  is  my 
Father,  that  I  am  adopted  into  the  number  of  his  children,  and 
this  sufficeth :  I  have  no  more  to  ask,  no  more  to  receive,  in  that 
particular." 

(2)  As  the  Christian's  portion  in  relative  grace  is  satisfactory; 
so,  likewise,  is  his  portion  in  the  sanctifying  graces  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  an  all-sufficient  and  satisfactory  portion. 

"  How  can  that  be  ?"  may  some  say.  "  Are  not  Christians  always 
unsatisfied  in  their  present  attainments ;  and  think  they  have  got 
nothing,  if  they  fall  short  of  absolute  perfection  ?  Either  they  are 
not  sufficient,  or  else  their  desires  are  most  unreasonable." 

I  answer.  Though  the  truth  of  grace  wrought  in  a  Christian 
makes  him  always  desirous  of  more  than  what  he  hath  already; 
yet  is  that  grace  sufficient  and  satisfactory,  in  three  respects : 

[1]  The  least  degree  of  true  grace  is  sufficient  to  make  the  heart 
upright  and  sincere ;  sufficient  to  break  the  reigning  power  of  sin, 
and  to  cast  Satan  out  of  his  throne :  it  is  sufficient  to  sway  the 
heart  to  God,  as  its  chiefest  good;  and  to  make  his  interest  in  the 
soul  victorious  and  prevalent  over  the  interest  of  the  world  and 
flesh.    This  sufficiency  the  weakest  degree  of  true  grace  hath. 


396 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


And,  herein,  is  Christ's  power  and  ability  to  save  most  eminently 
glorious.  Grace  is  a  creature,  in  its  own  nature,  mortal  and  cor- 
ruptible ;  and,  should  Christ,  but  for  a  moment,  suspend  his  influ- 
ence, every  temptation,  every  corruption  would  easily  destroy  it : 
cow  for  Christ  to  preserve  this  weak  and  helpless  creature  in  the 
midst  of  so  many  strong  and  mighty  corruptions  that  oppose  it, 
argues  as  all-sufficient  a  power,  as  it  doth  to  preserve  alive  a  single 
spark  of  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  raging  and  foaming  sea.  Now 
Christ  not  only  preserves  this  weak  grace  alive,  but  makes  it  vic- 
torious and  triumphant  over  all  the  powers  of  hell :  they  are  not 
able  to  stand  before  it :  it  batters  down  their  strong-holds :  it  routs 
armies  of  lusts  and  temptations :  it  alters  and  changes  every  faculty 
of  the  soul,  and  reduces  them  all  to  obedience ;  as  if  it  were 
Christ's  design,  not  only  by  his  power  to  save  the  soul,  but  to  do 
it  in  such  a  way  as  should  most  of  all  shame  the  devil,  baffling 
and  subduing  him  by  such  a  weak  and  contemptible  thing  as 
grace.  And  therefore  St.  Paul,  when  he  prays  against  that  tempta- 
tion which  sorely  buffeted  him,  2  Cor.  sii.  9,  God  answers  him, 
"  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee :  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect 
in  weakness :"  as  boisterous  and  as  raging  as  thy  temptations  are  ; 
yet  it  shall  appear,  that  thy  weak  grace,  through  my  strength,  shall 
at  length  overcome  them. 

[2]  The  least  degree  of  true  sanctifying  grace  is  sufficient  to  en- 
title the  soul  to  heaven  and  glory. 

Let  weak  and  doubting  Christians,  therefore,  know  this  for  their 
comfort,  that  the  promise  of  eternal  life  is  not  made  to  the  degrees 
of  their  grace,  but  to  the  truth  of  it ;  not  to  grace  as  strong,  but  to 
grace  as  true.  Now  the  truth  of  grace  may  be  in  the  least  and  in 
the  weakest  degree.  That  grace,  to  which  our  salvation  is  princi- 
pally ascribed,  is  ou h  faith :  now  it  is  not  said,  he  only,  whose  faith 
is  so  strong  as  to  overcome  all  temptations  and  all  doubts  and  to 
flourish  up  into  assurance,  he  only  shall  be  saved ;  but,  whosoever 
believes  shall  be  saved,  though  his  faith  be  very  weak  and  very 
waverins;.  And  the  reason  of  this  is  clear  :  for  faith  doth  not  save 
us  as  it  is  a  sanctifying,  but  as  it  is  a  justifying  grace;  for,  if  it 
saves  us  as  it  sanctifies,  tht?n  must  all  perish,  since  the  faith  of  the 
strongest  believer  is  mixed  with  so  many  imperfections,  that  ren- 
der him  worthy  of  eternal  death.  Faith  therefore  saves,  as  it  justi- 
fies ;  and  justifies,  as  it  entitles  us  to  Christ's  perfect  righteousness : 
which  title  we  obtain  by  being  united  to  him  and  made  one  with 
him,  through  this  grace  of  faith.  But  a  weak  faith  is  a  most  sure 
and  inviolable  bond  of  union  to  Christ,  as  well  as  a  strong  faith : 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  397 


a  weak  faith  can  make  a  full  conveyance  of  the  righteousness  and 
merits  of  Christ  to  the  soul,  as  well  as  a  strong  faith  ;  therefore, 
the  weakest  faith  of  the  most  trembling  and  timorous  Christian 
doth  as  firmly  entitle  him  to  heaven  and  glory,  as  the  most  strong 
ami  undaunted  faith  of  the  most  assured  Christian.  Thus,  then, 
though  the  children  of  God  complain  sadly  of  the  weakness  of 
their  grace:  yet,  in  the  very  least  and  meanest  degree  of  grace, 
there  is  a  twofold  sufficiency ;  a  sufficiency  to  break  the  reigning 
power  and  dominion  of  the  strongest  lust,  and  a  sufficiency  to  give 
a  firm  title  to  heaven  and  glory.  And  what  would  you  have 
more  ?  Hath  not  Christ  approved  himself  an  all-sufficient  Saviour, 
in  giving  and  dispensing  such  grace,  that  the  weakest  and  lowest 
condition  of  believers  hath  such  a  great  sufficiency  as  this  is? 
But  this  is  not  all:  for 

[3]  The  least  degree  of  true  grace  is  a  sufficient  ground  of  joy 
and  comfort ;  for  comfort  and  satisfaction,  for  joy  and  assurance. 

These  overflowing  joys,  this  glorious  assurance,  believers  may 
abound  with,  even  then  when  they  most  of  all  complain  of  the 
poverty  and  weakness  of  their  grace.  It  is  not  the  degree  of  our 
graces,  that  gives  us  comfort  and  satisfaction ;  but  it  is  the  know- 
ledge and  evidence  of  the  truth  of  them  in  our  own  consciences. 
The  sun  may  be  in  a  black  and  dismal  eclipse,  when  many  glitter- 
ing and  twinkling  stars  are  not:  the  tallest  cedars  cast  the  longest 
shade :  and  so,  many  times,  that  Christian,  that  is  the  tallest  and 
the  most  eminent  in  godliness,  may  be  under  the  blackest  and 
saddest  desertions.  The  measures  of  comforts  are  not  stinted  by 
the  measures  of  grace ;  but  the  meanest  grace  is  a  ground  of  true 
and  inward  joy  and  satisfaction  when  the  Spirit's  witness  doth 
irradiate  it  to  us,  as  well  as  the  greatest  degree  of  grace.  Joy  and 
satisfaction  flow  from  grace :  both  as  it  is  the  possession  of  that 
which  in  itself  is  very  desirable  ;  and  because,  more  especially,  it  is 
the  earnest  of  a  future  glorious  inheritance.  And  hence  it  is,  that 
there  may  be,  at  once,  in  the  same  heart,  a  complaining  for  the 
want  of  grace,  and  yet  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  for  what 
,we  have.  As  grace  in  itself  is  the  most  desirable  good,  so  a 
Christian  sadly  complaineth  that  he  hath  no  more,  but  is  stinted 
and  kept  so  short  in  his  allowance  :  but  then,  as  grace  is  the  earnest 
of  future  glory,  so  it  yieldeth  joy  in  the  very  possession ;  as  know- 
ing that  a  penny  is  as  good  an  earnest  as  a  pound,  and  the  weakest 
grace  may  as  firmly  assure  a  Christian  of  eternal  glory  as  the 
strongest. 

Thus  I  have  shown  that  there  is  an  all-sufficiency  and  satisfac- 


39S 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIEXCY   OF  CHRIST 


toriness  in  the  weakest  and  lowest  degree  of  grace,  if  it  be  but  sin- 
cere. For,  it  is  sufficient  to  make  the  heart  upright  and  sincere :  it- 
is  sufficient  to  break  the  reigning  power  of  sin :  it  is  sufficient  to 
cast  Satan  out  of  his  throne ;  it  is  sufficient  to  sway  the  heart  to 
God :  it  is  sufficient  to  entitle  the  soul  to  heaven  and  gloiy  :  and, 
consequently,  is  always  a  sufficient  ground  of  true  joy  and  comfort. 

3.  If  an  imperfect  state  of  grace  he  of  an  an  all-sufficing  nature,  what 
will  it  be,  when  grace  shall  mount  up  into  glory  ?  If  there  be  so  much 
in  the  earnest,  what  what  ivill  there  be  in  the  inheritance  itself? 

And  this  declares  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  indeed,  since  he  is 
able  to  instate  us  in  such  great  and  rich  possessions,  that  "  the  eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  the  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man"  to  conceive  what  they  are,  as  the  Apostle  speaks.  St.  Paul,  who 
once  enjoyed  a  translation,  and  himself  gives  us  a  relation  of  his 
voyage  into  the  other  world,  tells  us  no  more  than  this,  that  he  was 
caught  up  into  paradise,  and  that  he  heard  words  unutterable,  that 
it  was  not  lawful  or  possible  for  him  to  utter ;  2  Cor.  xii.  4-11 : 
the  happiness  of  heaven  is  so  great,  that  it  cannot  be  fully  known, 
till  it  be  fully  enjoyed :  it  is  a  remaining  rest,  an  inaccessible  light, 
fresh  and  overflowing  pleasures,  an  incorruptible  crown,  an  eternal 
kingdom,  too  much  for  me  to  utter  or  you  to  conceive.  Neverthe- 
less, if  the  sight  and  full  fruition  of  God,  if  the  society  of  angels 
and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  if  everlasting  songs  of 
praises  and  hallelujahs,  if  eternal  raptures  and  ecstacies  can  be 
accounted  a  supporting  and  an  all-sufficing  good,  all  these  serve  to 
extol  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  who  can  bestow  upon 
us  this  ravishing,  satisfying  joy  and  glory.  God  is  now  to  us  the 
spring-head  and  fountain  of  all  our  mercies  and  comforts ;  and  we 
lie  below  at  the  fall  of  this  spring,  and  draw  refreshments  from  him 
only  through  the  conduit  pipes  of  providences  and  ordinances,  and 
live  upon  second-hand  enjoyments ;  but,  in  heaven,  we  shall  be 
laid  close  to  the  fountain  itself,  and  drink  in  divine  communica- 
tions as  they  flow  immediately  from  God,  without  having  them 
deadened  and  flattened  in  the  conveyance.  Now  we  behold  him 
through  a  glass  darkly:  then,  we  shall  see  him  face  to  face,  see 
him  as  he  is,  and  koow  him  as  we  are  known  by  him.  And,  if  it 
causeth  now  such  raptures  of  joy  in  us,  when  he  sometimes  darts  in 
half  a  glance  of  his  eye  upon  the  soul,  0  then,  within  what  bounds 
can  our  joy  contain  itself,  when  we  shall  constantly  fix  our  eye 
upon  God,  and  steadfastly  behold  his  face  ;  that  face,  from  which 
the  most  glorious  angels,  as  conscious  of  their  own  unworthiness 
to  behold  it,  cover  and  vail  their  own !    If  now,  when  God  gives 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS.  399 


us  some  glorious  discoveries  of  himself,  we  are  ready  to  faint  and 
melt  down  under  them,  certainly,  in  heaven,  when  we  shall  lie  under 
the  glorious  rays  of  the  Deity  beating  fully  upon  us,  they  will  be 
so  great,  that  there  were  no  living  there  did  not  the  same  God 
strengthen  as  well  as  fill  our  capacities.  This  is  that  beatific  vision, 
that  heaven  of  heaven,  that  glory  wherein  the  angels  are  satisfied ; 
that  sight,  wherein  God  shall  bestow  upon  us  a  clearer  eye  than  that 
of  faith,  and  be  always  present  with  us  in  a  nearer  way  than  that 
of  comfort.  This  is  that' all-sufficient  and  all-satisfying  state,  unto 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  can  and  will  bring  all  his :  a  state  of 
inconceivable  and  endless  felicity,  far  surmounting  in  glory  what- 
ever our  narrow  conceptions  can  now  apprehend :  a  state,  wherein 
we  shall  forever  join  with  angels  in  singing  praises  to  the  Lamb, 
who  hath  redeemed  us  with  his  own  blood,  and  manifested  himself 
to  be  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  "  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him ;"  purchasing  so  great  and  glorious  an 
inheritance  for  them,  and  bringing  them  to  the  possession  of  it. 
That  is  the  second  demonstration. 

iii.  Christ's  all-sufficiency  to  save  cloth  appear  in  this,  that  he  19 

ABLE  TO  SAVE  FROM  THE  GREATEST  MISERY,  AND  TO  SUPPLY  THE 
GREATEST  WANTS. 

1.  There  is  but  one  estate  of  misery,  out  of  which  Christ  cannot 
save :  and  that  is  a  state  of  damnation.  And  yet  the  damned  spirits 
are  not  finally  irrecoverable,  for  want  of  intrinsical  value  and  satis- 
factoriness  in  Christ  to  deliver  them ;  but  because  Christ  never 
intended  to  purchase  salvation  for  them  :  had  his  sacrifice  been  in- 
tended for  them  as  it  was  for  us,  and  the  means  applied  to  them  as 
well  as  to  us,  those  chains  of  everlasting  darkness,  which  they  are 
now  reserved  in,  would  have  dropped  off ;  and  they  would  have 
been  snatched  as  brands  out  of  the  fire,  in  which,  for  want  of  this, 
they  must  burn  forever.  Suppose  what  estate  you  will  short  of 
hell,  we  are  by  Christ  recoverable  out  of  it. 

I  shall  instance  in  two  particulars,  wherein  the  very  depth  and 
bottom  of  our  misery  doth  consist. 

We  are,  by  our  sins,  forfeited  to  the  justice  and  vengeance  of 
God :  and  he,  that  can  imagine  a  greater  misery  than  this,  never 
knew  what  it  was  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God. 

We  are  in  the  possession  of  the  devil :  and  he  is  that  strong 
man,  that  rules  with  rigor ;  and,  unto  him,  we  are  all  naturally  be- 
come slaves  and  vassals. 

Now  when  we  are  thus  liable  and  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of 


400 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


God  as  our  judge,  and  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  devil  as  our 
jailor,  will  it  not  be  acknowledged,  that  Christ  saves  from  the  utter- 
most misery,  if  he  can  rescue  us  ?  Is  there  any,  that  can  deliver 
us,  when  both  God  and  the  devil  and  all  the  powers  both  of  heaven 
and  hell  set  themselves  against  us  ?  Yes,  the  Lord  Christ  hath 
done  it  already. 

(1)  In  respect  of  God,  and  of  Divine  justice  to  which  we  stood 
obnoxious,  he  hath  fully  satisfied  and  paid  down  an  all-sufficient 
price  for  our  deliverance. 

Therefore  saith  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  vi.  20  ;  "  Ye  are  bought  with 
a  price,  &c."  1  Pet  i.  19  ;  "  The  precious  blood  of  Christ."  And 
this  is  such  a  price,  as  hath  discharged  for  us  the  very  utmost 
farthing  of  all  that  we  owe  to  divine  justice.  And  therefore  saith 
God,  in  Job  xxxiii.  24,  "  Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the  pit : 
I  have  found  a  ransom :"  I  have  discharged  him  from  the  guilt  of 
his  sins,  and  obligation  to  punishment :  I  am  fully  satisfied. 

(2)  But,  though  the  judge  be  thus  satisfied,  yet  the  devil,  the 
jailor,  would  fain  retain  the  prisoner,  and  is  resolved  not  to  part 
with  him  upon  these  terms :  he  hath  possession  of  him,  and  he  rules 
in  him  and  over  him,  and  therefore  rescue  him  who  can.  There- 
fore Christ  saves  us  by  conquest  and  plain  force,  in  respect  of  the 
devil.  After  he  hath  satisfied  God,  he  subdues  Satan,  and  com- 
pletes the  work  of  our  redemption. 

And,  therefore,  in  Scripture,  we  read  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
by  which  our  salvation  is  achieved,  under  both  these  notions.  As 
Christ  paid  the  price  to  God's  justice :  Mat.  xx.  28;  He  gave  "his 
life  a  ransom  for  many."  1  Tim.  ii.  6;  He  "gave  himself  a  ran- 
som for  all,  to  be  testified  in  due  time."  And  as  a  victory  gained 
over  the  devil  :  "  Through  death,"  Christ  destroyed  "  him  that  had 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil :"  Heb.  ii.  14.  Col.  ii.  14, 15  ; 
"Blotting  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances,  that  was  against  us, 
which  was  contrary  to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to 
his  cross.  And,  having  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made 
a  show  of  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  it."  He  hath 
exposed  the  devil  and  all  the  black  host  of  hell  to  shame  and  in- 
fanvv,  in  having  their  prey  so  strangely  plucked  from  them :  and 
he  "triumphed  over  them  in"  his  cross ;  v.  15. 

And  thus  he  saves  us,  by  ransom  in  respect  of  God,  and  by  con- 
quest in  respect  of  the  devil :  he  saves  us  from  the  greatest  misery 
imaginable,  from  the  dungeon  of  the  lowest  hell.  So  long  as  your 
case  is  not  so  desperate  as  to  be  in  hell,  be  your  misery  more  or 
less,  this  makes  no  difference  in  respect  of  Christ,  though  it  calls 


TO    SAVE  AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  401 

for  greater  love  and  thankfulness  from  you  to  him  for  your 
deliverance. 

Seeing,  therefore,  that  Christ  is  thus  able  to  save  us  from  the 
utmost  and  greatest  misery,  it  appears  that  he  is  an  all-sufficient 
Saviour. 

2.  As  he  is  able  to  save  us  from  the  greatest  misery,  so  he  is 
able  to  relieve  us  in  our  greatest  and  most  pressing  ivants,  be  they 
inward  or  outward,  be  they  corporal  or  spiritual. 

"  My  God  "  can  abundantly  "  supply  all  your  need,  according  to 
the  riches  of"  his  "  glory  by  Christ  Jesus :"  Phil.  iv.  19.  Is  it 
pardon  you  need?  in  Christ  "we  have  redemption  through  his 
blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace ;" 
Eph.  i.  7.  Is  it  peace  with  God  ?  we  have  it  with  him,  through 
Christ:  Kom.  v.  1 ;  "  We  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Is  it  peace  of  conscience?  "The  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds 
through  Christ  Jesus  :"  Phil.  iv.  7.  Indeed  Christ  is  such  an  over- 
flowing fountain  of  all  good,  that  he  fills  the  empty  and  satisfies 
the  thirsty  :  and  all  that  rely  upon  him,  "  He  is  able  to  nave  them 
to  the  uttermost,"  yea,  all  "  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 

iv.  Another  demonstration  of  Christ's  all -sufficiency  to  save 
appears  in  this,  in  that  he  is  able  to  save,  when  none  else 

CAN. 

He  appears  to  save  those,  that  come  to  God  by  him,  when  neither 
men  nor  angels  stand  up  in  their  behalf ;  and,  if  they  did,  they 
could  not  relieve  nor  help  them :  then  Christ  interposeth. 

And,  as  Christ  alone  procures  salvation  for  us,  so  he  alone  can 
apply  that  salvation  to  us.  And  this  he  doth,  more  especially,  at 
two  seasons ;  when  all  others  are  but  miserable  helpers  or  com- 
forters to  us.  As, 

1.  When  the  dreadful  terrors  of  the  Almighty  surround  us. 

"When  God  brandishes  his  sword  over  our  heads;  when  he  makes 
deep  wounds,  and,  instead  of  balm,  pours  into  our  consciences  fire 
and  brimstone  ;  0,  what  Saviour  can  then  deliver  us  ?  then,  when 
those  insolent  hopes  and  vain  confidences  of  salvation,  with  which 
we  formerly  supported  ourselves,  forsake  us  ?  then,  when  our  own 
righteousness,  in  which  we  formerly  trusted,  is  as  filthy  garments ; 
or,  like  a  searcloth,  increaseth  our  torments  ?  then,  when  all  the 
pleasures  and  debaucheries  of  the  world,  that  men  have  formerly 
delighted  in,  are  only  to  them  as  if  a  person  stung  with  wasps 
should  apply  honey  to  assuage  the  smart  ?  So,  truly,  when  their 
Vol.  II.— 26 


402 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST 


waspish  consciences  stung  them  with  the  guilt  of  sin,  they  stuck 
to  the  honey,  to  the  sweet  delights  and  pleasures  of  the  world  :  but, 
now,  this  honey  is  turned  into  gall  and  wormwood :  God  and  they 
are  enemies:  he  hath  dipped  his  arrows  in  the  lake  which  burns 
forever,  and  hath  shot  them  all  flaming  into  their  souls ;  so  that 
they  are  all  of  them  but  one  wound :  and  what  relief  is  there  for 
them?  "A  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?"  Yet  Christ  bare  it 
upon  the  cross,  when  he  cried,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me?"  And  he,  that  cured  himself,  can  also  cure  another. 
His  blood,  poured  into  these  wounds,  is  a  present  remedy,  and  gives 
present  ease  and  relief.  And,  therefore,  as  he  designs  to  make  peace 
between  God  and  us,  so  likewise  between  man  and  himself ;  giving 
him  that  peace  of  conscience,  which  quiets  and  appeases  :  Isa.  lxi.  1. 
It  is  no  less  work  to  reconcile  man  and  conscience  together  upon 
good  and  warrantable  grounds,  than  to  reconcile  God  and  man  to- 
gether :  and  it  is  only  Christ's  all-sufficiency,  that  can  do  either. 

2.  Another  reason  is,  when  we  shall  appear  before  the  tribunal  of 
God,. at  the  last  and  terrible  day. 

What  a  dreadful  sight  will  it  be,  to  behold  And  see  heaven  and 
earth  all  wallowing  in  flames;  and  angels  flvincr  through  the  air, 
and  driving  whole  shoals  of  men  before  them  to  judgment ;  the 
Judge  being  set,  the  books  opened ;  God,  conscience,  and  the  devil 
accusing ;  and  all  the  world  crying  out,  "  Guilty,  guilty ;"  and  the 
sentence  passing  on  them  accordingly,  and  millions  of  them  being 
dragged  to  execution  from  the  bar  where  they  were  condemned! 
You  cannot  then  cry  to  your  honors  and  dignities  to  save  you ;  for 
you  must  all.  stand  upon  the  same  equal  level.  It  is  not  your 
righteousness,  that  can  then  save  you:  no;  the  defects  of  it  shall 
then  be  found  part  of  your  charge.  What  then  is  there  to  save 
you?  your  guilt  is  manifest;  your  judge  impartial:  and,  if  once 
sentence  is  passed,  the  execution  is  speedy.  And,  certainly,  now  it 
is  time  for  an  all-sufficient  Saviour  to  appear,  when  the  whole  world 
is  burning  about  them,  and  hell  under  them  :  God  frowning  in  their 
very  faces,  and  the  devil  attending  them  at  their  backs  ready  to 
hurry  them  away  to  torments.  And  now,  when  there  is  no  pity 
to  be  expected  from  angels  or  men,  then  Christ  appears  to  be  an 
Advocate,  to  answer  for  his,  and  to  silence  all  the  accusations  pro- 
duced against  them  :  and,  by  his  satisfaction  and  perfect  righteous- 
ness, he  brings  them  off  with  shouts,  and  the  applause  of  glorious 
angels  and  saints. 

And  thus  it  appears  he  is  able  to  save  them,  when  none  else  can. 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE    FOR  SINNERS. 


403 


v.  Christ  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  in  that  HE  is  able  to 

SAVE  THOSE,  THAT  CONDEMN  THEMSELVES,  AND  THINK  THEIR  OWN 
SALVATION  A  THING  IMPOSSIBLE. 

There  is  a  twofold  judging  and  condemning  of  one's-self :  one, 
in  point  of  merit  and  desert ;  the  other,  in  point  of  issue  and  event : 
the  one  judgeth  himself,  as  one  now  deserving  condemnation ;  the 
other,  that  he  must  suffer  it:  the  one,  as  due;  the  other,  as  un- 
avoidable.   Now  Christ  saves  from  both  these  ;  and  that  gloriously. 

1.  He  saves  those,  that,  judge  themselves  worthy  of  eternal  death. 
Yea,  indeed,  he  saves  no  other:  1  Cor.  xi.  31:  "If  we.. ..judge 

ourselves,  we  shall  not  be  judged."  And  why  is  this  self-judging 
so  necessary,  in  order  to  our  being  acquitted  by  God ;  but  only  be- 
cause it  is  Christ's  design  in  saving  sinners,  to  glorify  his  exceeding 
great  and  all-sufficient  power?  and,  therefore,  we  must  acknowl- 
edge ourselves  to  be  lost  in  ourselves,  that  so  God's  power  may 
be  owned  to  be  exceeding  great  and  glorious  in  saving  us. 

2.  Christ  can  save  those,  who  do  not  only  judge  themselves 
worthy  of  eternal  death,  but  those  who  judge  themselves  appointed 
to  it. 

He  can  save  those,  who  think  it  impossible  that  they  should  be 
saved.  And,  unquestionably,  there  is  now  many  a  soul  in  heaven, 
who  on  earth  cried  out,  there  was  no  hope,  no  mercy  for  them ; 
that  hell  and  wrath  were  their  only  portion.  And  this  shows  what 
an  all-sufficient  Saviour  Christ  is,  who  can  save  beyond  our  hopes, 
and  contrary  to  our  expectations. 

And  thus  I  have  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  demonstrations  of 
Christ's  all-sufficiency,  to  save  from  the  greatest  misery,  and  to  re- 
lieve us  in  our  greatest  and  most  pressing  wants.  He  is  able  to 
save  us,  when  none  else  can ;  and  he  is  able  to  save  those,  that  con- 
demn themselves,  and  think  their  own  salvation  a  thing  impossi- 
ble :  he  is  able,  both  to  save  those,  that  think  themselves  worthy 
of  eternal  death ;  and  those,  that  think  themselves  appointed  to  it. 

III.  Having  thus  displayed,  though  weakly,  the  all-sufficiency 
of  Christ  to  save,  we  will  proceed  to  close  up  the  subject,  with 
some  brief  APPLICATION  of  this  doctrine. 

Use  i. 

This  should  teach  us,  to  have  most  high  and  honorable 
thoughts  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  thus  all-suffi- 
cient to  save. 


404  T  IT  E   ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 

Omnipotence,  though  it  should  destroy  us,  were  justly  the  ob- 
ject of  our  dread  and  reverence  ;  but  omnipotence  to  save,  deserves 
our  most  affectionate  esteem.  It  should  raise  wonder  in  us,  when 
we  consider  God's  power  and  goodness  in  the  works  of  creation ; 
but,  when  we  contemplate  the  work  of  redemption,  it  should  raise 
our  wonder  to  an  ecstacy.  Christ's  almighty  power  was  not  so  glo- 
rious, then,  when  he  spake  the  world  out  of  nothing ;  then,  when 
he  lighted  up  the  sun  in  the  firmament,  and  kindled  the  stars  as  so 
many  shining  torches  that  dart  forth  light  upon  the  world  and  ex- 
tend their  influences  to  the  whole  universe ;  as  when  he  appeared 
in  flesh,  despised  and  of  no  account,  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  to 
accomplish  the  wonderful  work  of  our  redemption.  What  he  did 
in  the  former,  was  by  the  association  and  joint-workmanship  of 
the  other  persons  of  the  Blessed  Trinity ;  but,  in  this,  the  whole 
work  lay  upon  him :  he  trod  the  wine-press  of  his  Father's  wrath 
alone.  In  the  former,  though  he  showed  his  power  to  be  great,  yet 
he  did  not  put  it  forth  to  the  uttermost :  he  could  have  created 
more  worlds,  and  he  might  have  made  more  of  each  sort  of  crea- 
tures, and  these  far  more  beautiful  and  glorious  than  they  are; 
but,  in  the  work  of  redemption,  Christ's  infinite  power  is  extended 
to  the  uttermost :  his  person  was  infinite,  and  his  sufferings  were 
infinite  ;  one  proportionable  to  the  other.  His  omnipotence  as  our 
Redeemer  is  far  more  glorious,  than  his  omnipotence  as  our  Creator. 
Christ  first  gives  the  honor  of  his  all -sufficiency  to  this  end,  that, 
for  his  undertaking  so  great  an  employment  as  the  accomplishment 
of  the  work  of  our  redemption,  we  might  honor  him  in  his  own 
person,  as  we  honor  the  Father  in  his:  John  v.  23.  Certainly, 
there  is  good  reason  why  we  should  ascribe  honor  to  him,  from 
whom  we  receive  salvation. 

Use  ii. 

Is  Christ  an  All-sufficient  Saviour  ?    "Why  do  we  then  rely 

UPON  THAT,  WHICH  IS  ALTOGETHER  INSUFFICIENT? 

What  the  Prophet  said,  in  another  case,  2  Kings  i,  6,  7,  "  Is 

it  because  there  is  no  God  in  Israel,  that  thou  sendest  to  inquire 

of  Baalzebub,  the  god  of  Ekron  ?"  the  same  may  I  say  :  Is  it  be- 
cause there  is  none  deputed  to  be  a  Saviour,  because  there  is  none 
appointed,  none  able  to  save,  that  men  betake  themselves  to  false 
refuges?  to  broken  reeds,  that  are  so  far  from  supporting,  that 
certainly  they  will  both  betray  and  wound  them  ?  It  is  a  strange 
folly,  of  which  most  men  are  guilty,  that,  when  God  hath  provided 


TO  SAVE  AND  INTERCEDE   FOR  SINNERS.  405 

them  a  Saviour  to  their  hands,  one  that  is  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most, yet,  with  a  great  deal  of  toil  and  labor,  they  seek  to  set  up 
other  saviors  of  their  own :  as  if  it  were  just  reason  to  distrust 
the  mercy  of  God,  because  they  have  deserved  his  wrath.  There 
is  not  one  here,  who  has  not  hopes  of  heaven  and  a  blessed  eter- 
nity :  and  something  we  all  rely  upon,  as  sufficient  to  heart  us  up 
in  it.  If  I  should  go  first  to  one,  and  then  to  another,  and  put 
the  question,  "Do  you  hope  to  be  saved?"  where  sits  the  person, 
that  will  not  show  his  strong  hopes ;  and  almost  disdain  that  such 
a  question  should  be  asked  him  ?  "  Yes,"  would  every  one  say : 
"we  have  all  good  hopes ;  and,  though  the  most  perish  and  few  are 
saved,  yet  we  have  all  hopes  that  we  are  of  the  number  of  those 
few."  "Were  but  the  grounds  and  reasons  of  men's  hopes  made 
visible,  we  should  find,  that  that,  upon  which  they  most  support 
themselves,  is  no  better  than  that  mentioned  in  the  book  of  Job,  to 
say  of  gold,  Thou  art  my  hope ;  and  of  "  the  fine  gold,  thou  art 
my  confidence ;"  Job  xxxi.  24. 

1.  Some  trust  presumptuously  to  the  mercy  of  God  to  be  saved. 

And  this  is  the  plea  of  many  ignorant  persons :  here,  it  may  be, 
it  is  a  secret  to  those  who  can  pretend  more  knowledge  in  the  mys- 
teries of  salvation,  that  God  is  merciful  and  gracious,  and  that  the 
world  is  but  scared  out  of  their  wits,  when  we  represent  God  in 
such  furious  shapes  as  if  he  were  all  vengeance !  his  mercy  is  in- 
finite ;  and  who  would  not  hope  ?  It  is  true  :  but  his  justice  and 
severity  are  as  infinite  as  his  mercy  :  why  then  dost  thou  not  fear  ? 
Must  God  remit  the  attribute  of  his  mercy,  if  he  doth  not  save 
thee  ?  Why  thou  thyself  judgest  he  is  infinite  in  mercy,  though 
he  hath  condemned  thousands  of  others.  "  But  we  will  never  be- 
lieve, that  that  God,  which  made  us,  will  destroy  us."  If  this  be 
all,  know  that  the  devils  have  as  good  a  plea  as  this :  were  not  they 
the  workmanship  of  God  ?  were  not  they  more  glorious  creatures 
than  thou  art  ?  and  he,  that  "  spared  not  the  angels"  which  fell,  will 
least  of  all  spare  thee :  doth  not  the  Prophet  direct  us  against  this 
plea,  Isa.  xxvii.  11  ?  "  It  is  a  people  of  no  understanding :  there- 
fore, he,  that  made  them,  will  not  have  mercy  on  them,  and  he  that 
fbrmed  them  will  show  them  no  favor." 

Quest.  "  But  how  can  it  consist  with  the  goodness  of  God  to 
punish  momentary  sins?  Those,  that  are  but  as  a  flash,  and  gone 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  how  can  he  punish'  them  with  ever- 
lasting destruction?" 

Ans.  It  is  true,  the  act  of  sin  is  momentary  and  transient ;  but 
yet  there  is  something  in  sin,  that  is  permanent  and  eternal :  and 


406 


THE    ALL-SL'FFICIEXCT    OF  CHRIST 


that  ariseth  from  the  guilt  of  it.  God  doth  not  punish  for  the  act 
of  sin,  that  is  past  and  gone  ;  but  for  the  guilt  of  it,  that  remains  : 
the  black  guilt  of  that  sin,  which  was  committed  a  hundred  year? 
ago,  remains  still  upon  the  souls  of  the  damned ;  and  therefore  Go-l 
justly  punisheth  them  and  will  do  so  eternally,  because  all  theii 
eternity  of  sufferings  can  never  satisfy  the  offended  justice  of  the 
Divine  majesty.    These  hopes,  therefore,  are  all  vain. 

2.  Some  trust  to  their  own  righteousness :  and  set  up  their  own 
good  works  and  duties  for  their  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

There  is  nothing  harder  than  to  persuade  men  to  look  beyond 
themselves  for  life.  As  they  have  been  their  own  destroyers,  so 
they  would  fain  be  their  own  saviors :  and  yet  what  is  this,  but  a 
delusory  sottishness  ?  and  those  are  hardliest  beaten  off  from  rely- 
ing upon  their  own  righteousness,  who  have  the  fewest  good  works. 
But  this  is  a  weak  ground  of  hope,  upon  which  men  venture  their 
souls  for  eternal  happiness.  It  is  observable,  that  the  hope  of  a 
hypocrite  is  compared  to  a  spiders  web:  Job  viii.  14:  spiders'  webs, 
you  know,  are  spun  out  of  their  own  bowels :  when  the  spider 
hath  made  its  web  with  much  pains,  and  set  itself  in  the  midst  of 
it,  it  is  but  a  weak  and  defenceless  thing,  easy  to  be  swept  away  : 
so  is  it  with  these  vain  hopes  of  sinners ;  they  are  spun  out  of  their 
own  bowels,  out  of  their  good  works  and  righteousness,  and,  when 
they  set  up  themselves  in  the  midst  of  them,  expecting  to  catch 
heaven  in  their  web,  they  will  find  it  but  a  weak  and  indefensible 
thing :  for  conviction  of  sin  will  break  this  web ;  if  not,  death  and 
judgment  will,  and  then  the  sinner  will  unexpectedly  drop  into  hell. 
Xow  from  the  consideration  of  all  this,  it  greatly  concerns  us  not 
to  trust  to  or  rely  upon  ottr  own,  but  Christ's  righteousness,  lest  we 
fall  into  condemnation. 

Christ  hath  done  two  things  for  us  as  our  Saviour : 

He  hath  made  a  full  satisfaction  and  expiation  for  the  guilt  of 
our  sins. 

He  hath  procured  acceptance  of  our  persons  and  performances 
with  God. 

Now  if  we  trust  to  our  own  righteousness  for  either  of  these,  we 
make  that  our  Saviour,  and  not  Christ. 

Examine  yourselves  now ;  and  search  what  it  is,  that  you  pro- 
pound to  yourselves-  when  you  perform  duties  towards  God. 

Do  none  of  you  perform  duties  to  this  end,  that  thereby  you  may 
be  freed  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  pay  down  a  price  for  your  former 
transgressions  ?  When  you  commit  sin,  many  times,  do  not  you 
think  you  will  make  amends  to  God  by  the  next  prayer  and  con- 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  407 


fession,  and  bemoaning  of  yourselves  for  it?  That,  upon  which 
men  rely  to  satisfy  their  consciences,  they  rely  upon  to  satisfy  divine 
justice.  Now  when  conscience  grows  vexed  and  angry,  what  are 
the  methods  that  men  use  to  quiet  it  ?  If  they  can  but  reckon  up 
the  number  of  their  good  works  and  duties,  they  value  them,  in- 
stead of  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Do  none  of  you  rely  upon  your  own  righteousness  and  good 
works,  to  procure  acceptance  with  God  ?  For  mark,  upon  what 
account  men  hope  their  duties  shall  be  accepted,  upon  the  same 
they  hope  themselves  shall  be  accepted.  Put  it  to  the  trial :  do 
not  you  hope  that  your  duties  shall  be  accepted  for  their  own 
sake?  True  it  is,  you  pray  that  God  would  hear  and  answer 
you  for  Christ's  sake :  but  yet  the  generality  of  men  rest  upon  the 
excellence  of  their  prayer  to  make  them  acceptable  ;  for  consider, 
have  you  not  different  hopes  of  the  acceptance  of  your  duties,  upon 
your  different  performance  of  them  ?  If  your  hearts  are  sometimes 
drawn  out  in  prayer  and  mightily  enlarged,  do  not  you  rise  up  and 
say  with  full  confidence,  that  your  prayers  are  accepted  with  God 
as  a  sweet  savor  ?  but,  at  other  times,  when  your  hearts  are  more 
dead  and  flat,  and  your  prayers  hang  heavy  upon  your  lips,  when 
you  can  but  groan  and  chatter,  then  you  conclude  you  are  afraid 
that  God  doth  not  regard  that  prayer  nor  accept  it.  This  is  an  evi- 
dence, that  you  measure  the  acceptance  of  your  duties,  by  the  worth 
and  excellence  of  them  :  the  one  is  dull  and  sluggish,  and  that  you 
give  over  as  lost  and  vain ;  the  other  vigorous  and  sprightly,  and 
you  doubt  not  but  that  pierceth  heaven,  and  obtaineth  audience 
with  God :  never  thinking  of  the  intercession  of  Christ,  which  alone 
can  make  them  acceptable.  If  this  be  the  end  which  men  make 
of  performing  their  duties,  to  make  them  their  Christs,  and  rely 
upon  them  for  salvation ;  though  it  be  a  means  to  it,  yet  it  is  in- 
sufficient of  itself  to  obtain  it. 

Use  iii. 

Is  Christ  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  ? 
Let  us  then  be  persuaded  to  come  to  him,  to  accept  him  for 
our  Saviour. 

Were  I  now  to  press  you  to  some  hard  and  difficult  duty,  to  the 
exercise  of  self-denial  and  mortification,  to  be  willing  to  lay  down 
your  lives  for  Christ,  I  might  rationally  suspect  that  these  exhorta- 
tions should  be  rejected ;  unless  they  came  with  great  power, 
strong  arguments,  and  prevalent  motives :  but,  when  it  is  only  to 
accept  of  that  Christ  who  hath  laid  down  his  life  for  you,  and  of 


408 


THE    ALL-SUFFICIENCY    OF  CHRIST 


that  salvation  which  he  hath  laid  up  for  you  and  tenders  to  you ; 
certainly,  such  an  exhortation  as  this  carries  argument  and  motive 
enough  in  itself  to  prevail.  But,  because  men  are  wedded  to  their 
own  sins,  and  because  they  are  resolved  against  their  own  happi- 
ness, I  shall  lay  down  some  considerations,  which,  if  they  do  not 
persuade  them  to  close  with  Christ,  may  at  least  convince  them 
how  unreasonably  they  put  away  salvation  from  themselves. 
And  here,  • 

1.  Consider,  that  you  all  stand  in  most  absolute  need  of  an  all- 
sufficient  Saviour. 

You  are  lost,  beyond  all  the  power  and  skill  of  men  and  angels 
to  recover  you ;  and  God  protests  that  he  will  save  you  no  other  way 
but  by  Christ:  Acts  iv.  12 ;  "Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other : 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby 
we  must  be  saved."  There  is  no  choice  for  you,  but  either  Christ, 
or  eternal  damnation ;  either  the  Son  of  God,  or  the  wrath  of  God. 
You  are  all  under  guilt,  and  there  is  no  other  way  of  satisfaction 
to  divine  justice,  but  either  his  blood  or  yours.  You  now  hear 
these  things  ;  and,  possibly,  slight  them :  but  that  day  and  hour 
are  coming,  and  will  not  tarry,  when  death  shall  snatch  you  away 
to  judgment ;  and  when  you  shall  lift  up  those  hands  at  the  great 
bar,  with  which  you  thrust  away  salvation  from  you.  That  Christ, 
whom  you  have  scorned  and  contemned,  as  a  merciful  Saviour ; 
you  will  then  tremble  at,  as  a  most  severe  and  just  Judge. 

2.  Consider,  If  you  now  come  unto  Christ,  he  is  willing  and  ready 
to  receive  you. 

He  himself  tells  you  so :  John  vi.  37  ;  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me, 
I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  Indeed,  all-sufficiency  to  save,  with- 
out willingness,  serves  only  to  increase  the  anguish  of  our  ruin  and 
destruction  But  this  may  be  for  our  comfort,  that  Christ  hath  no 
more  power  in  his  hand  to  save  us,  than  willingness  in  his  heart. 
It  is  not  indeed  Christ's  power,  that  despairing  souls  use  to  object 
against,  but  his  will.  ""We  know,"  say  such,  "that  Christ  is  able 
to  save  us  :  but  how  know  we  that  he  is  willing?"  Truly,  his  all- 
sufficiency  gives  us  good  security  of  his  will.  Hath  Christ  left  the 
bosom  of  his  Father,  hath  he  undergone  no  less  than  infinite  wrath 
and  sufferings,  and  all  for  this  end,  that  he  may  be  an  all-sufficient 
Saviour  ?  and  shall  we  yet  doubt,  after  all  this,  whether  he  is  will- 
ing to  save  us  or  not  ?  Certainly,  if  it  stood  Christ  in  so  much  to 
procure  to  himself  ability  to  save,  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt, 
that,  since  he  hath  obtained  that  ability,  he  should  now  want  a  will 
to  do  it.    Therefore,  since  Christ  was  appointed  by  the  Father  to 


TO   SAVE   AND   INTERCEDE   FOR   SINNERS.  409 

save  sinners,  and  since  he  was  fitted  with  an  all-sufficient  power  tc 
effect  salvation,  and  since  this  all-sufficiency  wants  not  willingness, 
be  persuaded  to  accept  him  ;.  and  be  as  willing  to  be  saved  by  him, 
as  he  is  willing  to  save  you. 

3.  Consider,  that  though  Christ  be  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  and  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost;  yet  he  is  not  able  to  save  them,  that  refuse  and 
reject  him. 

A  medicine  doth  not  cure,  because  it  is  compounded  of  such  and 
such  ingredients,  though  never  so  well  suited  to  that  distemper ; 
but  because  it  is  applied :  so  neither  doth  Christ  save  us,  as  he  is 
compounded  of  many  precious  ingredients  that  qualify  and  fit  him 
to  be  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  as  his  deity,  humanity,  unction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  his  own  willingness ;  but  as  received,  as 
believed  on,  and  applied  to  the  soul  by  faith :  and,  therefore,  what- 
ever he  hath  done  or  suffered  in  his  life,  death,  or  resurrection,  will 
all  be  but  in  vain  to  us ;  and  his  precious  blood  will  run  waste,  if, 
through  impenitence  and  unbelief,  we  reject  this  all-sufficient 
Saviour,  and  keep  at  a  distance  from  him. 

4.  Consider,  If  you  do  not  accept  Christ  and  salvation  by  him,  you 
will  be  rejected  by  him  to  your  greater  and  sorer  condemnation. 

Think  you  not,  that  it  will  heighten  your  sin  here,  and  your 
misery  hereafter ;  that,  when  God  hath  been  at  so  much  cost  and 
so  much  care  to  furnish  an  all-sufficient  Saviour  for  you,  you 
should  be  found  to  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?  Think  not,  that 
the  tenders  of  Christ  and  salvation,  which  are  made  to  you,  are  in- 
different ;  that,  though  you  slight  and  neglect  them,  you  shall  be 
in  the  same  condition  you  were  before  :  no  ;  but  the  despising  of 
Christ,  and  the  abusing  of  grace,  and  the  neglecting  of  so  great  sal- 
vation, are  those  things,  that  inspirit  and  inflame  hell-fire,  and  make 
the  never-dying  worm  to  gnaw  more  cruelly,  and  will  sink  you 
deeper  into  that  scalding  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone 
where  you  shall  be  burnt  in  streams  and  drowned  in  flames.  It 
had  been  better  for  you,  that  there  never  had  been  a  Christ  ten- 
dered, grace  exhibited,  and  salvation  purchased  for  you  by  Christ. 
If  we  neglect  this  salvation,  we  are  without  hope  or  possibility  of 
recovery  forever.  Pray  observe  what  the  Apostle  speaks,  after  he 
had  been  comparing  Christ  and  Moses,  together  with  the  wrath  that 
should  follow  upon  the  despising  of  the  one  and  the  despising  of 
the  other :  Heb.  x.  28,  29 ;  "  He  that  despised  Moses'  law,  died 
without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  witnesses:  of  how  much  sorer 
punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God;  and  hath  counted  the  blood 


410  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST. 

of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing ;  and 
hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  Grace  ?"  These  shall  not  have 
so  much  mercy  afforded  them,  as  to  die  without  mercy. 

And,  thus,  I  have  handled  this  excellent  portion  of  Scripture, 
concerning  Christ's  intercession,  and  his  all-sufficiency  to  save  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him. 


THE 


EXCELLENCE  OF  HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 

But  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor 
rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal:  for 
where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also.  Mat.  vi.  20, 21, 22. 


INTRODUCTION. 

There  is  not  a  soul  in  the  world  so  destitute  and  beggarly,  but 
it  hath  somewhat  that  it  may  call,  and  doth  esteem,  its  treasure. 
Not  only  he,  that  hath,  as  the  Psalmist  speaks,  all  that  his  heart 
can  wish,  who  grasps  in  possession  whatever  his  covetousness  and 
unbounded  desires  grasp  in  imagination ;  but  he  also,  that  pos- 
sesseth  nothing  but  his  own  poverty,  that  hath  no  abundance  but 
want  and  misery,  such  a  one  whom  you  would  never  suspect  to 
be  a  hoarder,  yet  hath  he  that,  the  hopes  and  enjoyment  of  which 
he  counts  precious  and  his  soul's  treasure. 

In  dangerous  and  difficult  times,  what  is  the  first  and  chief  care 
of  every  man,  but  so  to  dispose  of  this  his  treasure,  that,  whatever 
losses  he  may  sustain  in  other  accessory  good  things,  that  are  but 
lumber  and  utensils  to  the  soul,  yet  his  treasure  may  be  secured 
both  from  corruption  and  violence  ? 

Our  Saviour  here  throws  open  before  our  view  two  repositories, 
or  common  treasuries  :  vast  ones,  they  are ;  wherein  all  the  good 
things,  that  ever  any  man  in  the  world  enjoyed,  are  laid  up:  and 
they  are  earth  and  heaven.  If  you  have  any  treasure,  as  certainly 
every  one  of  you  has,  it  must  belong  to  one  of  these  two  places : 
you  must  deposit  it  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  "  Look  now," 
says  Christ :  "  take  a  view  of  earth's  exchequer ;  and  what  see  you 
there  ?  There,  indeed,  is  the  world's  treasure :  all,  that  many  mil- 
lions of  men  have  been  gathering  together,  and  hoarding  up  for 
several  ages."  If  you  would  have  an  inventory  of  all  this  store, 
St.  John  hath  exactly  cast  it  up,  in  1  John  ii.  16,  and  it  amounts 
to  this  sum  :  "  All,  that  is  in  the  world,"  saith  he,  is  "  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life :"  that  is,  there  are 
pleasures,  suiting  the  propensity  of  the  flesh :  there  are  riches,  for 
the  greediness  of  "the  eye;"  for,  "What,"  saith  the  Wise  man,  "is 
laid  up  for  the  owners  thereof,  save  the  beholding  of  them  with  their 
eyes?"  And  there  are  honor  and  dignity  ;  there  is  that  planetary, 
airy,  good  thing,  which  puffs  up  ;  viz.,  "  the  pride  of  life :"  and  this  is 

411 


412 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


the  world's  all ;  and  that,  "which  many  thousands  make  their  trea 
sure.  1  Yea :  but,'  saith  Christ, '  do  not  you  see  how  rusty  and  worm 
eaten  these  things  are  ?  do  you  not  see  what  a  bustle  there  is 
among  the  men  of  the  world  to  get  them  ?  one  pulls  and  hauls 
them  from  another,  and  they  are  never  certain  in  any  man's  pos- 
session :  "  moth  and  rust  corrupt"  them,  "  and  thieves  break  through 
and  steal ;"  and,  therefore,  "  lay  not  up"  your  treasure  here :  there 
is  another  treasury  for  3-ou  to  store  up  your  good  things  in,  and 
that  is  heaven ;  a  sure  and  safe  place,  where  no  corruption  doth 
infect,  nor  any  violence  intrude :  therefore,  lay  up  your  treasure 
there :  lay  up  your  treasure  in  heaven.' 

And  thus  you  have  the  scope  of  our  Saviour  in  these  words. 

In  the  words  themselves,  you  have, 

A  command  or  exhortation;  and  that  is,  to  lay  up  treasure  in 
heaven. 

You  have  the  enforcement  of  this  command. 
And  that  is  from  a  double  reason : 

First.  From  the  security  of  that  treasure,  that  is  laid  up  in 
heaven.  It  is  there  safe  and  free  from  all  danger ;  which  it  could 
not  be,  were  it  any  where  else  deposited. 

All  hurt  and  danger,  that  ran  befall  a  man's  treasure,  proceeds 
either, 

First.  From  inward  principles  of  corruption,  that  do  of  them- 
selves cause  decay  in  it. 

And  thus  it  is  with  all  earthly  treasures.  They  are,  of  them- 
selves, fading  and  perishing.  Riches  perish  with  the  using :  they 
rot  out  and  wear  away,  while  we  are  using  them.  All  earthly 
manna,  the  sweet  and  luscious  things  of  this  world,  breed  worms, 
that  eat  upon  and  devour  them.  All  the  riches  and  treasures  of 
the  world  have  rust,  that  attends  on  them,  and  consumes  both  them 
and  their  beauty  and  substance.  But  spiritual  manna  never  turns 
into  worms:  treasure,  laid  up  in  heaven,  is  never  eaten  with  rust. 
No,  saith  Christ,  there  rust  doth  not  corrupt :  that  is,  they  are  free 
and  safe  from  all  inward  decays  and  perishing,  from  their  own  in- 
ward principle  and  nature.  And, 

Secondly.  Treasure  may  be  unsafe,  as  from  an  inward  principle 
that  may  corrupt,  so  also  from  outward  accidents,  that  may  consume 
them. 

And  thus  we  see  oftentimes  it  comes  to  pass.  Sometimes, 
First.  Insensiblj-,  through  a  secret  blasting  curse  of  God,  wasting 
them  by  little  and  little,  and  unperceived  decays;  so  that,  while 
we  hold  them  in  our  hands  and  look  upon  them,  then  they  perish. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


413 


And  this  is  here  compared  to  the  eating  of  a  moth.  A  moth  makes 
not  a  sudden  rent  in  a  garment,  but  spoils  it  by  unseen  degrees : 
so  fares  it  oftentimes  with  the  things  of  this  world :  if  they  be  not 
torn  and  rent  from  us,  yet  are  they  moth-eaten  comforts :  the  moth 
is  got  into  them,  and  destroys  them  imperceptibly.  And,  some- 
times, 

Secondly.  By  sudden  violence ;  compared  here  to  thieves  break- 
ing through  and  stealing  away  good  things  and  treasure.  An  un- 
expected turn  of  providence  doth,  at  once,  many  times  snatch  away 
all  that  men  here  prize  and  set  their  hearts  on :  and  then,  where  is 
their  treasure  ?  In  Hos.  v.  we  find  God  threatening,  both  these 
ways,  to  destroy  Ephraim.  In  v.  12 ;  "I  will  be  unto  Ephraim," 
saith  God,  "  as  a  moth  ;  and  to  the  house  of  Judah  as  rottenness :" 
that  is,  the  Lord  would  consume  them  silently  and  imperceptibly, 
as  a  moth  eats  out  in  the  spots  of  a  garment.  And  v.  14 ;  "I  will 
be  unto  Ephraim  as  a  lion,  and  as  a  young  lion  to  the  house  of 
Judah :"  and  "  I,  even  I,  will  tear  and  go  away :  I  will  take  away, 
and  none  shall  rescue ;"  that  is,  I  will  destroy  him  by  a  violent 
and  sudden  destruction. 

But,  treasures  laid  up  in  heaven  are  secured,  both  from  insensible 
decays,  and  also  from  sudden  violence ;  secured,  both  from  the 
corruption  of  the  moth,  and  from  the  stealing  of  the  thief.  It  is 
rich  and  sure  treasure,  that  is  laid  up  there.  And  now  is  the  time 
of  your  laying  up :  some  few  years  hence,  and  it  cannot  be  long 
first,  but  you  shall  have  these  treasures  opened  to  you,  and  you  let 
in,  to  see  how  rich  you  are.  And  you  will  find  them  augmented 
above  what  you  could  believe :  there  is  not  the  least  of  all  that 
you  have  laid  up  lost  or  diminished.  And  then  you  will  wonder 
and  question  with  yourselves,  who  laid  up  this  and  that  part  of 
your  treasure :  you  will  then  ask,  "  Is  this  glory  mine,  and  that 
glory  mine?  this  throne  and  that  brightness,  this  diamond  and 
those  stars,  this  robe  and  that  sunbeam,  all  this  precious  and  incon- 
ceivable treasure,  are  they  mine  ?  I  cannot  remember  that  ever  I 
laid  up  so  much  and  such  precious  treasure :  my  faith  sometimes 
pried  through  a  crevice  into  this  treasure,  and  it  told  me  that  there 
were  great  and  glorious  things  stored  up,  and  it  told  me  also  that 
they  did  belong  to  me ;  but,  0  my  dim-sighted  grace,  that  could 
not  discover  to  me  the  one  half  of  that  glory,  wherein  I  am  now 
lost  and  swallowed  up  1"  Thus  a  Christian  will  then  wonder  how 
he  came  by  so  much  treasure,  when  he  comes  to  the  possession  and 
enjoyment  of  it.  There  is  a  saying  recorded  in  Plutarch,  of  a  rich 
Roman,  Crassus,  that  he  did  not  think  that  man  rich,  that  knew  all 


4U 


T  IT  E   EXCELLENCE  OF 


that  lie  had  :  truly,  in  this  man's  account,  a  Christian  is  truly  rich  : 
he  hath  laid  up  more  treasure,  than  himself  knows  of.  But,  though 
a  Christian  knows  not  how  much  he  hath,  yet  he  shall  lose  none  : 
it  is  safe,  being  laid  up  in  heaven :  every  star  is  as  a  seal  set  upon 
the  treasure-door,  that  none  may  break  in  and  violate  it. 

And  that  is  the  first  argument :  Lay  up  treasure  in  heaven,  be- 
cause there  only  it  is  safe :  there,  only,  the  moth  doth  not  corrupt, 
and  thieves  do  not  break  through  and  steal. 

Secondly.  And  then,  secondly,  another  enforcing  reason  you 
find  in  the  next  verse ;  and  that  is,  because,  by  laying  up  treasure 
in  heaven,  you  lay  up  your  hearts  also  in  heaven  :  "for  where  your 
treasure  is,"  says  Christ,  "  there  will  your  hearts  be  also ;"  and 
where  your  hearts  are,  there  are  you. 

What  an  argument  is  this,  O  Christians !  Would  you  yourselves 
be  laid  up  safely  in  heaven,  before  you  come  to  be  laid  down  in 
your  graves?  would  you  pre-occupy  your  own  immortality  and 
glory  ?  would  you  send  all  your  thoughts  and  all  your  desires,  as 
spies  into  the  land  of  promise,  to  discover  the  riches  and  beauty 
of  it  ?  Then  lay  up  your  treasure  there :  this  will  center  all  your 
thoughts,  this  will  fix  all  your  affections  on  itself;  and,  though  now 
you  are  on  earth  and  walk  on  earth,  yet  this  will  make  your  con- 
versation to  be  in  heaven,  if  your  treasure  be  there.  It  is  impossi- 
ble that  you  and  your  treasure  should  be  at  a  distance.  If  your 
treasure  be  on  earth,  your  minds  will  be  there  also :  you  will 
grovel  here  below  :  the  serpent's  curse  will  be  upon  you  ;  "  Upon 
thy  belly  shalt  thou  go,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy 
life."  But,  if  your  treasure  be  laid  up  in  heaven,  it  will  attract 
and  draw  up  your  hearts  unto  it ;  and  make  them  heavenly  hearts, 
as  itself  is  a  heavenly  treasure. 

Now  all  this  is  backed  with  another  consideration,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  words ;  and  that  is,  "  Lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures 
in  heaven."  You  may  indeed  lay  up  treasure  on  earth,  but  it  is  a 
hazard  whether  it  be  for  yourselves.  Here  men  sweat  and  toil  to 
get  estates,  and  heap  up  treasures ;  but  they  know  not  who  shall 
enjoy  and  possess  them :  they  labor  all  their  days  to  purchase  a  few 
uncertain  riches ;  while,  usually,  by  the  time  they  purpose  to  reap 
the  fruit  of  them,  death  comes  and  snatches  away  their  souls ;  and 
the  greatest  use  they  can  make  of  them  is,  only  to  bequeath  them 
unto  others.  He  only,  that  "  is  rich  towards  God,  layeth  up  trea- 
sure for  himself;"  and  lays  up  those  riches,  to  dispose  of  which  he 
needs  no  legacy.  A  Christian  is  his  own  heir;  and,  what  himself 
hath  gotten,  he  himself  shall  eternally  enjoy  and  possess. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


415 


And  thus  you  have  the  parts  of  the  text :  "Lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven." 

There  is  nothing  in  the  words,  that  needs  much  explication :  I 
shall,  therefore,  only  in  brief  inquire  into  two  things. 
"What  is  here  meant  by  treasure? 
"What  is  meant  by  laying  up  this  treasure  in  heaven. 
First.  What  is  here  meant  by  treasure? 

I  answer :  It  is  a  metaphorical  expression ;  and  denotes  to  us 
that,  upon  which  we  set  the  highest  rate  and  value ;  that,  the  get- 
ting of  which  we  most  endeavor,  the  enjoyment  of  which  we  most 
prize,  the  loss  of  which  we  most  bemoan.  In  a  word,  that,  which 
we  account  our  greatest  and  best  good,  is  our  treasure,  be  it  what 
it  will. 

Secondly.  The  next  inquiry  is,  what  is  meant  by  laying  up  this 
treasure  in  heaven. 

I  answer  :  It  is  nothing  else,  but  to  esteem  heaven  and  the  things 
of  heaven,  thus  to  be  our  treasure ;  to  rate  and  value  them  above 
all  things  else,  and  to  look  upon  them  as  our  chiefest  good,  and 
accordingly  to  seek  and  labor  after  them. 

I  might  now  propound  many  observations  to  you,  as  indeed 
every  word  of  this  precious  Scripture  is  pregnant  with  them  :  but 
I  shall  only  mention  one ;  intending  only  to  insist  upon  that :  and 
it  is  this : 

Doct.  That  HEAVENLY  AND  SPIRITUAL  THINGS  ARE,  AND  OUGHT 
TO  BE,  OF  THE  GREATEST  VALUE  WITH  EVERY  TRUE  CHRISTIAN. 

Or  thus : 

A  true  Christian  doth  esteem,  and  he  ought  to  esteem, 

HEAVENLY  THINGS  ABOVE  ALL  THINGS. 

"What  are  these  heavenly  things,  but  God  and  Christ,  grace  and 
glory,  spiritual  and  eternal  concernments  ?  These  are  the  choice 
things  of  a  Christian:  whatever  else  he  may  possess,  yet  these  are 
his  treasure. 

See  how  Abraham  stings  Dives  with  a  sad  item  of  what  he  made 
his  treasure  on  earth,  in  Luke  xvi.  25  ;  "  Son,"  says  he,  "remember 
that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things :"  but  did  not 
Abraham  himself,  in  his  lifetime,  receive  good  things  also  ?  Might 
not  Dives  have  retorted  back  again,  "  "Wert  not  thou,  Father  Abra- 


416 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OP 


ham,  rich  and  potent  on  earth  ?  LTadst  not  thou  great  power,  and 
great  possessions  in  the  world  ?  And,  must  I  be  tormented  and 
thou  glorified,  when  thou  kadst  a  greater  portion  of  them  than  my- 
self?" No,  the  emphasis  cuts  oft'  this  exception:  "Thou,  in  thy 
lifetime,  receivedst  thy  good  things."  "  I  received  good  things  ; 
but  not  my  good  things  ;  not  the  chiefest  that  I  valued.  Comforts 
they  were ;  but  not  treasures :  and,  while  I  possessed  these  good 
things,  I  sought  after  better ;  and  therefore  I  now  possess  and  enjoy 
them  also." 

So  holy  Asaph  views  this  treasure,  that  here  he  had  got,  in  a 
divine  rapture,  in  Psal.  lxxiii.  25  ;  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but 
thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth,  that  I  desire,  besides  thee." 
He  was  so  far  from  desiring  any  thing  above  God,  that  he  desires 
nothing  besides  God.  What  is  there  on  earth,  that  I  can  "  desire 
besides  thee  ?" 

See  St.  Paul  also,  in  1  Cor.  ii.  2 ;  "  I  determined  not  to  know  any 
thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified :"  but,  espe- 
cially in  Phil.  iii.  8  ;  "Doubtless,"  says  he,  "I  count  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord : 
for  whom  I  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things ;  and  do  count  them  but 
dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ."  Observe  how  the  Apostle  doth 
there  contemn  all,  that  the  world  counts  its  treasure :  he  reckons  it 
but  "  dung,"  in  which  a  man  may  rake  long  enough,  before  he  finds 
any  true  treasure  :  nay,  not  only  "dung,"  but  "loss,"  in  comparison 
of  Christ.  "And,  what  tell  you  me  of  losing  all  things  for  him? 
It  is  true,  I  have  done  so  ;  but,  in  doing  so,  I  have  but  lost  a  loss, 
I  am  but  rid  of  a  damage.  I  count  all  things  but  loss ;  and  I  suffer 
the  loss  of  all  things,  for  Christ." 

This  is  the  low  and  villifying  account,  that  a  child  of  God  makes 
of  every  thing  that  is  not  his  treasure.  God  and  Christ,  and  the 
things  of  eternity,  are  his  chief  and  choice  good  ;  and  whatever  he 
hath  besides,  is  but  dung,  but  loss,  but  a  damage.  In  the  heart 
of  a  carnal  man,  all  things  lie  in  a  confused  order  ;  heaven  below, 
and  earth  above :  earth  seems  to  him  to  be  vast  and  infinite ;  but 
heaven  a  little  inconsiderable  spot.  But,  in  the  heart  of  a  child  of 
God,  every  thing  keeps  its  natural  posture :  there  earth  sinks,  as 
being  the  dregs  of  his  thoughts  and  cares ;  but  heaven  shines 
above,  very  bright  and  glorious :  earth,  to  him,  seems  to  be  but  a 
little  spot,  as  indeed  it  is,  which  is  seldom  seen  or  noted  by  him  ; 
but  heaven  is  an  infinite  boundless  sea  of  mercy,  which  he  is  still 
looking  into  and  admiring.  Thus  things  keep  their  natural  pos- 
ture, in  the  heart  of  a  ohild  of  God  ;  but  they  are  all  disordered, 
in  the  heart  of  a  wicked  man. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


417 


I.  To  prosecute  tbis  farther,  I  shall  endeavor  to  OPEN  TO 
YOU  THE  EICHES  OF  THIS  HEAVENLY  TKEASURE ; 
that  it  may  appear  how  rationally  the  children  of  God  act,  in 
valuing  this  above  all  things,  and  in  making  it  their  choice  good 
and  chief  treasure. 

And, 

i.  It  is  an  evident  demonstration  of  the  preciousness  of  this 
treasure,  in  that  IT  MAKES  THOSE  THINGS  PRECIOUS  ALSO,  THAT 
are  but  conversant  about  it;  and  therefore,  certainly,  it  is 
mighty  precious  itself.  It  bestows  a  lustre,  excellence  and  beauty 
upon  every  thing,  that  lies  near  it,  or  that  hath  any  relation  to  it. 

I  will  mention  but  two  things. 

1.  The  deeds  of  conveyance,  whereby  this  treasure  is  made  over  to  us 
and  becomes  ours,  are  therefore  precious,  because  they  convey  such  a 
treasure. 

And  what  are  they,  but  the  promises?  Every  promise  is  a 
ticket,  given  us  by  God,  to  take  up  mansions  of  treasure  in  heaven : 
it  is  vocal  glory  :  it  is  happiness,  in  words  and  syllables  :  it  is  eter- 
nity, couched  in  a  sentence.  And,  therefore,  no  wonder  that  the 
Apostle  speaks  so  magnificently  of  them :  "  Whereby,"  says  he, 
"  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises." 

Tell  me,  therefore,  0  soul !  didst  thou  ever  see  the  glory  and 
riches,  that  are  in  a  promise  ?  Wert  thou  ever  ravished  with 
that  infinite  sweetness  and  deliciousness,  that  thou  suckest  from 
them  ?  Didst  thou  ever  sit  down  amazed  at  the  free  and  bound- 
less love  of  God  in  them  ;  that  spake  good  to  thy  soul,  "  for  a  great 
while  to  come,"  as  David  speaks  ?  Didst  thou  ever  find  the  excel- 
lence and  preciousness  of  these  things  ?  Think,  then,  how  precious 
that  glory  itself  is,  that  fills  these  promises.  If  a  star  be  so  bright 
and  sparkling,  that  shines  only  in  a  borrowed  brightness,  how 
transcendcntly  bright  then  is  the  sun,  that  lends  so  much  light  to 
it !  If  the  conduit-pipe  be  ready  to  burst,  through  the  abundance 
of  streams  that  flow  from  it ;  how  inexhaustible  is  the  fountain  and 
spring-head,  which  supply  this  treasure  !  If  the  gleanings  be  so 
rich  and  full,  what  will  the  vintage  be  ?  The  glory  and  happiness 
of  heaven  is  so  great  and  boundless,  that  it  overflows  and  spills 
itself  abroad  in  promises;  and,  if  the  overflowing  drops  be  so 
sweet,  what  then  will  the  ocean  itself  be  ?  What  says  the  Apos- 
tle, in  1  Pet.  ii.  7  ?  "  Unto  you,  that  believe,"  Christ  "  is  precious :" 
How  is  he  now  precious  unto  believers,  but  as  he  is  held  forth  in  a 
promise  ?  that  is  all  the  way  in  which  he  becomes  precious  to  us 
Vol.  II.— 27 


418 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


now.  And  will  lie  not  be  far  more  precious  to  us,  when  we  shall 
no  more  stand  at  the  distance  of  a  promise  from  him?  when  we 
shall  no  more  need  the  hand  of  faith ;  but  shall  clasp  and  cling 
about  him,  in  the  immediate  fruition  of  him  ?  Will  he  not  be 
more  precious  to  us,  when  all  our  hopes  shall  be  made  good  to  us 
in  actual  present  possession  ?  And,  therefore,  if  the  promises  be 
so  "  exceeding  great  and  precious,"  it  argues,  certainly,  that  that 
treasure  which  makes  these  promises  to  be  so,  is  wonderfully  and 
infinitely  glorious  and  precious. 

2.  As  the  deeds  of  conveyance,  so  the  very  eye,  that  sees  and  views 
this  treasure,  is  made  precious  by  the  sight  of  it. 

And  what  is  that  eye,  but  the  eye  of  faith  ?  and,  though  it  be  but 
weak,  yet  it  is  that,  with  which,  by  the  help  of  a  promise  as  by  a 
prospective  glass,  we  look  into  heaven  itself,  to  see  that  mass  and 
those  heaps  of  treasure  laid  up  there  for  the  soul.  The  eye  of 
faith  sees  them :  the  hand  of  faith  tells  them  out :  and,  therefore, 
St.  Peter  calls  it  precious  faith :  2  Pet.  i.  1 ;  "  To  them,  that  have 
obtained  like  precious  faith  with  us."  You  may  look  upon  earthly 
treasure  till  your  eyes  be  dazzled,  yea,  possibly  till  they  be  weak- 
ened and  wearied  by  it ;  but  never  will  they  be  made  more  rich 
and  precious  by  it;  but,  by  looking  upon  this  heavenly  treasure, 
the  eye  that  sees  it  becomes  a  jewel  itself :  "  more  precious,"  saith 
the  same  Apostle,  ''than"  the  "gold that  perisheth:"  1  Pet.  i.  7. 

And  that  is  the  first  excellence  of  this  heavenly  treasure.  It  is 
precious  treasure,  in  that  it  makes  those  things  precious,  that  are 
but  conversant  about  it :  precious  faith,  and  precious  promises. 

ii.  Heavenly  treasure  is  soul  treasure,  suited  to  the  soul. 

And,  therefore,  look  how  much  more  noble  and  excellent  the 
soul  is  than  the  body,  so  much  more  excellent  is  heavenly  treasure 
than  earthly  treasure.  For  what  serve  these  things  on  earth,  but 
to  clothe  and  feed  the  body;  and  yet,  for  all  this,  the  soul  may  be 
naked,  and  miserable,  and  want  suitable  provision.  Truly,  we  may 
lament  the  condition  of  the  richest  sinners  on  earth ;  and  say  over 
them,  in  compassion,  O  poor  souls,  what  husks  and  swine's-meat  do 
you  give  your  souls,  while  you  set  the  whole  world  before  them ! 
lor,  all  in  the  world  is  no  better.  There  is  nothing  in  it,  whence 
you  can  pick  out  suitable  nourishment  for  them ;  and  therefore 
Christ  justly  brands  the  rich  man  in  the  Gospel  for  an  arrant  fool, 
who,  when  he  had  filled  his  barns  with  corn,  said  to  his  soul, 
"  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  eat,  drink, 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


410 


and  be  merry."  Luke  xii.  19.  A  fool,  indeed!  to  reckon  his  soul's 
goods  by  barnfuls  I  lie  might  as  wisely  have  boasted,  that  he  had 
provided  barns  full  of  thoughts  for  his  body,  as  barns  full  of  corn 
for  his  soul.  And,  yet,  such  is  the  provision,  that  most  men  make 
for  their  precious  souls.  Tell  me,  sirs,  do  you  really  believe,  that 
this  is  such  provision  as  your  souls  can  live  upon  ?  or,  do  you 
think  your  souls  need  no  provision?  What!  must  your  bodies, 
that  at  first  were  kneaded  out  of  the  dust  and  must  ere  long  be 
crumbled  into  dust  again,  must  these  bodies  engross  all  your  care, 
how  to  provide  for  them,  and  to  please  them ;  and  shall  your 
spiritual  and  everlasting  souls  be  wholly  neglected  by  you  ?  It  is 
not  long  hence,  before  your  bodies  shall  never  more  know  a  differ- 
ence, between  treasure  and  poverty,  between  fulness  and  hunger ; 
and,  then,  what  serve  all  these  things  for,  that,  with  so  much  pains 
and  industry,  you  have  laid  up  ?  Truly,  it  is  a  long  journey  into 
the  other  world ;  and  gold,  and  silver,  and  earthly  treasure  are  too 
heavy  a  portage  to  be  carried  with  you  thither.  Those,  that  now 
make  shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  conscience  to  get  them,  will, 
ere  it  be  long,  make  shipwreck  of  them  also.  "When  you  come  to 
launch  out  into  eternity,  you  shall  carry  nothing  with  you  of  your 
earthly  treasure  into  the  other  world ;  unless  it  be  the  rust  of  it, 
to  witness  against  you  :  nothing  of  your  gold  :  unless  it  be  the  guilt 
of  it,  to  condemn  you.  These  are  unfit  things,  therefore,  to  be  laid 
up  by  you  as  your  soul's  treasure. 

But  heavenly  treasure  is  suitable  treasure;  suitable  to  your 
souls :  and  that,  in  a  twofold  respect. 

Heavenly  treasures  are  suitable  to  the  nature  of  your  souls. 
And, 

They  are  suitable  to  the  necessities  of  your  souls. 

1.  Heavenly  treasures  are  suitable  to  the  nature  of  your  souls. 
And  that,  in  these  two  respects, 

They  are  spiritual  treasures,  for  an  immaterial  soul.  And, 

They  are  durable  treasures,  for  an  immortal  soul.  And,  there- 
fore, they  are  suitable  treasures. 

(1)  Heavenly  treasures  are  spiritual ;  and  therefore  are  suited  to 
a  soul,  that  is  of  a  spiritual  and  immaterial  substance. 

Hence  the  Apostle,  Eph.  i.  3,  blesseth  God,  "  who  hath  blessed 
us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly"  things  "  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Truly,  heavenly  things  are  these  spiritual  blessings,  refined  from 
all  dull  and  earthly  mixtures.  God  himself,  who  is  the  total 
sum  of  all  the  treasures  of  all  the  saints  on  earth,  is  a  spirit: 
his  love  and  favor,  interest  in  him,  communion  and  fellowship  with 


420 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


him,  are  all  spiritual  things,  that  a  carnal  eye  cannot  see,  neither 
can  a  carnal  judgment  value.  The  most  suitable  are  they,  there- 
fore, to  a  soul,  that  is  a  spirit.  Of  all  things  belonging  to  a  man, 
the  breath  of  a  man  is  the  most  subtle,  invisible,  and  spiritual :  but 
the  soul  is  called  the  breath  of  God  metaphorically,  Gen.  ii.  7,  and, 
therefore,  is  of  a  very  high  degree  of  spirituality.  Now,  bring 
spiritual  things  to  spiritual :  debase  not  thy  spiritual  and  high- 
born soul,  by  matching  it  to  the  low  and  inferior  things  of  the 
world :  let  not  thy  pure  and  spiritual  soul  be  unequally  yoked 
with  the  dregs  and  dross  of  any  worldly  enjoyment.  God  and 
Christ  and  the  things  of  eternity  are  suitable  to  the  soul :  they  are 
spiritual,  like  thy  spiritual  and- better  part ;  and,  though  to  a  carnal 
heart  these  seem  but  empty  and  notional  things,  yet  a  child  of  God 
tastes  more  sweetness  and  comfort  in  these  things,  than  in  whatever 
the  world  can  present  unto  him.  The  love  of  God,  the  consola- 
tions of  his  Spirit,  actings  of  grace,  hopes  of  glory,  these  invisible 
things,  these  are  the  true  riches. 
And,  then, 

(2)  Heavenly  treasure  is  the  only  durable  treasure,  and  therefore 
suited  to  an  immortal  soul. 

The  things  of  this  world  will  not  go  one  step  with  you  beyond 
this  present  life.  And,  what  a  sad  parting  hour  will  that  be  to  the 
soul,  to  go  into  another  world,  and  to  leave  all  its  treasure  behind 
in  this  world  !  How  will  it  protract  and  linger  ;  and  how  loth  will 
it  be  to  enter  upon  so  great  a  journey,  without  a  treasure  to  defray 
the  charges  of  it !  How  ghastly  will  the  soul  look  back  upon  those 
things,  that  it  made  its  treasure  !  "  What !"  will  it  say,  "must  not 
I  carry  this  estate  and  that  treasure  out  of  the  world  with  me  ? 
Must  we  thus  part  forever?"  Yes,  0  soul,  forever:  for  none  of 
these  things  canst  thou  carry  with  thee.  And,  oh!  what  a  sad 
thing  will  it  be,  for  the  poor  soul  to  be  set  ashore  upon  the  vast 
ocean  of  eternity,  and  to  have  nothing  at  all  to  relieve  and  support 
it,  all  its  treasure  being  in  another  world ! 

But  heavenly  treasure  is  durable  treasure.  It  is  current  not 
only  in  this,  but  in  the  other  world  which  is  to  come.  In  Prov. 
vni.  18  ,  says  Wisdom,  "  Riches  and  honor  are  with  me ;  yea,  durable 
riches  and  righteousness."  Indeed,  righteousness  is  this  durable 
riches.  When  all  things  in  the  world  stare  on  thee,  and  thou  on 
them,  and  so  take  leave  of  one  another  eternally  ;  yet  then  the  love 
of  God,  interest  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  divine  and  heavenly  graces, 
these  will  then  stand  by  thee  and  keep  thee  company,  yea  and  enter 
into  heaven,  and  there  abide  with  thee  to  all  eternity.    It  is  true, 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


421 


thy  faith,  that  is  now  a  busy  and  active  grace,  that  like  Moses  doth 
here  get  up  to  Mount  Pisgah  and  there  take  a  view  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  must  itself  die  before  it  comes  there :  yet  this  is  no  lessen- 
ing of  thy  treasure,  though  thou  dost  lose  thy  faith ;  for,  indeed,  it 
is  not  so  much  the  loss  of  thy  faith,  as  the  swallowing  of  it  up,  a 
changing  of  it  into  sight  and  vision :  faith  and  fruition  are  incon- 
sistent one  with  another.  But  all  thy  other  graces,  love,  joy,  and 
delight,  which  are  now  often  eclipsed  and  faint,  and  languish  in 
their  actings,  shall  then  keep  an  eternal  jubilee.  Never  fear  the 
failing  of  thy  happiness.  It  is  true,  here,  the  waters  do  only  bub- 
ble, and  they  may  and  often  do  fail ;  but,  there,  thou  shalt  bathe 
thyself  in  an  infinite  ocean  of  delight :  there,  thou  shalt  lie  at  an 
ever-bubbling  fountain  of  sweetness :  God  shall  be  eternally  there, 
and  thou  shalt  be  eternally  there  :  he  will  be  eternally  glancing  and 
smiling  on  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  eternally  warming  and  cheering 
thyself  in  that  sunshine.  Therefore,  think  with  thyself,  if  indeed 
God  can  be  exhausted,  if  heaven  itself  can  be  impoverished,  if  in- 
finite riches  of  glory  can  be  all  spent  and  consumed,  then  and  not 
till  then,  can  thy  treasure  fail  thee :  never  shall  one  star  of  thy 
crown  twinkle,  much  less  shall  it  ever  be  eclipsed :  1  Pet.  v.  4. 
"We  "  shall  receive  a  crown  of  glory,  that  fadeth  not  away  :"  it  shall 
be  forever  as  glorious,  orient,  and  flourishing,  as  it  was  at  its  first 
putting  on,  Indeed,  eternity  will  be  the  perpetual  beginning  of  thy 
happiness. 

And  thus  you  see  how  suitable  this  treasure  is  to  the  nature  of 
the  soul ;  in  that  it  is  spiritual  treasure,  for  a  soul  that  is  a  spirit ; 
and  it  is  durable  treasure,  for  a  soul  that  is  immortal. 

2.  As  heavenly  treasure  is  suited  to  the  nature  of  the  soul,  so 
also  to  the  necessities  of  the  soul. 

What  is  it,  that  the  soul  can  stand  in  need  of,  that  it  cannot  be 
supplied  withal  from  hence  ?  Doth  it  need  a  price  to  redeem  it  ? 
here  is  laid  up  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  that  was  shed  for  the 
sins  of  many.  Is  it  pardon  and  forgiveness  that  it  needs  ?  here  is 
abundant  mercy.  Is  it  sanctification  and  holiness  ?  here  are  riches 
of  grace.  Is  it  joy  and  comfort  ?  here  are  abundant  consolations. 
Is  the  soul  wretched,  and  poor,  and  miserable,  and  blind,  and 
naked  ?  here  is  gold  to  make  it  rich :  here  is  white  raiment  to 
clothe  it,  and  eye-salve  to  recover  its  sight.  Indeed  there  is  noth- 
ing, that  the  soul  can  want  or  desire,  but  you  may  have  supplies 
for  it  from  your  own  treasure ;  from  that  treasure,  that  you  have 
laid  up  in  heaven.  See  that  rich  place,  Phil.  iv.  19  ;  "  My  God  shall 
supply  all  your  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


Jesus :"  all  your  needs ;  not  only  your  corporal  needs  and  neces- 
sities, but  also  your  spiritual  necessities.  Here,  all  earthly  treasures 
foil  short :  the  exigencies  of  the  outward  man  they  may  relievo, 
but  the  greatest  abundance  of  them  cannot  quiet  a  troubled  con- 
science, nor  appease  au  angry  God,  nor  take  off  the  guilt  of  sin ; 
nor  can  they  redeem  the  soul  from  eternal  wrath :  no,  "  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  soul  is  precious,"  yea,  too  precious  to  be  purchased  by 
all  these  things,  "  and  it  ceaseth  forever."  When  God  frowns  upon 
the  soul,  and  conscience  lowers,  and  hell-fire  flashes  in  the  face  of  a 
sinner,  how  truly  poor  and  miserable  is  that  man,  that  hath  no 
better  support  and  comfort  than  these  unsuitable  things  !  All  the 
world,  as  great  as  now  it  seems  to  be,  will  be  judged  too  vile  a  price 
to  procure  one  minute's  ease.  "What  would  the  soul  then  give  for 
a  Saviour,  for  a  slighted  and  despised  Saviour,  to  interpose  betwixt 
it  and  justice  ?  Believe  it,  then  you  will  have  other  thoughts  of 
the  favor  of  God,  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  and  of  this  heavenly 
md  spiritual  treasure,  than  now  you  have.  Now,  in  your  peace 
and  prosperity,  possibly,  these  appear  to  you  to  be  no  better  than 
fancied  treasures  and  airy  riches :  but,  when  the  days  of  sorrow 
and  darkness  overtake  you  and  come  upon  you,  when  God  shall 
drop  into  your  souls  a  little  of  his  wrath  and  displeasure,  then  it 
will  be  in  vain  to  seek  ease  from  the  world :  all  your  pleasures, 
treasures,  and  enjoyments  here  below,  will  all  tell  you  it  is  not  in 
them  to  relieve  you :  you  may  as  well  seek  to  cure  a  wound  in 
your  flesh,  by  laying  a  plaster  to  your  clothes  :  no ;  it  is  grace,  that 
can  then  stand  you  in  stead  ;  it  is  that  only,  that  can  reach  the  ne- 
cessities of  the  soul ;  and,  without  this,  all  your  riches  and  treasures 
are  but  dear  vanities,  precious  vexations,  that  will  stand  by  and 
see  you  perish,  yea  and  perish  eternally,  but  cannot  supply  and 
help  you. 

iii.  I  now  come  to  a  third  thing,  wherein  the  excellence  and  the 
riches  of  this  heavenly  treasure  do  appear:  and  that  is,  because 
they  are  satisfying  treasures  ;  and  so  are  not  the  treasures  of 
the  world. 

Solomon  himself,  when  he  had  reckoned  up  many  items  for 
honors,  and  pleasures,  and  riches ;  yet,  at  the  bottom  of  the  bill, 
at  the  foot  of  the  account,  he  casts  up  the  total  sum  by  two  great 
ciphers;  "All  is  vanity  and  vexation,"  saithhe:  "vanity,"  in  them- 
selves; and  "vexation,"  also,  in  the  use  and  enjoyment  of  them: 
they  that  make  more  reckoning  of  this  treasure,  will  be  mistaken 
in  their  account.   And  is  this  the  price  of  thy  sweat  and  care  ?  Is 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


423 


tliis  the  price  of  thy  early  and  late  endeavors  ?  Nay  is  this  the 
price  of  thy  sins,  for  which  thou  destroyest  thy  soul  and  foregoest 
eternity  ?  What !  to  hoard  up  vanity  and  emptiness,  to  grow  rich 
in  vexation !  "Wilt  thou  stretch  thy  conscience  for  that,  which  will 
never  fill,  but  torment  thee  ?  Are  these  the  great  stately  nothings, 
that  the  whole  world  admires,  and  runs  mad  after  ?  Alas !  you 
may  as  soon  grasp  your  arms  full  of  dreams,  and  hug  your  own 
shadows,  as-  fill  up  the  vast  and  boundless  desires  of  your  souls 
with  these  earthly  things;  that  have  scarce  any  proof  of  their 
reality,  besides  the  vexation  and  torment  that  they  bring  with 
them.  These  things  are  to  the  soul  but  as  wind  to  the  stomach  : 
gripe  it  they  may ;  but  they  can  never  fill  nor  satisfy  it.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  you  will  find  Esau,  in  Gen.  xxxiii.  9,  seemingly  satis- 
fied with  his  present  condition,  when  he  tells  Jacob,  "  I  have  enough, 
my  brother :"  but  this  was  rather  because  he  was  ashamed  to  ac- 
knowledge his  want,  by  receiving  from  a  fugitive  ;  than  any  real 
satisfaction,  that  drew  this  speech  from  him :  no ;  there  is  such  a 
paradox  in  an  earthly  mind,  that  makes  it  true,  that  though  often- 
times they  have  too  much,  yet  they  never  think  they  have  enough. 
But  heavenly  treasures  are  filling  and  satisfying  treasures :  though 
riches  are  empty,  though  honors  and  dignities  are  flatulent  and 
windy,  and  crowns  are  lined  with  troubles,  and  sceptres  are  made 
massy  with  cares  set  on  them ;  yet  heavenly  riches  are  substan- 
tial :  the  crown  of  glory  and  immortality  is  lined  throughout  with 
the  down  of  eternal  contentment  and  satisfaction. 

Now  these  heavenly  treasures  are  satisfactory  in  two  respects. 

They  are  satisfactory  in  themselves.  And, 

They  put  satisfactoriness  into  earthly  enjoyments. 

So  that  the  soul,  that  possesseth  heavenly  treasure,  finds  content- 
ment and  satisfaction  in  every  condition. 

1.  Heavenly  treasures  are  satisfactory  in  themselves. 

He,  that  enjoys  them,  needs  look  out  no  where  else  for  happi- 
ness and  contentment. 

(1)  The  treasures  of  grace  are  thus  satisfactory,  where  there  is 
the  light  and  evidence  of  assurance,  to  tell  the  soul  how  rich  it  is. 

Grace,  indeed,  is  this  treasure,  that  may  sometimes  lie  deep  hid 
in  the  heart.  When  the  soul  is  in  the  dark,  under  some  gloomy 
fears  or  in  a  state  of  desertion,  it  doth  not  then  know  that  it  hath 
such  a  treasure :  and,  therefore,  it  cannot  receive  contentment  and 
satisfaction  from  it.  But,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  darts  a  beam 
of  evidencing  light  into  the  dark  vault,  this  rich  treasure  discovers 
itself  by  its  own  shining.    Now,  this  shine  of  heavenly  treasure  is 


424 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


assurance  ;  and,  when  the  Spirit  darts  in  a  beam  of  light  to  discover 
it  in  the  heart,  when  it  sees  how  rich  it  is  in  love,  in  faith,  in  hope, 
and  in  all  other  precious  graces  of  the  Spirit,  it  cannot  sufficiently 
prize  and  value  its  own  estate.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  a  gracious 
heart  never  thinks  it  hath  enough :  still,  it  is  craving  and  laboring 
after  more :  still,  it  complains,  that  its  graces  are  too  weak,  and 
those  weak  ones  too  few.  Yet  this  holy  covetousness  carries  no 
tormenting,  perplexing  anxiety  and  vexation  with  it :  while  it  com- 
plains of  the  poverty  of  its  graces,  yet  it  prizeth  them  above  all 
the  world ;  and  thinks  its  estate  to  be  infinitely  blessed  and  happy, 
if  it  hath  but  any  degree  of  assurance :  and,  though  the  man  be 
but  poor  and  despicable  in  the  world,  yet  ask  him,  whether  he 
would  change  conditions  with  the  greatest  and  the  richest  sinner  on 
earth,  he  will  tell  you  no :  he  values  his  present  estate  above  ten 
thousand  worlds ;  nay,  he  would  not  lose  the  least  degree  nor  the 
least  filing  of  his  graces,  for  whatever  enjoyments  a  poor  world 
could  proffer  him.  Such  satisfactoriness  there  is  in  the  treasures 
of  grace  !  and  well  may  it  be  so,  for  grace  .with  assurance  is  no  less 
than  heaven  let  down  into  the  soul.  And,  therefore,  it  is  remark- 
able in  Heb.  x.  34 ;  "  Knowing  in  yourselves,"  saith  the  Apostle, 
"  that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  better  and "  a  more  "  enduring  sub- 
stance :"  so  our  translation  renders  it ;  but,  in  the  original,  it  is, 
"  Know,  that  in  yourselves  you  have  a  better  and  a  more  enduring 
substance  in  heaven :"  those,  that  are  assured  of  the  truth  of  their 
own  graces,  have  a  heaven  in  themselves,  a  better  and  a  more  en- 
during substance  in  themselves ;  such  discoveries  of  God,  such 
sweet  peace  and  tranquillity  of  soul,  such  overflowing  joys  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  heaven  itself  is  never  able  to  bestow  other  kind 
of  happiness  than  this  is,  though  there  they  shall  have  it  in  fuller 
degrees  and  measure. 

(2)  The  treasures  of  glory  are  infinitely  satisfactory. 

If  there  be  so  much  in  grace,  that  is  but  the  earnest,  how  much 
more  abundant  satisfaction  is  there  in  glory,  which  is  the  inherit- 
ance itself!  Ps.  xvii.  15  ;  "When  I  awake,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with 
thy  likeness."  When  I  awake:  that  is,  when  I  awake  in  glory, 
after  a  short  slumber  of  death,  then  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  the 
likeness  and  similitude  of  God. 

Consider,  here, 

[1]  The  true  reason  of  the  vanity  and  unsatisfactoriness  of  all 
earthly  things. 

It  is,  because  none  of  them  are  so  good  as  the  soul  is ;  nor  are 
any  of  them  so  great,  as  to  be  able  to  fill  up  the  vast  capacity  of 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


425 


the  soul.  The  soul  is  like  a  wide  gulf:  throw  iu  pleasures,  and 
profits,  and  honors,  nay  the  whole  world ;  yet  there  is  a  vast  hollow- 
ness  in  the  soul  still,  that  can  never  be  filled  up  by  these  things. 
Your  souls  are  of  a  noble  and  excellent  being ;  and,  excepting  an- 
gels, they  are  the  top  and  flower  of  the  creation :  and,  therefore,  it  is 
a  debasement  of  them  to  cling  to  any  thing  here  that  is  worse  than 
themselves.  Now  ;  so  long  as  all  things  here  below  are  less  than 
the  soul  and  worse  than  the  soul,  the  soul  cannot  possibly  receive 
satisfaction  and  contentment  in  them.  But  God  is  infinitely  great ; 
and,  therefore,  he  can  fill  the  soul :  and  God  is  infinitely  good ;  and, 
therefore,  He  can  satisfy  the  soul,  so  that  it  shall  not  desire  any 
thing  above  or  besides  Him. 
Consider, 

[2]  The  soul  is  to  be  made  happy,  with  the  same  happiness, 
wherewith  God  himself  is  to  be  forever  blessed. 

And  must  not  this  be  infinitely  satisfactory  ?  "Wherein  doth 
God's  infinite  blessedness  -consist  ?  Is  it  not  in  the  close,  near,  in- 
timate, and  immediate  enjoyment  and  fruition  of  himself?  Is  not 
God  himself  his  own  happiness  ?  Why  this  also  is  the  happiness 
of  the  saints;  a  close,  intimate,  and  immediate  enjoyment  of  God. 
Enlarge  then,  0  soul :  spread  forth  thyself  wide :  make  room  for 
thine  own  glory :  thou  art  to  be  made  happy,  with  the  same  happi- 
ness, that  God  himself  is  blessed  with.  He  is  blessed,  in  the  eternal 
enjoyment  of  himself;  and  thou  shalt  be  blessed,  with  the  eternal 
enjoyment  of  God  also.  Enlarge  then,  0  soul :  spread  forth  thy- 
self wide:  stretch  out  thy  desires  as  wide  as  heaven  itself;  for  the 
God  of  heaven  will  fill  them.  And  is  not  here  enough  to  satisfy  ? 
Certainly,  that  soul  must  be  very  necessitous,  that  an  Infinite  God 
and  an  infinite  good  cannot  fill  up  and  satisfy. 

And,  thus,  you  see  that  heavenly  treasures  are  satisfactory  in 
themselves. 

2.  As  they  are  satisfactory  in  themselves,  so  they  make  earthly 
comforts  and  enjoyments  to  be  satisfactory  also. 

That  soul,  that  hath  laid  up  and  made  sure  of  heavenly  treasures, 
finds  satisfaction  and  contentment  in  every  outward  condition.  He, 
that  enjoys  most  of  heaven,  enjoys  most  of  earth ;  though  others 
may  possess  more  than  he :  and  what  be  hath  not,  contentment 
makes  him  not  to  want.  What  says  the  Apostle,  in  Phil.  iv.  11  ? 
"  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  con- 
tent." .And  what  can  any  man  have  more?  If  the  Lord  afford 
him  but  a  little  of  these  things,  he  is  content ;  and,  if  he  increaseth 
them  too  much,  he  can  be  but  content.    0  what  a  blessed  condition 


426 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


is  this,  that  exempts  a  man  from  a  possibility  of  being  under  afflic- 
tion, as  to  outward  things  ! 

'  Thus  it  will  be  with  you,  if  you  have  laid  up  your  treasure  in 
heaven.  It  will  satisfy  you,  and  make  every  outward  condition 
satisfactory  also ;  and  that,  for  two  reasons. 

(1)  It  will  beget  in  you  mean  and  light  thoughts  of  all  things 
here  below. 

You  will  rate  them  no  higher  than  the  Apostle  doth ;  but  loss 
and  dung :  and  will  any  man  be  discontented  or  troubled  what 
befals  such  things;  what  becomes  of  his  losses,  and  of  his  dung 
and  dross  ?  Suppose  a  sweeping  shower  should  upon  a  sudden 
fall,  and  wash  away  the  loose  dust  that  lies  upon  *your  ground, 
would  you  count  this  a  loss  of  your  land  ?  would  any  of  you  be 
troubled  at  this,  as  being  bereaved  of  part  of  your  estate  ?  Truly, 
to  a  child  of  God  all  the  things  of  the  world  are  no  other  ;  and,  if 
a  tempest  of  Providence  suddenly  sweeps  them  away,  he  is  not 
troubled  at  it :  he  counts  it  no  loss  of  his  inheritance :  the  dust  only 
is  washed  away,  but  the  land  is  safe  still.  Truly,  none  in  the  world 
abound  more  with  superfluities,  than  a  saint  doth.  Take  a  wicked 
man,  upon  whom  all  the  store  and  abundance  of  the  world  do  empty 
themselves ;  upon  whom  riches,  and  honors,  and  pleasures  flow  in, 
in  a  full  tide,  and  all  unburden  themselves  into  his  bosom ;  yet, 
poor  man !  he  hath  no  more  than  he  needs :  and  it  is  no  wonder 
that  he  calls  them  by  great  names,  this  thing  a  crown,  and  that 
thing  a  kingdom  and  treasure  :  alas  !  these  poor  deceits  are.  all,  that 
he  hath  to  please  himself  with,  to  call  little  things  by  great  and 
swelling  names.  But  to  a  saint,  that  hath  nothing  but  food  and 
raiment,  even  they  are  superfluities,  whilst  God  and  Christ  are  his  : 
and,  if  God  casts  in  more  to  him,  he  values  them  as  mercies,  but 
not  as  his  treasure ;  or,  if  God  calls  them  back  again,  he  looks  upon 
them  not  as  a  loss,  but  as  a  riddance.  If  you  make  a  thousand 
ciphers,  yet  they  amount  to  nothing :  and  add  a  figure  of  one  to 
these,  still  they  stand  but  for  one :  such  are  the  things  of  the  world 
to  a  child  of  God  :  all  worldly  enjoyments  are  but  as  so  many  ciphers 
in  his  account :  he  reckons  only  upon  one  God ;  and,  therefore,  he 
is  at  a  point  how  God  deals  with  him  as  to  these  things  :  if  he  gives 
or  if  he  takes  away,  he  says,  "Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Thus,  beloved,  if  you  have  laid  up  your  treasure  in  heaven,  you 
will  have  but  mean  and  slight  thoughts  of  all  other  things  besides. 

(2)  Treasure  laid  up  in  heaven  will  make  all  things  satisfactory 
to  you,  because  every  condition  that  you  are  in  will  be  to  your 
advantage. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES 


42T 


Nay,  you  will  look  upon  any  condition  that  you  are  in,  as  a  con- 
dition of  love.  Every  mercy,  that  is  bestowed  upon  you,  is  a  love- 
token  sent  you  by  a  gracious  Father :  the  soul,  that  once  can  say 
"God  is  mine,"  will  be  able  to  say,  "This  comfort  and  that  mercy 
were  given  me  from  the  love  of  God :  1  have  his  heart  with  it :  I 
observed  the  countenance  of  my  Father :  and  I  saw  him  smile  upon 
my  soul,  when  he  gave  it  me."  Nay,  are  you  deprived  of  these 
enjoyments  ?  it  is  from  love,  and  it  shall  be  for  your  advantage : 
God  saw  that  they  lay  too  near  your  heart,  and  jostled  him  farther 
from  his  seat  and  throne ;  and  he  would  not  suffer  you  to  make  so 
bad  an  exchange,  as  to  quit  heavenly  things  for  earthly  :  he  takes 
these  from  thee,  that  so  he  may  take  thee  off  them,  and  wean  thy 
heart  from  them ;  and  that  he  may  strengthen  thy  faith  and  de- 
pendence on  himself,  that  he  may  inflame  thy  affections  after  him, 
and  that  he  may  exercise  thy  patience  and  humility  in  the  want 
of  them :  nay,  he  then  gives  the  clearest,  and  brightest,  and  fullest 
discoveries  of  himself,  and  of  his  love  in  Christ  to  the  soul :  what 
advantageous  losses,  therefore,  0  Christian,  dost  thou  sustain  !  yea, 
to  use  the  Apostle's  phrase,  thou  hast  "but  gained"  in  "this  harm 
and  loss."  And,  therefore,  in  every  state  and  condition,  a  Chris- 
tian, that  hath  laid  up  his  treasure  in  heaven,  may  well  be  con- 
tent and  satisfied ;  for  all  is  to  his  advantage  and  gain,  whatever 
it  be. 

And,  so  much  for  the  third  particular. 

iv.  Treasure  laid  up  in  heaven  will  secure  to  you  the  en- 
joyment OF  ALL  EARTHLY  COMFORTS,  SO  FAR  AS  THEY  SHALL  BE 
FOR  YOUR  GOOD. 

This  depends  upon  the  latter  part  of  the  former  particular.  Our 
Saviour  hath  passed  his  word  for  it,  in  Mat.  vi.  33 ;  "Seek  ye  first 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness ;  and  all  these  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you."  First,  seek  the  kingdom  of  heaven: 
that  is,  lay  up  first  your  treasure  in  heaven,  make  sure  of  heavenly 
riches  first;  and,  then,  all  these  things  shall  be  added  to  you. 
When  the  great  bargain  is  concluded  in  heaven,  betwixt  God  and 
the  soul,  God  never  stands  upon  these  petty  things  of  earth,  but 
throws  them  in,  as  vantage  and  overplus,  into  the  bargain.  Yea, 
and  as  Christ  hath  passed  his  word,  so  God  hath  given  you  a  pawn, 
that  so  it  shall  be,  in  Rom.  viii.  32 ;  "  He,  that  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?"    Is  the  "  heir  of  all  things" 


428 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


ours ;  and  can  there  be  any  thing,  that  shall  not  be  ours  also  ? 
Hath  God  freely  given  you  his  Son ;  and  will  he  think  much  to 
give  you  other  things,  which  are  of  no  value  and  esteem,  in  com- 
parison of  that  great  gift,  Jesus  Christ?  Hath  he  given  thee 
"  hidden  manna,"  and  "  angels'  food  ;"  hath  he  clothed  thee  with  the 
robes  of  Christ's  righteousness ;  and  shalt  thou  want  food  and  rai- 
ment? Are  not  these  things  convenient  for  thee?  Or,  doth  God 
prize  worldly  things  at  a  higher  rate,  than  the  things  of  heaven? 
thou  canst  not  think  God  doth  so,  for  thou  thyself  dost  not  prize 
them  so.  Or,  doth  God  so  much  disregard  them,  as  to  take  no 
regard  to  supply  your  outward  concernments  ?  No,  says  Christ, 
"  your  Heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these 
things."  God  doth  take  special  notice  and  regard  of  all  your 
wants :  he  knows  you  have  need  of  these  things.  Thou  needest 
not,  0  Christian,  therefore  envy  the  grandees  and  potentates  of  the 
earth,  that  rustle  and  make  a  noise  with  their  greatness :  believe  it, 
were  it  for  thy  good,  thou  shouldst  be  exalted  up  to  their  pitch 
and  they  should  be  brought  down  to  lick  the  dust  of  thy  feet. 
Consider  but  these  two  things: 

1.  All  earthly  things  are  to  he  accounted  good  or  evil,  only  as  they 
concern  our  eternal  state  and  condition. 

You  will  greatly  be  deceived,  if  you  look  upon  things  as  they 
appear  in  themselves.  Then  you  will  call  prosperity,  and  riches, 
and  worldly  abundance,  good  things;  and  want,  and  poverty,  and 
affliction,  evil  things ;  if  you  account  and  esteem  them  as  they 
appear  in  themselves.  But  consider  these  things  as  they  relate  to 
eternity,  and  then  poverty  may  be  a  mercy,  and  riches  a  judgment : 
God  may  bless  thee  by  afflictions,  and  curse  thee  by  prosperity  :  he 
may  bestow  more  upon  thee  in  suffering  thee  to  want  these  things, 
than  if  he  did  give  all  the  world's  abundance  to  thee.  It  may  be, 
prosperity  may  puff  up  thy  soul,  and  make  it  grow  more  estranged 
from  God ;  adversity  may  humble  thee,  and  bring  thy  soul  the 
nearer  unto  God,  and  so  conduce  more  to  the  eternal  good  of  thy 
soul :  adversity,  in  this  case,  is  good ;  and  not  prosperity.  This 
present  life  is  nothing,  but  a  preparation  for  and  a  tendency  to  eter- 
nity :  all  that  we  here  do,  or  receive,  or  suffer,  is  in  order  to  eter- 
nity ;  and,  therefore,  all  must  be  measured  by  it.  That  is  good, 
that  tends  to  our  everlasting  happiness,  be  it  want  or  misery. 
Whatever  it  be,  that  increases  our  grace,  that  augments  the  stock 
of  our  heavenly  treasure,  that  promotes  the  everlasting  salvation 
of  our  souls,  that  alone  is  to  be  esteemed  by  us  as  good.  What 
dull  folly  is  it,  for  men  to  roll  and  wallow  in  the  profits  and  plea- 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


429 


sures  of  this  world,  and  hug  them  as  good  things,  when  indeed  they 
are  only  snares  and  traps  to  their  souls ;  and  are  only  given  to  fat 
them  for  the  day  of  slaughter ;  and  may  every  moment  deliver 
them  up  to  an  eternity  of  torments,  which  will  fearfully  be  height- 
ened and  enraged  by  the  enjoyment  of  these  things  that  they  account 
good  things  !  Abraham  tells  Dives,  that,  in  his  lifetime,  he  received 
"good  things;"  and  Lazarus  "evil  things:"  a  strange  dispensation 
of  God,  to  bestow  good  things  upon  a  hated  Dives,  and  to  inflict 
evil  things  upon  a  beloved  Lazarus !  but  yet  read  on,  Luke  xvi. 
25 ;  "  But  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tormented."  O, 
never  call  Dives's  purple  and  delicious  fare  "  good  things  ;"  for  these 
end  in  torment :  never  call  Lazarus's  sores  and  rags  "  evil  things  ;" 
for  these  end  in  everlasting  comfort :  "  No,"  might  Dives  have  re- 
plied with  horror :  "  when  I  was  '  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,' 
I  then  received  '  evil  things :'  O,  cursed  be  all  my  pomp  and 
bravery :  I  see  now  the  end  of  my  purple,  it  was  but  to  wrap  me 
up  in  redder  flames :  my  sumptuous  fare  served  only  to  make  the 
never-dying  worm  the  more  to  feed  on  me ;  0,  happy  was  the 
poverty  of  Lazarus,  for  he  awaked  in  ease  and  happiness :  then, 
was  he  truly  happy,  and  not  I,  though  I  thought  myself  so ;  for, 
though  I  received  an  abundant  measure  of  worldly  things,  yet 
received  I  no  good  things."  This,  within  a  while,  will  be  the  judg- 
ment of  all  of  you,  when  you  come  to  be  fixed  in  an  unalterable 
condition  to  all  eternity :  0,  therefore,  be  persuaded  to  pass  the 
same  judgment  upon  them  now. 
Consider, 

2.  If  God  deny  any  comfort  or  enjoyment  to  his  people,  he  therefore 
denies  it,  because  it  is  not  good  for  them  ;  because  it  will  not  conduce  to 
their  eternal  happiness,  which  is  the  only  rule  and  measure  of  earthly 
things. 

Psal.  lxxxiv.  11 ;  "  The  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory :  no  good 
thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly."  "  No  good 
thing:"  if  any  thing  be  withheld,  you  may  conclude  on  it,  that  it 
is  no  good  thing;  but  that  it  would  be  either  prejudicial  to  grace 
and  glory,  or  inconsistent  with  them,  had  God  bestowed  it  upon 
thee :  and  wilt  thou  thyself  be  content,  to  abate  the  least  degree 
of  grace  or  glory,  for  the  greatest  accumulation  of  worldly  enjoy- 
ments ?  if  thou  wouldst,  thou  never  yet  madest  grace  or  glory  thy 
treasure.  In  Psal.  lxviii.  19,  says  the  Psalmist,  speaking  of  God's 
mercies,  "  Blessed  be  God,  that  daily  loadeth  us  with  benefits :" 
the  people  of  God  are  still  complaining,  that  they  are  loaded  with 
miseries  and  afflictions :  there  is  as  much  of  these  laid  on  them,  as 


430 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


possibly  they  can  bear:  but,  bow  few  are  there,  that  take  notice 
how  God  loads  them  with  his  benefits  !  in  Exod.  xvi.  18 ;  "  Lie,  that 
gathered  much,  had  nothing  over  ;  and  he,  that  gathered  little,  had 
no  lack :?'  so  is  it  with  the  children  of  God :  he,  that  hath  more  of 
these  outward  comforts,  hath  but  his  load ;  and  he,  that  hath  less, 
hath  his  load  too ;  every  one  as  much  as  he  can  bear :  and  what 
he  hath  not,  God  withholds,  lest  it  should  hurt  him ;  lest  it  should 
break  him,  instead  of  adorning  him.  Every  vessel  cannot  bear  up 
with  so  much  sail  as  another ;  and  therefore  God  will  keep  it  from 
toppling  over.  There  is  nothing,  that  a  child  of  God  hath  not,  but, 
if  he  had  it,  for  the  present  it  would  be  worse  with  him  than  now 
it  is :  and,  therefore,  so  much  as  you  do  now  wish  were  added  to 
your  present  condition,  so  much  you  do  virtually  wish  were  taken 
off  from  your  present  grace  and  from  your  future  glory ;  because 
God  doth  most  wisely  and  exactly  proportion  these  things  here,  so 
as  that  they  may  be  most  conducible  and  serviceable  to  your  true 
happiness  hereafter. 

II.  I  come  now  to  inquire,  "WHENCE  IT  IS,  THAT  THE 
CHILDREN  OF  GOD  MAKE  HEAVEN  AND  HEAVENLY 
THINGS  THEIK  TREASURE  AND  CHIEF  GOOD? 

We  see  that  our  Saviour  doth  here  distinguish  them  from  earthly 
and  ungodly  men  by  this  character :  one  lays  up  on  earth,  and  the 
other  in  heaven.  He,  that  lays  up  his  treasure  on  earth,  is  an 
earthly,  ungodly  man :  he,  that  lays  up  his  treasure  in  heaven,  is 
the  true  Christian. 

i.  Here,  first,  take  notice  that  that,  which  makes  any  thing 

DEAR  AND  PRECIOUS,  THAT.  WHICH  MAKES  ANT  THING  TO  BE  A 
TREASURE  TO  THE  SOUL,  IS  THE  SUITABLENESS  AND  SUBSERVIENCY 
OF  IT  TO  THAT  SELF,  THAT  IS  IN  A  MAN. 

Self  is  the  great  rater  of  all  our  treasure :  the  value  of  it  is 
reckoned  according  to  this  standard :  when  heaven,  and  earth,  and 
all  things  are  laid  before  a  man,  self  comes  in,  and  views  them  all, 
and  sees  what  is  useful  for  it,  and  accordingly  sets  a  price  upon  it ; 
and  all  things  are  slighted,  and  nothing  is  current  with  the  soul, 
but  as  self  hath  stamped  and  printed  its  own  image  upon  it.  And, 
therefore,  in  Luke  xii.  21,  you  find  this  expression:  "So  is  he,  that 
iayeth  up  treasure  for  himself:"'  if  any  man  lays  up  treasure,  he  lays 
it  up  for  himself.  Whatever  may  preserve  self,  whatever  may  answer 
the  propensities  and  inclinations  of  self,  whatever  may  promote 
the  cause  and  interest  of  self,  that  is  a  man's  treasure  and  nothing 
else. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


431 


ii.  Carnal  and  unregenerate  self  rates  earth  and  earth- 
ly THINGS  AS  ITS  TREASURE,  BECAUSE.  THERE  IS  A  SUITABLENESS 
AND  PROPORTION  IN  THE  OXE  TO  THE  OTHER. 

Earthly  treasure  for  an  earthly  self.  And,  therefore,  the  Apostle 
tells  us,  1  Cor.  vi.  13,  meat  is  "for  the  belly,  and  the  belly  for 
meat :"  that  is,  they  are  suited  to  each  other.  So  are  earthly  things 
suited  to  carnal  self;  the  things  of  this  world,  to  a  worldly  mind; 
and  a  worldly  mind  to  the  things  of  this  world.  Carnal  self  relishes 
no  other  things :  bring  spiritual  things  to  him,  he  tastes  no  sweet- 
ness in  them  :  you  may  as  well  please  a  brute  beast  by  whispering 
into  his  ears  the  deep  discourses  of  reason,  as  you  can  a  carnal  man 
by  the  discoveries  of  God  and  Christ:  talk  to  him  of  the  world 
and  of  carnal  concernments,  his  ear  tastes  and  relishes  such  dis- 
course as  this  is  ;  and  the  reason  is,  because  these  things  are  accom- 
modated and  suited  to  that  carnal  unregenerate  self,  that  is  in  man. 
The  Apostle  tells  us,  "  All,  that  is  in  the  world,"  is  "the  lust  of  the 
flesh  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life :"  that  is,  plea- 
sure, profit,  and  honor :  all  center  in  this,  to  please  and  maintain 
carnal  self,  as  all  its  interest,  and  all  its  concernments ;  therefore, 
this  is  made  by  wicked  men  their  treasure. 

iii.  IN  THE  SOUL'S  CONVERSION  UNTO  GOD,  UPON  THAT  GREAT 
CHANGE  THAT  IS  MADE  IN  A  MAN'S  SELF,  THERE  WILL  ALSO  BE 
ANOTHER  RATE  AND  VALUE  SET  UPON  THINGS  THAN  FORMERLY 
THERE  WAS. 

Conversion  is  the  great  shipwreck  of  the  old  man,  and  all  his  goods. 

1.  In  conversion,  there  is  a  great  change  made  in  self. 

The  Apostle,  in  Eom.  vii.  17,  tells  us  it  was  no  more  he, 
that  did  the  evil  which  he  would  not,  but  sin  that  dwelt  in 
him.  Formerly,  before  his  conversion,  "  It  was  I,  that  breathed 
out  threatenings :  I  persecuted  the  Church :  I  raged  and  was 
mad  against  them :  still,  it  was  I  myself,  that  acted  then.  But, 
since  my  great  change,  it  is  not  I  that  am  guilty ;  no,  not  so  much 
as  of  infirmities :  no,  it  is  not  I,  that  fail  in  the  performance 
of  what  is  good  ;  not  I,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me."  So  that,  in  con- 
version, there  is  a  mighty  change  passeth  upon  self:  so  that  a  man 
may  say  it  is  not  he,  but  sin ;  that  body  of  corruption,  that  dwelleth 
in  him.  It  is  true,  in  a  regenerate  man  there  remains  much  of 
corruption,  and  of  the  old  self:  but  yet,  grace  being  the  supreme 
prevailing  principle,  it  will  be  that  that  gives  the  self  to  a  man ; 
and  then  that,  which  before  was  a  man's  self  and  was  loved,  now 
is  become  a  traitor,  and  rebel,  and  enemy  to  that  new  self  that  is 
wrought  in  a  Christian  by  regeneration. 


432 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


2.  Man's  self  being  changed,  his  treasure  must  also  necessarily  be 
changed. 

The  new  regenerate  self  cannot  subsist  and  live  upon  its  old 
treasure  :  all  is  but  busks  and  swine's-meat  to  the  soul  now,  that 
is  begotten  anew,  and  born  of  God :  the  seed  of  God  dwelleth  in  it  ; 
and,  therefore,  now  it  looks  after  that,  which  is  conformable  to  its 
divine  original  and  constitution.  What  the  Apostle  presseth  upon 
the  Colossians,  in  Col.  iii.  1 ;  "If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those 
things  which  are  above,"  is  truly  the  necessary  practice  of  every 
heaven-born  soul :  whoever  is  born  again,  whoever  is  risen  with 
Christ,  will  infallibly  seek  the  things  that  are  above.  He  will  do 
it:  there  is  a  natural  instinct  in  the  new  creature,  that  carries  it 
out  naturally  to  spiritual  and  heavenly  objects :  as  the  infant,  that 
is  new-born,  doth  by  instinct  seek  after  the  breast,  though  it  never 
before  received  nourishment  that  way  ;  so  the  new-born  Christian, 
that  hath  imprinted  upon  it  the  divine  nature,  hath  such  an  im- 
pulse and  instinct  in  it,  that  naturally  moves  it  to  spiritual  objects, 
as  the  only  suitable  nourishment  and  good  for  the  soul :  and,  there- 
fore, to  intimate  the  tenderness  of  this  new  infancy,  the  Apostle 
tells  us,  "as  new-born  babes  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word  :" 
the  new-born  babe  receives  nourishment  no  longer  from  the  navel ; 
and  so  the  new-born  Christian  no  longer  creeps  upon  his  belly,  and 
licks  the  dust  of  the  earth,  but  feeds  upon  and  desires  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word'.  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit," 
and  therefore  will  long  and  breathe  after  that  which  is  spiritual ; 
because  it  is  spiritual,  and  bears  a  proportion  to  its  own  being.  In 
John  vi.  63,  says  Christ,  "  The  words,  that  I  speak,  they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life :"  that  is,  they  are  able  to  maintain  you  in  life, 
that  you  may  live  upon  them  as  sustenance  :  why  so  ?  because  they 
are  spirit  and  life :  they  are  spiritual  words  suited  to  a  spiritual 
soul,  to  a  soul  that  is  born  again  of  the  Spirit ;  and  therefore  fit  to 
nourish  you,  and  such  as  will  keep  you  alive.  Look,  as  the  angels 
live,  so  lives  a  Christian's  spiritual  part :  it  is  the  same  good,  that 
is  common  to  both ;  and  that,  which  they  both  desire,  embrace, 
and  twine  about :  can  you  bribe  an  angel,  by  all  the  profits  of  the 
world  ?  can  you  effeminate  him,  by  all  the  pleasures  of  the  world  ? 
can  you  elevate  and  puff  him  up,  by  all  the  honors  and  dignities 
of  the  world  ?  no ;  all  these  things  are  below  his  nature,  and  he 
cannot  descend  to  them  :  they  are  not  suitable  to  him :  he  lives  in 
his  God,  and  eternally  suns  himself  in  the  light  of  the  beams  of 
his  countenance.  So  lives  the  new  creature  also :  it  is  spiritual ; 
and,  therefore,  clasps  only  about  spiritual  things :  the  world  bears 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


433 


no  more  affinity  and  proportion  to  the  spiritual  part  of  a  Christian, 
than  it  doth  to  angels :  but  bring  God,  "  the  Father  of  spirits,"  and 
here  both  angels  and  it  cling  about  the  divine  essence,  and  nestle 
themselves  about  him  forever,  and  fill  and  satisfy  themselves  in 
him:  here  is  meat  suitable  to  their  natures;  a  spiritual  God,  for 
spiritual  things.  Indeed,  sometimes  the  carnal  part  may  throw  in 
so  much  earth  and  rubbish,  that  may  for  a  time  bury  the  new 
creature  under  it;  but,  when  it  is  in  its  own  element,  it  never 
ceaseth  heaving  and  working,  till  it  hath  got  above  earth,  and  got 
into  the  enjoyment  of  its  God  again. 

So  then,  because  the  soul  is  not  self-sufficient,  because  it  is  an 
indigent  creature,  therefore  it  must  have  the  addition  of  some  other 
good  to  it,  to  eke  out  and  supply  its  defects.  And  because  the  in- 
digent and  necessitated  soul  hath,  in  regeneration,  a  supernatural 
principle  implanted  in  it,  therefore  spiritual  and  heavenly  objects 
only  comply  with  and  suit  it.  These,  therefore,  are  the  treasure 
of  the  soul :  and  you  see  whence  it  is,  that  the  soul  doth  account 
heavenly  and  spiritual  things  to  be  its  treasure ;  because  suited  to 
that  heavenly  and  spiritual  principle,  that  is  implanted  in  the  soul 
in  conversion. 

Now,  these  things  are  its  treasure: 

(1)  God  himself. 

So  God  tells  out,  and  gives  himself  unto  Abraham,  Gen.  xv.  1 ;  "  I 
am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  So  David  reckons 
up  to  you,  what  a  large  and  great  estate  he  had,  in  the  possession 
and  enjoyment  of  God,  in  Ps.  xvi.  5 :  "  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of 
mine  inheritance  and  of  my  cup  :  thou  maintainest  my  lot." 

(2)  Jesus  Christ  is  its  treasure  also. 

"  Buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fare,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich." 
Rev.  iii.  18.  His  blood,  his  righteuosness,  his  merit,  are  an  inex- 
haustible treasure ;  and  all  become  ours,  upon  which  we  may  live 
and  subsist.  "  In  Him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge  :"  but  what  is  this  to  us  ?  yes,  these  treasures  of  wisdom, 
that  are  hid  in  him,  are  made  over  unto  us  also  :  1  Cor.  i.  30  :  "  He 
of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  redemption."  Oh,  how  rich  is  a  true  Christian,  that  hath 
such  a  treasury  ;  and  such  a  treasure,  as  Christ  is,  to  be  his  trea- 
sure!  You  find,  Heb.  xi.  26,  that  Moses  esteemed  "the  reproach 
of  Christ  greater  riches  than  all  the  treasures  in  Egypt :"  certainly, 
if  the  reproach  of  Christ  be  such  a  treasure,  what  then  is  Christ 
himself;  and  all  those  glorious  benefits,  that  do  accrue  unto  the 
soul  in  and  by  him  ? 
Vol.  II.— 28 


434 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


(3)  The  promises  also  are  a  Christian's  treasure. 

They  are  the  veins,  wherein  this  gold  runs ;  the  mines,  wherein 
this  unsearchable  treasure  is:  and  the  work  of  faith  upon  the 
promises,  is,  to  stamp  this  golden  ore  into  ready  money,  for  the 
present  necessity  of  the  soul :  so  faith  lives  on  the  promises. 

(4)  A  Christian's  graces  also  are  his  treasure. 

Yea,  though  "  we  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels ;"  yet  is  it 
heavenly  and  precious  treasure.  Yea,  though  there  be  much  dross 
mixed  with  this  gold ;  yet,  still,  it  is  precious  faith,  rich  love,  firm 
hope,  tried  patience.  Yea,  every  grace,  that  shines  in  a  Christian, 
is  glorious :  the  crown  of  grace,  as  well  as  the  crown  of  glory,  hath 
not  a  sparkle  in  it,  but  what  is  more  precious  than  the  world  itself. 

These  are  a  Christian's  treasure. 

III. .  I  come  now  to  make  some  IMPROVEMENT  of  this ;  to 
bring  down  what  hath  been  said  to  some  practical  use. 

Use  i.  Hast  thou  so  rich  a  treasure  laid  up  in  heaven  ?  Then, 
O  Christian,  be  conscious  of  thine  own  worth.  Henceforth 
know  thyself  to  be  no  contemptible  person. 

Shall  worldly  men  ruffle,  and  brave  it,  and  think  none  comparable 
to  them,  only  because  their  heap  of  dung  is  bigger  than  another's? 
And  shalt  thou  be  low  and  abject-spirited,  that  hast  God  himself  for 
thy  portion,  and  Christ  for  thy  husband  ?  Indeed,  if  you  will  value 
yourselves  according  to  the  world's  estimation  of  you,  then  you  are 
no  better  than  the  dross  and  dung  of  the  world,  and  "  the  off-scour- 
ing of  all  things."  But  see  how  the  Scripture  accounts  of  poor, 
persecuted,  despised  Christians:  Heb.  xi.  37;  "They  wandered 
about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins ;  being  destitute,  afflicted,  tor- 
mented ?"  a  strange  generation  of  despicable  persons !  but,  says 
the  Holy  Ghost,  "  of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy."  And  how 
doth  David  prize  them,  and  call  them,  the  excellent  ones  of  the 
earth :  Ps.  xvi.  3  !  My  delight  is  in  the  saints,  and  in  the  excellent 
ones  of  the  earth !  Therefore,  0  Christian,  begin  to  know  thyself. 
Know  what  great  relations  thou  hast :  thou  art  no  less  than  the  son 
of  a  Great  King.  Know  thy  great  possessions :  thou  hast  no  less, 
at  present,  than  the  love  and  favor  of  God ;  and  every  thing  thou 
hast,  thou  hast  it  with  a  blessing;  yea,  though  thou  hast  nothing 
in  the  world  besides  afflictions,  yet  thou  hast  that  nothing  with  a 
blessing ;  and  thou  rather  enjoyest,  than  sufferest,  those  afflictions, 
that  lie  upon  thee.  Know  thy  great  reversions  also  :  thou  art  an 
heir  of  glory,  a  co-heir  with  Jesus  Christ ;  and,  what  he  hath  pur- 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


435 


chased  for  himself,  he  hath  also  purchased  for  thee :  and  thou,  in 
due  time,  shalt  be  instated  into  that  inheritance,  whereof  Jesus 
Christ  is  heir,  and  thou  also  shalt  be  co-heir.  Wilt  thou  now,  who 
hast  so  vast  a  treasure  as  this  amounts  to,  go  drooping  and  discon- 
solate, as  a  helpless  and  hopeless  person,  when  thou  wantest  nothing 
less  than  to  pity  those  that  scorn  thee  ?  Let  the  world  know,  that  a 
Christian  hath  self-sufficiency  ;  and  that,  at  all  times ;  and  that  he 
can  live  plentifully  and  splendidly  upon  his  own  stock:  let  the 
world  know  and  see  this  by  thy  conversation.  It  was  a  noble  and 
gallant  speech  of  St.  Paul,  when  he  stood  in  bonds  and  fetters  be- 
fore king  Agrippa,  who  sat  upon  the  judgment-seat  to  sentence 
him:  "Would  to  God,"  says  he,  "that  thou  wert  such  a  one  as 
I  am :"  what !  such  a  prisoner  as  thou  art  ?  a  strange  compliment 
for  a  prisoner  to  use  to  a  judge !  yet  you  see  how  he  values  him- 
self :  he  was  not  dazzled  with  Agrippa's  crown  and  pomp,  and  all 
that  fancy  that  he  came  with  into  the  judgment-hall :  for  he  said 
not,  "Would  I  were  as  thou  art!"  but,  "Would  to  God!  thou  wert 
such  a  one  as  I  am,  and  then  thou  wouldst  be  truly  happy." 

This  is  the  value,  that  every  true  Christian  should  set  upon  him- 
self, when  he  is  assured  of  the  truth  of  his  graces.  He  should  not 
count  any  man  in  the  world  better  than  himself,  This  is  to  honor 
grace. 

Use  ii.  Let  the  world  hence  learn  also,  to  beware,  how 

THEY  DESPISE  THE  MEANEST  OF  GOD'S  CHILDREN. 

Men  are  apt  to  esteem  others,  according  to  their  visible  estate  in 
-the  things  of  this  world:  and,  if  here  they  be  low  and  poor,  they 
trample  upon  them  as  vile  and  inconsiderable.  But,  let  such  know, 
that  every  one  of  these  slighted  and  despised  ones  is  a  great  and 
rich  person :  they  are  rich  towards  God :  they  are  God's  jewels  and 
peculiar  treasure ;  and  God  also  is  their  treasure  and  portion  for 
evermore.  It  is  wealth,  I  confess,  that  makes  all  the  noise  and 
bustle  in  the  world ;  and  challenges  all  honor  as  due  to  itself  alone  : 
says  Solomon,  "  The  rich  hath  many  friends :"  well,  let  respect  go 
by  wealth  ;  we  are  content  to  go  and  stand  by  this  trial.  Solomon 
tells  us,  "The  heart  of  the  wicked  is  little  worth :"  it  is  of  no  price 
nor  value ;  and  shall  his  estate  be  of  worth  and  value,  when  his 
heart  is  not  ?  The  poorest  Christian  may  vie  estates  with  all  the 
world :  let  the  world  drop  down  millions  of  gold  and  silver,  bound- 
less revenues,  and  crowns  and  sceptres :  a  poor  contemptible  Chris- 
tian comes  and  lays  down  one  God  against  all  these,  and  beggars 
them  :  and  shall  this  great  and  mighty  Christian  be  contemned  and 


436 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


slighted  ?  You  do  not  know  him,  now ;  but,  hereafter,  you  shall 
see  him  sitting  on  a  throne,  clothed  with  robes  of  glory  and  awful 
majesty  ;  daunting  the  grandees  of  the  world,  who  shall  then  stand 
shivering  before  him,  while  he  boldly  sets  his  hand  to  the  sentence 
of  their  damnation,  and  sends  them  to  hell  with  a  shout :  how  will 
they,  with  horror  then  cry  out,  "  Is  this  that  poor  and  despicable 
creature,  that  we  mocked  and  despised?  Behold,  how  he  is  ex- 
alted, and  we  are  thrown  down  to  hell."  Certainly,  you  will  have 
other  esteem  and  opinions  of  men  at  the  last  and  great  day,  than 
now  you  have :  those,  that  are  honorable  now,  will  be  despicable ; 
and  those,  that  are  despicable  now,  will  be  truly  honorable,  if  they 
belong  to  Christ. 

Use  iii.  This  might  also  serve  to  discharge  thunder  in  the 

FACES  OF  ALL  THOSE,  WHO  ARE  SO  FAR  FROM  LAYING  UP  TREASURE 
IN  HEAVEN,  THAT  THET  LAY  UP  TREASURE  IN  HELL. 

Such  treasures  as  these  are,  the  Apostle  speaks  of,  in  Eom.  ii.  5, 
who,  after  the  hardness  and  impenitence  of  their  hearts,  treasure 
up  unto  themselves  "  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation 
of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God."  Such,  who  sin  as  though  the 
ephah  of  their  iniquities  would  never  be  full  enough,  and  the  heap 
of  their  sins  never  great  enough ;  let  these  know,  that,  when  they 
have  done  treasuring  up  sin,  then  God  will  begin  to  empty  the  trea- 
sures of  his  wrath  and  indignation  upon  them.  For  every  sin  they 
commit,  God  sets  down  so  much  wrath  upon  their  scores ;  and  he 
will  be  sure  to  pay  them  all,  at  the  last  day,  to  the  full. 

Use  iv.  "Which  is  the  use  I  principally  intend ;  and  that  is  for 
EXAMINATION. 

Let  us  now  put  it  to  the  inquiry :  "  What  is  it,  that  we  make  our 
treasure  ?  What  is  it,  that  we  account  our  good  things  ?"  Our 
Saviour,  I  told  you,  hereby  distinguishes  between  wicked  men  and 
the  children  of  God :  the  one  lays  up  his  treasure  in  heaven ;  the 
other,  on  earth  :  and,  therefore,  the  query  is,  What  is  thy  treasure  ? 
It  is  of  great  weight  and  moment. 

Now,  because  usually  a  man's  treasure  is  kept  hid  and  secret, 
therefore  we  must  the  more  inquisitively  enter  into  the  search  of 
it :  and,  before  the  search  be  thoroughly  made,  few  men,  I  fear,  will 
be  found  rich  and  substantial  men ;  but,  more  especially,  those,  that 
glitter  most  in  the  world,  will  be  found  to  be  but  poor  and  des- 
picable creatures. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


437 


1.  Therefore,  take  that  character,  that  our  Saviour  gives  in  the  text: 
Where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also. 

Put  it  now  to  the  .question :  Where  are  your  hearts?  Truly, 
man's  heart  is  not  in  his  own  keeping :  no ;  but  it  will  go  along 
with  his  treasure  ;  and  where  that  is,  this  will  be  also.  And,  there- 
fore, nays  the  Prophet,  speaking  of  them  that  made  worldly  things 
their  treasure,  "  their  hearts  run  after  their  covetousness."  Worldly 
possessions  were  their  treasure ;  and  their  hearts  did  run  after  them, 
in  covetous  desires  of  them.  The  worldling  seals  up  his  heart,  in 
the  same  bag  with  his  treasure  :  and  a  child  of  God  sends  his  heart 
to  heaven  before  him,  where  it  lies  as  a  precious  depositum  among 
all  the  rest  of  his  treasure ;  and,  when  he  comes  to  heaven,  there 
he  finds  his  heart  among  all  those  precious  things  that  he  shall 
enjoy.  That,  which  thy  heart  is  most  busied  about  and  most  taken 
up  with,  is  thy  treasure.  Dive  down  now  into  the  bottom  of  thy 
heart,  and  see  how  the  musings  and  imaginations  thereof  do  work  : 
are  they  chained  only  to  the  things  of  this  world  ?  do  they  trudge 
to  and  fro,  every  one  of  them  laden  only  with  burdens  of  earth  ? 
and,  when  they  come  thronging  about  thee,  do  they  buzz  nothing 
in  thine  ears  but  intelligence,  either  from  some  base  lust  or  some 
worldly  profit  ?  If  this  be  the  constant  and  only  employment  of 
thy  thoughts,  assure  thyself  thy  treasure  is  not  laid  up  in  heaven : 
no,  nor  on  earth ;  but,  which  is  worse,  it  is  laid  up  in  hell.  The 
thoughts  of  a  child  of  God  are  still  taking  wing,  and  flying  upward 
towards  heaven;  and  every  one  of  them  carries  up  his  heart, 
richly  fraught  with  divine  grace :  one  thought  is  laden  with  the 
actings  of  faith;  another,  with  the  actings  of  hope;  another,  with 
the  actings  of  love :  and  they  never  leave  ascending,  till  they  get 
into  the  presence  of  God,  and  lay  their  rich  treasure  in  his  bosom : 
and  God  again  fills  them  with  heavenly  treasure;  and  bids  one 
thought  carry  a  smile  to  the  soul,  and  tell  the  soul  how  dear  it  is 
to  him  ;  by  another  thought,  he  conveys  strength ;  and,  by  another, 
comfort ;  and  sends  all  away  laden  with  precious  treasure  to  the 
soul.  If  your  thoughts  traffic  only  in  the  world,  your  treasure  is 
there ;  if  in  heaven,  then  your  treasure  is  in  heaven. 

But  you  will  say,  "  How  can  we  judge  of  our  treasure  by  our 
thoughts  ?  Is  not  the  far  greater  swarm  of  every  man's  thoughts 
vain  and  sinful  ?" 

I  answer :  It  is  true  they  are  so.  Some  are  vain  and  sinful : 
some  are  idle  and  impertinent :  some  are  worldly :  and  some  are 


438 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


wicked ;  and  few,  comparatively,  are  the  holy  and  spiritual  thoughts, 
that  any  man  sends  up  to  heaven.  We  must  not,  therefore,  judge 
by  the  crowd  or  numerousness  of  our  thoughts ;  but,  by  the  enter- 
tainment which  they  find  in  our  affections,  by  the  stay  and  abode 
which  they  make  in  our  hearts.  Jer.  iv.  14 ;  "  How  long  shall  thy 
vain  thoughts  lodge  within  thee?"  It  is  not,  what  the  sudden 
flashings  of  our  thoughts  are;  though  that  indeed  should  deeply 
humble  us :  but,  mark  what  it  is  that  thy  heart  fixes  and  dwells 
upon  ;  from  what  flowers  these  intellectual  bees,  thy  thoughts,  suck 
most  sweetness  and  honey  :  when  thy  thoughts  have  been  foraging 
abroad,  and  bring  home  some  sin,  and  present  it  before  thee,  doth 
thy  heart  rise  against  it,  and  shut  it  out  of  doors,  and  dost  thou 
shut  thy  heart  upon  it  ?  but,  when  thy  thoughts  bring  home  God 
and  Christ,  and  the  things  of  heaven  and  eternity  in  their  arms,  do 
thy  affections  clasp  and  twine  about  them?  doth  thy  heart  en- 
large and  expatiate  to  entertain  them  ?  dost  thou  give  up  thyself, 
in  full  strength  and  latitude,  to  such  heavenly  thoughts  as  these 
are  ?  This  is  a  good  sign  that  thy  treasure  is  laid  up  in  heaven, 
because  thou  art  so  much  there  thyself. 

But  others  again  will  say,  "  My  thoughts  are  necessarily  taken 
up  with  the  world  :  my  calling  devours  them ;  so  that  I  have  no 
opportunity  to  sequester  myself  for  heavenly  meditation :  must  I 
therefore  be  excluded  from  having  my  treasure  in  heaven,  because 
my  thoughts  are  necessarily  employed  in  the  world?" 

I  answer : 

First.  Thoughts,  of  all  things  in  the  world,  are  most  free. 

There  is  no  man's  calling  doth  so  confine  him,  but,  were  his 
heart  and  affections  heavenly  and  spiritual,  his  thoughts  would 
force  a  passage  through  the  crowd  of  worldly  businesses,  to  heaven. 
Ejaculations  are  swift  messengers,  that  need  not  much  time  to  de- 
liver their  errand,  nor  much  time  to  return  again  to  the  soul.  You 
may  point  your  earthly  employments  with  heavenly  meditations, 
as  men  do  their  writings  with  stops  ;  every  now  and  then  sending 
up  a  thought  unto  heaven :  and  such  pauses  are  no  hindrance  to 
our  earthly  affairs. 

Secondly.  It  is  the  property  of  grace  and  holiness,  when  there 
are  no  actual  explicit  thoughts  of  God,  then  to  be  habitually  in 
the  fear  of  God ;  possessing  the  heart  and  overawing  it,  that  it  shall 
not  do  any  thing  that  is  sinful  or  unbecoming  a  Christian. 

And  therefore  says  the  Wise  Man,  excellently,  Prov.  xxiii.  17 ; 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


439 


t  Be  thou  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  all  the  day  long."  Whatever 
business  you  have,  the  fear  of  the  Lord  may  constantly  abide, 
overawe,  and  possess  your  heart. 

Thirdly.  Observe  how  your  thoughts  work,  when  you  have 
vacancy  and  remission  from  your  employments. 

Are  they  spiritual,  then  ?  Do  they  betake  themselves  to  God  ? 
Do  they  lock  up  themselves  in  their  heavenly  treasure?  Dost 
thou  spiritually  improve  the  times  of  thy  leisure  ?  David  called 
to  mind  his  "  song  in  the  night,"  and  his  "  spirit  made  diligent 
search :"  when  he  awaked,  he  was  ever  with  God :  he  slept,  with 
God  in  his  thoughts;  and  he  awaked  with  God  again,  in  his 
thoughts.  "Whatever  employments  a  man  hath,  he  hath  some  time 
of  leisure.  When  thou  hast  been  drudging  in  the  world,  and  hast 
gotten  a  little  vacancy  and  freedom  from  it,  dost  thou  spend  that 
little  time  in  the  thoughts  of  God  and  of  the  things  of  eternity  ? 
or,  do  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world  interpose  and  take 
up  thy  thoughts  ?  if  so,  how  canst  thou  say  thy  treasure  is  there, 
when  thy  thoughts  and  thy  heart  are  never  there  ?  as  Delilah  said 
unto  Samson,  "  How  canst  thou  say,  I  love  thee,  when  thy  heart 
is  not  with  me?"  Judg.  xvi.  15;  so,  how  canst  thou  say,  that  thy 
treasure  is  in  heaven,  when  thy  heart  and  thy  thoughts  are  not 
there  ? 

2.  A  second  mark,  whereby  you  may  know  where  your  treasure 
is,  is  this  :  That  which  bears  the  chief  sway  and  command  in  a  man's 
affections,  is  a  man's  treasure. 

Affections  are  the  wings  of  the  soul,  that  carry  it  forth  to  its 
several  objects :  and  these  move  to  nothing  more  swiftly,  strongly, 
and  constantly,  than,  to  what  is  the  soul's  treasure.  When  your 
souls  take  these  wings  and  fly  abroad,  follow  them,  and  see  what  it 
is  upon  which  they  light :  as  the  eagle  will  hover  over  the  carcass, 
so  the  affections  will  be  still  hovering  over  the  soul's  treasure :  see 
now  whither  it  is  your  desire  and  love,  your  joy  and  delight,  do 
carry  you  forth.  Is  it  only  to  the  things  of  this  world  ?  certainly 
if  these  wings  be  clotted  only  with  mire  and  dirt,  if  they  only  flutter 
up  and  down  the  surface  of  the  earth  and  mount  up  no  higher,  your 
treasure  is  not  a  heavenly  treasure.  The  affections  of  the  children 
of  God  still  ascend  upwards;  and  bear  up  their  hearts  with  them, 
till  they  lodge  in  that  Divine  bosom  where  first  they  were  enkindled: 
I  need  not  tell  those  happy  ones,  what  it  is  to  have  their  hearts  so 
extended  in  love  to  God  and  the  things  of  God,  as  to  cause  a  kind 
of  loss,  pain,  and  torture :  what  it  is  to  have  that  joy  springing  up 
in  the  soul,  that  is  unutterable ;  yea,  such  insupportable  joys,  as 


440 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


hare  melted  them  into  ecstacies.  How  infinitely  would  they  now 
disdain,  that  any  soul  should  be  so  grossly  foolish,  as  to  prefer  the 
world  before,  or  equalize  it  with,  God !  ten  thousand  worlds  are 
not  so  much  to  them,  as  one  momentary  glimpse  of  God,  in  com- 
munion with  him :  nay,  they  think  their  happiness  so  great,  that, 
though  they  do  believe,  yet  they  cannot  conceive  how  it  should  be 
more  and  greater  in  heaven  itself.  Then  the  soul  claps  its  wings, 
and  fain  would  take  its  flight  and  be  gone :  it  breathes,  and  breaks, 
and  pants  after  God.  See  what  an  agony  holy  David  was  in :  Ps. 
xliL  1,  2  ;  "  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth 
my  soul  after  thee,  0  God.  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living 
God:  when  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God?"  Indeed  the 
whole  Psalm  is  the  most  mournful  and  pathetic  composition  in  all 
the  Scripture,  of  a  heart,  that  beats  and  throbs  after  God,  with 
vehement  love  and  desire  after  the  enjoyment  of  him :  and  whence 
was  this,  but  because  God  was  the  portion  and  treasure  of  his  soul ! 
he  was  ''the  health  of  his  "countenance,  and"  his  "God:"  v.  11. 
"Wheresoever  God  and  the  things  of  God  are  made  the  soul's  trea- 
sure, there  will  be  proportionable  affections  drawn  out  to  these 
things.    Never  was  it  known,  that  a  treasure  wanted  affections. 

"  But  alas,"  may  some  say,  u  I  fear  then  that  I  have  no  share  in 
this  heavenly  treasure.  Never  was  I  so  strongly  affected  with  the 
discoveries  of  God  and  Christ  and  the  things  of  heaven,  never  was 
I  so  taken  and  ravished,  as  with  some  temporal  mercies  and  enjoy- 
ments. I  could  never  feel  such  transports  of  spirit  in  communion 
with  God,  as  you  speak  of;  no  such  ravishings  of  love,  nor  such 
meltings  and  vehemence  of  desires  for  the  things  of  heaven,  as  I 
have  often  found  for  the  concerns  and  in  the  enjoyments  of  the 
world.  Never  do  I  remember,  that  I  rejoiced  so  vehemently  in 
God,  as  in  some  new  unexpected  mercy ;  or  that  ever  I  mourned 
so  bitterly  for  sinning  against  God,  or  for  the  hiding  of  the  light 
of  God's  countenance  from  me,  as  I  have  done  for  some  cross  out- 
ward providence :  and  how  then  can  I  say,  my  treasure  is  laid  up 
in  heaven,  since  earth  and  the  things  of  earth  have  the  sway  and 
pre-eminence  in  my  affections  ?" 

This  may,  possibly,  trouble  some. 

To  this,  therefore,  I  answer,  That  there  are  two  things,  by  which 
the  predominance  and  sway  of  a  man's  affections  may  be  judged. 
By  their  violent  passionateness : 
By  their  judicious  valuation  and  esteem. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


441 


Thou  complainest,  that  earth  and  earthly  things  have  the  pre- 
dominance and  sway  in  thy  affections.  But  look  what  sort  of 
affections  they  are  :  are  they  only  thy  fondlings,  thy  violent  and 
passionate  affections  ?  this  may  be  so,  and  yet  heavenly  things  be 
thy  treasure.  Many  times,  so  it  is,  that,  what  is  superior  in  these 
may  be  inferior,  nay  almost  contemptible,  in  thy  rational  and  judi- 
cious affections.  Men  may  be  fond  of  those  persons,  for  whom  they 
have  not  such  solid  and  judicious  affections,  as  they  have  for  others. 
So  is  it  here :  a  Christian's  fondness  may  be  more  to  the  things  of 
this  world ;  when  yet  his  judicious  affections  may  be  far  more  to 
the  things  of  heaven. 

"But  how  shall  we  try  this?" 

(1)  Observe,  as  you  must  not  judge  of  your  value  and  esteem  of 
earthly  things  by  your  passionate  affections  to  them ;  so  neither 
must  you  judge  of  your  valuing  heavenly  things,  by  your  specula- 
tive judgment  of  them. 

It  is  not  enough,  when  you  compare  heavenly  things  with 
earthly,  barely  to  pronounce  heavenly  things  to  be  infinitely  better 
and  more  desirable  than  earthly.  Truly,  every  man's  conscience 
tells  him  thus  much.  There  is  no  man,  whoever  he  be,  that  thinks 
of  heaven,  but  is  withal  verily  persuaded,  that  it  is  infinitely  more 
glorious  than  earth  is ;  and,  that  the  enjoyment  of  God,  a  crown 
of  life  and  immortality,  is  infinitely  more  to  be  preferred  than  all 
the  trash  and  trifles  here  below.  And  there  is  no  worldling,  when 
his  conscience  beckons  him  aside  and  whispers  these  things  in  his 
ears,  but  is  convinced,  and  assents  unto  these  things  as  truths :  and 
yet  this  man's  treasure  is  not  therefore  laid  up  in  heaven,  because 
he  judges,  in  his  speculative  judgment,  that  heavenly  things  are 
better  than  earthly  :  this  is  to  say  they  are  better,  and  to  judge 
them  so ;  but  not  to  esteem  and  value  them  so. 

And,  therefore, 

(2)  The  true  valuation  of  heavenly  things  as  the  soul's  treasure, 
lies  in  the  practical  part  of  the  soul. 

Valuation  is  a  practical  thing.  I  cannot  be  said  to  value  an 
object,  unless  that  esteem  hath  some  influence  upon  my  actions,  as 
relating  to  that  object :  either  it  will  put  me  on  endeavors  to  obtain 
it,  or  stir  up  care  in  me  to  keep  it.  Mark  that  place  in  St.  Peter : 
1  Pet.  ii.  7;  "Unto  you,  which  believe,  he  is  precious:  but  unto 

them,  which  be  disobedient"  he  is  "a  rock  of  offence :"  in  the  6th 

verse,  he  tells  us,  Christ  was  precious  in  himself:  "I  lay  in  Sion 

a  corner-stone,  elect,  precious :"  in  the  4th  verse,  he  tells  us,  he 

was  precious  to  God,  "  chosen  of  God,  and  precious :"  and  in  the 


442  THE  EXCELLENCE  OP 

7th  verse,  he  comes  to  show  what  esteem  men  had  of  him  :  to  be- 
lievers, saith  he,  "  he  is  "  also  "  precious  ;  but  unto  them,  which  be 

disobedient"  he  is  "  a  rock  of  offence."    What  is  the  reason,  when 

he  opposes  wicked  men  to  believers,  that  he  calls  them  disobedient 
persons,  and  not  rather  unbelievers  ?  the  reason  is,  because  we  must 
not  look  to  men's  outward  acknowledgment,  whereby  they  judge 
what  is  precious  to  them  ;  for  all  will  so  pronounce  God,  and  Christ, 
and  the  things  of  heaven,  in  their  speculative  judgment :  they  will 
pass  this  sentence :  but  you  must  look  to  their  practice,  and  see 
what  influence  this  valuation  hath  there.  And,  thus,  Christ  is  not 
precious  to  unbelievers,  because  that  esteem  they  have  of  him  doth 
not  enforce  them  to  obedience  to  him. 

Examine,  therefore,  which  hath  most  influence  upon  your  life  and 
practice:  whether  your  passionate  affections  for  the  things  of  this 
life,  or  your  judicious  and  deliberate  affections  for  the  things  of 
heaven ;  for,  thereby,  you  may,  in  part,  guess  what  is  your  treasure. 
A  small  torrent  runs  very  violently,  and  makes  a  loud  noise ;  yet 
hath  not  that  strength  in  it  that  a  river  hath,  though  it  move 
silently.  So  it  is  with  the  affections  of  a  child  of  God :  though 
they  may  run  out  violently  towards  the  things  of  the  world ;  yet 
have  they  not  that  strength  in  them,  which  there  is  in  his  sober 
affections  for  the  things  of  heaven. 

How  violent  soever  your  affections  be  to  temporal  mercies ;  sup- 
pose friends,  children,  or  estate,  or  the  like:  yet  if  you  do  value 
and  esteem  heavenly  things  as  your  treasure,  this  valuation  and  es- 
teem will  have  the  sway  and  pre-eminence  in  two  things  especially. 

[1]  It  will  enforce  the  soul  to  use  more  diligence  and  care  to 
increase  its  spiritual  treasure,  than  to  increase  any  temporal  good 
thing  whatever. 

That  is  a  man's  treasure,  to  which  he  is  still  adding  and  throwing 
one  precious  thing  after  another ;  nor  will  he  ever  think  it  can  be 
too  full  and  too  rich.  And  therefore  you  have  that  expression,  in 
2  Pet.  i.  5-7;  "Add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  knowledge, 
and  to  knowledge  temperance,  and  to  temperance  patience,  and  to 
patience  godliness,  and  to  godliness  brotherly  kindness,  and  to 
brotherly  kindness  charity."  See  here  how  the  Apostle  strings 
up  these  pearls.  Now,  what  is  it  you  are  most  careful  and  indus- 
trious to  add  unto  ?  Truly,  that,  which  most  men  make  their 
business,  is  to  add  house  to  house,  and  land  to  land,  that  they  may 
dwell  alone  upon  the  earth.  Suppose  we  had  lived  in  Solomon's 
time,  when  silver  and  gold  were  as  common  as  stones  in  the  street, 
if  one  should  spend  all  his  time  in  gathering  up  straws  and 


HEAVENLY  TREASURE. 


443 


feathers,  could  you  in  reason  think,  that  he  made  gold  his  treasure  ? 
yet  this  is  the  foolish  and  busy  care  of  worldly  men,  that,  though 
they  might  gather  up  that  which  is  far  more  precious  than  gold  and 
silver ;  yet  they  rather  employ  themselves  in  picking  up  straws 
and  feathers,  and  think  with  them  to  build  their  own  nest.  But, 
there  is  a  holy  covetousness  in  a  child  of  God,  that  makes  him  still 
to  be  gathering  up  heavenly  riches :  still,  he  is  adding  grace  to 
grace :  and,  though  he  thinks,  to  be  the  meanest  Christian  in  the 
world  is  more  worth  than  the  world ;  yet  he  would  not  be  content 
to  be  the  meanest.  As  to  outward  respects,  he  is  well  content  to 
keep  the  station  wherein  Providence  hath  set  him :  if  he  stand  at 
a  stay  in  worldly  enjoyments,  it  is  no  great  trouble  to  him.  But 
he  cannot  bear  standing  at  a  stay  in  grace :  there,  he  must  be 
growing  and  thriving,  and  going  forward  :  let  his  affections  be  set 
ever  so  eagerly  upon  his  outward  comforts,  yet  he  is  not  so  eager 
to  increase  them  as  he  is  his  heavenly  treasure. 
And,  that  it  is  so,  appears  in  two  things : 

1st.  In  that  he  sets  a  higher  price  upon  opportunities,  to  increase 
his  heavenly  treasure,  than  upon  any  other  seasons  and  opportuni- 
ties whatever. 

0,  what  gain  and  enriching  doth  he  make  on  a  market-day  for 
his  soul!  Sabbaths  to  him  are  precious:  ordinances  to  him  are 
precious :  why  ?  but,  because,  in  them,  he  sees  the  glory  of  Christ 
displayed,  and  the  fulness  of  the  promises  unfolded  ?  because,  by 
them,  his  faith  is  strengthened,  his  love  is  inflamed,  his  hope  con- 
firmed ?  He  goes  far  more  wealthy  from  them,  than  he  came  to 
them ;  and  therefore  it  is  an  argument,  that  he  labors  to  increase 
his  heavenly  treasure,  because  he  sets  a  higher  price  and  value 
upon  opportunities,  to  increase  that  treasure,  than  he  doth  upon 
any  other  whatever. 

2dly.  It  appears,  in  that  he  is  willing  to  stand  at  a  stint  in  out- 
ward enjoyments,  but  he  cannot  bear  a  stint  in  grace. 

He  cannot  live  upon  a  set  allowance  there.  Let  God  deal  how 
he  pleaseth  with  him  in  outward  things,  let  him  reduce  him  to  a 
morsel  of  bread  and  to  a  cup  of  water,  it  is  enough ;  so  he  gives 
him  but  a  Benjamin's  portion  in  himself :  let  him  seize  upon  all  his 
temporals  and  take  them  away,  if  so  be  he  doth  but  instate  him  in 
a  great  possession  of  spirituals,  he  is  content.  "  My  body,"  says  he, 
"can  subsist  upon  a  little;  but  my  soul  cannot.  My  spiritual 
charges  and  expenses  are  great,  and  multiply  upon  me  daily :  I 
have  many  strong  temptations  to  be  resisted,  and  many  prevailing 
corruptions  to  be  mortified,  and  many  holy  and  spiritual  duties  to 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


be  performed ;  and  how  shall  I  be  able  to  defray  all  this  with  no 
better  a  supply  ?  my  present  stock  is  not  able  to  maintain  it."  Still 
he  is  complaining,  that  he  hath  too  little  to  maintain  him  in  his 
work,  that  he  may  be  such  a  Christian  as  he  aims  at  and  would  be  : 
and,  therefore,  he  cries  out,  "  Lord,  though  I  thank  thee  for  what  I 
do  possess,  yet  I  still  crave  more  of  thyself :  "  Thou  art  infinite, 
and  what  is  it  to  enjoy  a  little  of  an  infinite  God  ?  More  of  thy 
Son :  he  is  all-sufficient :  and  what  is  it  to  have  an  insufficient  por- 
tion in  an  all-sufficient  Saviour  ?  More  of  thy  grace :  that  is  free :  and 
what  is  it  to  enjoy  a  limited  portion  of  unlimited  and  boundless 
grace  ?"  This  is  the  property  of  heavenly  riches,  that  they  make 
them  that  have  them  still  to  be  covetous  after  more :  the  worldling 
adds  heap  to  heap :  and  the  Christian  adds  grace  to  grace,  and  one 
degree  of  grace  to  another ;  and  thinks  he  hath  attained  to  nothing, 
till  he  hath  attained  so  far,  as  that  there  is  nothing  farther  to  be 
attained ;  and  therefore  he  goes  on  laboring  after  more,  till  he  doth 
insensibly  ripen  into  glory,  and  hath  nothing  more  to  desire.  If 
you  value  heavenly  things  now  as  your  treasure,  you  will  still  be 
adding  to  this  treasure ;  growing  every  day  richer  towards  God 
than  before. 

[2]  And,  then,  if  you  do  practically  value  and  esteem  heavenly 
things  as  your  soul's  treasure,  you  will  sooner  part  with  all  other 
comforts  and  enjoyments,  than  with  this. 

It  may  be,  you  cannot  say  that  ever  you  felt  such  thrills  of  joy 
and  delight  in  the  enjoyment  of  God,  as  you  have  done  in  some 
outward  mercy :  you  never  felt  such  comfort  in  spiritual  mercies, 
as  you  have  in  some  outward  comforts,  that  providentially  were 
bestowed  upon  you:  and,  therefore,  you  have  cause  to  fear,  that 
your  treasure  is  here  below,  and  not  above.  But  this  is  still  to 
judge  by  the  passionateness  of  your  affections,  that  is  as  a  disturbed 
water  which  cannot  reflect  your  face  aright.  If  you  would  judge 
trul}r,  then  put  this  question  to  your  soul :  "  Soul,  now  that  thou 
dost  so  vehemently  delight  in  this  comfort  and  in  that  enjoyment, 
which  wouldst  thou  rather  part  with :  this  delightful  comfort  or, 
thy  God?"  Certainly,  a  child  of  God  would  have  a  holy  indigna- 
tion against  himself,  should  he  but  debate  the  question.  "  Oh," 
will  he  say,  "  though  God  take  every  thing  from  me  but  himself, 
yet  he  leaves  me  enough  to  make  me  happy ;  and,  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  other  things,  I  were  truly  miserable,  could  I  be  made  so 
by  their  loss."  A  saint's  rational  affections,  consisting  in  the  due 
valuation  and  esteem  of  heavenly  things,  will  triumph  over  his 
more  eager  and  passionate  affections  to  the  things  of  the  world. 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


445 


Think  with  thyself  now  what  is  dearest  to  thee  in  the  world,  and 
then  set  God  and  heaven  in  the  balance  against  them ;  and  then 
thou  shalt  see,  though  earthly  comforts  may  engross  too  much  of 
thy  affections  and  lie  near  thy  heart,  yet  that  God  and  heavenly 
things  still  have  the  greatest  sway  and  predominance  in  thy  affec- 
tions, if  thou  dost  truly  value  them.  And,  so,  for  the  commission 
of  a  sin :  it  may  be,  some  outward  affliction  may  cost  thee  more 
passionate  grief  and  tears,  than  the  commission  of  sin  hath  done : 
thou  never  mournedst,  it  may  be,  so  bitterly  for  thy  offending  God, 
as  thou  hast  clone  for  God's  afflicting  thee ;  and  this  thou  lookest 
upon  as  a  bad  sign  that  thy  affections  are  not  so  much  to  the  honor 
of  God,  as  to  outward  comforts  and  prosperity :  yea,  but  let  me  ask 
thee,  wouldst  thou  rather  fall  into  the  same  affliction,  or  commit 
the  same  sin  again  ?  certainly,  if  thou  art  a  saint,  thou  wilt  soon 
resolve  the  question ;  "  No  misery  or  plague  is  so  great  as  sin ;  and, 
though  it  be  my  folly  thus  passionately  to  lament  under  this  cross 
and  affliction,  yet  I  would  rather  bear  it,  yea  I  would  rather  bear 
whatever  God  can  lay  on  me,  than  knowingly  to  commit  the  least 
sin  against  my  God."  This  is  the  judgment  of  a  child  of  God : 
and,  therefore,  Job  makes  it  the  character  of  a  hypocrite,  that  he 
chooseth  iniquity  rather  than  affliction. 

And  so  much  for  the  second  mark  or  character. 

(3)  See  what  it  is  that  you  most  trust  unto  and  live  upon,  when  all 
other  things  fail  you.    That,  certainly,  is  your  treasure. 

Men  usually  reserve  their  treasure  to  be  their  support  at  the 
last  pinch  and  extremity.  See  the  case  of  Asaph  :  Ps.  lxxiii.  26 ; 
"  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  :"  and  must  not  he  therefore  fail  ? 
hath  he  anything  else  to  support  him  ?  Yes :  now  comes  in  relief 
from  his  treasure :  "  But  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and 
my  portion  forever ;"  he  is  my  treasure ;  a  treasure  that  will 
never  fail  me,  and  that  never  can  be  spent :  he  is  my  portion 
forever.  And,  thus,  every  child  of  God,  when  other  things  fail 
him,  when  other  props  are  taken  from  under  him,  will  then  sup- 
port himself  from  his  God,  that  is  his  portion  forever.  Micah  had 
a  true  notion  of  God,  though  falsely  applied  to  idols:  "Ye  have 

taken  away  my  gods  and  what  have  I  more  ?"  Judg.  xViii.  24. 

Take  from  a  saint  all  worldly  comforts  and  all  earthly  enjoyments  ; 
and,  if  you  ask  him  what  he  hath  more,  he  can  truly  say,  "Yes  : 
still  I  have  more  than  I  have  lost :  I  have  my  God  left  me  still." 
But,  were  it  possible  that  his  God  should  be  taken  from  him,  then 
indeed  what  hath  he  more?  he  hath  nothing  then  left  him,  to  sup- 
port him  and  to  live  upon.    Can  you,  therefore,  in  all  your  dis- 


446 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


tresses,  find  relief  and  comfort  in  yonr  God?  can  yon,  when  all 
props  fail  you,  betake  yourselves  to  him ;  and  find  enough  in  him 
to  support  and  bear  up  yourselves,  when  you  have  nothing  in  the 
world  to  depend  upon?  can  you  then  find  enough  in  him,  to  live 
comfortably  and  splendidly  ?  If  so,  it  is  a  sign  God  is  your  trea- 
sure. When  all  other  things  fail,  God  comes  in  as  the  relief  and 
support  of  that  soul,  that  makes  him  to  be  his  treasure. 

-i.  Look,  not  only  what  it  is  which  you  value  in  itself ;  but  that 
by  which  and  according  to  which,  you  value  both  yourselves  and  others. 
That  is  your  treasure. 

And,  here,  I  shall  lay  down  two  things. 

(1)  If  the  soul  hath  assurance,  and  knows  beyond  all  doubt  and 
mistake,  that  heavenly  treasure  is  his,  he  will  value  himself  ac- 
cording to  that  treasure. 

"Would  to  God,"  says  the  Apostle  to  king  Agrippa,  "that  thou 
wert  such  a  one  as  I  am."  *  And  so,  1  Cor.  xv.,  when  he  had  spoken 

of  himself  in  the  9th  verse,  "  I  am  the  least  of  the  apostles  not 

meet  to  be  called  an  apostle ;"  there  he  values  himself  as  in  him- 
self: but  yet,  in  the  10th  verse,  "By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what 
I  am :"  and  what  was  that  ?  why,  says  he,  This  grace  received  I 
"not  in  vain,  but  I  labored  more  abundantly  than  they  all:"  low 
was  his  esteem  of  himself ;  considered  in  himself,  "  less  than  the 
least  of  the  apostles  :"  but,  considering  himself  in  respect  of  grace, 
"By  grace,"  says  he,  "I  am  what  I  am  ;"  and  I  am  such  a  one  also, 
as  have  received  grace  to  labor  more  than  all  of  them.  And  so, 
Jer.  ix.  23,  24  ;  "  Let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom,  neither 
let  the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich  man  glory 
in  his  riches:"  he  excludes  all  boasting  from  themselves;  "But, 

let  him  that  glorieth,  glory  in  this,  that  he  knoweth  me,  that  I  am 

the  Lord :"  let  him  value  and  esteem  himself  according  to  that. 
Now,  do  you  not  prize  yourselves  by  some  outward  privileges  or 
worldly  advantages  ?  do  you  not  think  yourselves  somebody,  be- 
cause you  have  riches  and  estates,  or  the  like?  do  you  account 
yourselves  nothing  worth,  more  than  what  you  are  in  respect  of 
grace,  more  than  what  you  are  in  respect  of  your  interest  in  God, 
and  in  that  heavenly  treasure  and  riches  ?  This  is  a  sign,  that  you 
do  indeed  make  heavenly  things  to  be  your  treasure,  when  you 
rate  yourselves  so  much  worth  as  you  have  of  that  treasure. 

(2)  If  the  soul  want  assurance,  and  so  cannot  value  itself  accord- 
ing to  its  interest  in  that  heavenly  treasure ;  if  it  cannot  see  its 
right  and  title  to  this  heavenly  treasure,  then  it  values  others 
according  to  their  interest  in  that  treasure. 


IIEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


417 


It  is  not  according  to  their  estates  or  honor  in  the  world,  but 
according  to  what  they  have  of  Christ,  and  God,  and  heavenly 
things.  A  child  of  God,  that  values  heavenly  things  as  his  trea- 
sure will  value  the  men  that  have  this  treasure  and  these  riches. 

Use  v.  Several  characters  have  been  laid  before  you,  for  the  ex- 
amination of  yourselves,  whether  you  do  value  heaven  and  heavenly 
things  as  your  treasure.  If  now  by  those  characters  you  have  taken 
an  account  of  your  estate,  you  either  find  yourselves  rich  in  this 
heavenly  treasure,  or  not.  If  you  cannot  say,  God  and  Christ  and  the 
great  and  glorious  things  of  eternity  are  yours ;  if  you  doubt  that 
heaven  is  your  exchequer,  and  of  all  that  rich  and  precious  treasure 
it  contains  there  is  any  thing  that  you  can  call  yours ;  let  me  then 
direct  you  to  a  twofold  word  of  exhortation. 

That,  above  all  gettings,  you  would  chiefly  labor  to  get  a  portion 
in  this  heavenly  treasure. 

That  you  would  never  rest  satisfied,  till  you  have  got  a  full  assur- 
ance that  this  treasure  is  yours,  and  that  you  are  enriched  by  it. 

The  one,  is  to  them,  that  are  indeed  poor ;  but  think  themselves 
rich  and  increased  in  goods,  and  to  stand  in  need  of  nothing. 

The  other,  is  to  them,  that  are  indeed  rich ;  but  yet  think  them- 
selves poor  and  miserable. 

1.  To  them,  that  have  no  share  in  this  heavenly  treasure. 

Is  there  such  an  infinite  mass  of  riches  exposed,  not  to  sale,  buo 
to  gift ;  riches  inestimable,  invaluable,  and  unsearchable ;  such 
riches,  that  he,  who  would  worthily  describe  them,  must  first  enjoy 
a  translation,  and  learn  the  tongue  of  an  angel  to  speak  whole  God 
at  every  word  ?  and  shall  not  this  stir  up  and  quicken  your  desires 
to  get  these  riches  ?  What !  Sirs,  is  there  not  a  covetous  person 
among  you  all  ?  Is  there  not  one,  that  cares  how  to  be  rich  ?  Is 
wealth  grown  such  a  vile  and  contemptible  thing  with  you,  as  to 
stand  in  need  of  other  exhortations  and  motives  besides  itself,  to 
commend  it  to  your  acceptance  ?  No,  certainly,  riches  have  not 
lost  their  allurements,  nor  have  men  lost  their  covetousness.  If  I 
should  tell  you  this  day,  of  rich  purchases  and  large  donations,  of 
gainful  bargains  and  the  speediest  and  easiest  way  to  grow  great 
in  the  world,  and  of  invaluable  treasures  that  you  might  have  for 
fetching;  how  would  most  men's  ears  drink  in  such  golden  elo- 
quence as  this  is !  "  Oh,  where,  and  how  ?"  would  be  the  question 
of  all  of  you. 

What  then  is  the  reason,  that,  when  we  set  before  you  the  glo- 
rious excellencies  of  this  heavenly  treasure,  the  least  dust  and 


us 


THE   EXCELLENCE  OF 


filings  of  which  are  enough  to  bankrupt  all  that  the  world  calls 
precious ;  since  it  gives  no  less  than  crowns,  robes,  and  scepters, 
God,  and  Christ,  and  glory,  and  immortality :  what  is  the  reason, 
that  men's  hearts  generally  are  so  frozen  and  cold  towards  these 
things  ?  Why  are  they  not  covetous  and  earnest,  in  seeking  after 
these  things  ? 

Truly,  the  grand  comprehensive  reason  is  flat  atheism.  As  many 
as  are  careless  of  this  heavenly  treasure,  so  many  atheists  are  there 
in  the  world.  Saint  Paul  hath  told  us,  that  he,  that  is  covetous  of 
earthly  things,  is  an  idolater  :  I  may  tell  you,  he  that  is  not  covet- 
ous after  heavenly  things,  he  is  a  flat  atheist. 

But,  more  particularly; 

(1)  Men  are  not  thoroughly  convinced  that  there  is  indeed  such 
a  treasure ;  or  that  this  treasure  is  so  rich,  and  so  precious  and  glo- 
rious as  it  is  described. 

And  why  is  this,  but  because  it  is  hidden  treasure  ?  Here  they 
see  what  pomp  and  advantages  earthly  riches  bring  with  them ; 
but  they  never  saw  the  state,  that  an  angel  keeps ;  they  never  saw 
the  glory  of  "  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect :"  they  never 
saw  the  court  and  attendance  of  the  Eternal  King :  they  have 
heard,  indeed,  mighty  and  strange  things  concerning  all  these ;  but 
what  shall  they  do,  if  they  prove  but  dreams  and  fancies  ?  and  why 
then  should  they  trouble  themselves  about  uncertainties  ?  possibly 
they  are  such  as  are  described ;  possibly,  they  are  not.  Truly, 
these  are  men's  atheistical  principles ;  and,  though  they  dare  not 
own  and  profess  it,  yet  this  is  at  the  bottom  of  all  that  deadness 
and  indifference,  that  is  in  most  men  to  the  things  of  heaven.  Now, 
although  the  bare  possibility  of  the  truth  of  these  glorious  things, 
and  the  little  danger  there  is  in  attempting  to  obtain  them,  might 
prevail  with  rational  men  to  put  them  upon  earnest  endeavors  after 
them ;  yet,  carnal  desires  and  earthly  affections  striking  in  with 
these  loose  atheistical  and  carnal  opinions  concerning  the  certainty 
of  these  glorious  discoveries,  they  sway  them  so  powerfully  to 
earthly  things,  that  all  their  thoughts  and  care  and  contrivances 
are  laid  out  upon  them,  to  the  neglect,  yea  to  the  contempt  of  hea- 
venly and  spiritual  things  :  Ps.  xiv.  1 ;  "  The  fool  hath  said  in  his 
heart,  There  is  no  God :"  it  was  but  in  his  heart :  it  was  but  a  thin 
film  of  a  thought,  that  scarce  arrived  at  the  form  of  a  conception ; 
yet  see  how  this  hath  influence  into  his  life :  "  They  are  corrupt : 
they  have  done  abominable  works  :  there  is  none,  that  doeth  good." 
Oh,  beware,  therefore,  that  you  never  entertain  a  thought  in  the 
leastwise  derogatory  to  the  infinite  glory  of  heaven :  doubting  or 


HEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


449 


unworthy  thoughts  of  heaven  will  insensibly  make  you  careless 
in  your  endeavors  after  it :  be,  therefore,  firm  and  unshaken  in  this 
belief,  that  heavenly  glory  is  unsearchable,  that  heaveuly  riches  are 
invaluable :  yea,  believe  that  whatever  belongs  to  heaven  is  before 
and  beyond  all  that  is  here  below :  the  more  the  eye,  though  but 
of  a  historical  faith,  discovers  and  sees  of  these  things,  the  more 
will  the  hand  labor  and  be  diligent  to  obtain  them. 

(2)  Another  reason  why  men  do  not  labor  after  this  heavenly 
treasure,  is,  because  they  are  not  thoroughly  convinced,  that  they 
stand  in  need  of  this  heavenly  treasure. 

They  say,  with  the  church,  Kev.  iii.  17,  that  they  are  "  rich,  and 
increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  know  not 
tbat  they  are  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked."  They  know  not,  and  therefore  they  care  not  for  looking 
after,  this  heavenly  treasure.  They  do  not  see  their  need  of  grace 
to  sanctify  them,  their  need  of  mercy  to  justify  them,  their  need  of 
the  promises  to  support  them,  and  their  need  of  Christ  to  save 
them.  Who  is  it,  that  cries  out,  they  are  imdone,  eternally  undone, 
without  these  things  ?  Who  is  it,  that  is  sensible  of  these  things  ? 
They  think  a  little  of  these  things  will  go  far,  and  what  they  have 
already  is  enough :  and  it  is  altogether  as  hard  to  make  these  men 
discontented  with  the  poverty  of  their  spiritual  condition,  as  it  is 
to  make  them  contented  with  the  abundance  and  fulness  of  their 
temporal  condition.  Oh,  that  men  were  but  once  awakened  to  see 
the  necessity  that  they  stand  in  of  this  heavenly  treasure ! 

But  how  should  they  be  awakened  ? 

Consider, 

[1]  The  great  cost  and  expense,  which  you  must  be  at,  if  you  will 
be  saved. 

It  is  true,  if  you  resolve  to  perish,  as  poor  as  now  you  are,  yet 
you  are  too  rich  a  prey  for  the  devil :  but,  if  you  intend  happiness 
and  your  own  salvation,  you  must  have  a  large  and  rich  stock  to 
trade  withal.  A  poor  and  beggarly  professor  will  never  set  up  in 
Christianity  :  no,  salvation  is  a  costly  thing :  many  powerful  cor- 
ruptions must  be  subdued :  many  divine  graces  must  be  acted : 
many  holy  duties  must  be  performed :  and  what  have  you  with  which 
to  bear  out  all  this  charge  ?  See  that  expression,  Titus  iii.  8,  that 
they  "  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works :"  such  good  works,  he 
means,  as  are  conducible  to  salvation :  to  maintain  such  good  works 
is  so  great  a  charge,  as  will  beggar  all  the  ability  of  nature,  if  you 
have  not  a  heavenly  treasure  to  defray  it.  You  cannot,  by  the  power 
of  nature  and  all  natural  endowments,  maintain  good  works :  are 
Vol.  II.— 29 


450 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


they  able  to  act  faith,  and  love,  and  patience,  and  humility,  and 
self-denial  ?  I  know  it  is  both  easy  and  pleasant,  to  think  and  hope 
that  you  shall  be  saved ;  but,  sit  down  first,  and  consider  what  it 
will  cost  you  :  can  your  present  stock  carry  you  through  good  am. 
evil  report,  through  reproaches  and  affl  ions  ?  will  it  carry  you 
through  all  ?  if  not,  will  you  yet  say,  you  ^re  "  rich,  and  increased 
with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing  ?"  Be  convinced,  therefore, 
that  you  are  poor  and  insufficient  creatures ;  and  that  you  stand  in 
need  of  abundance  of  supply  from  this  heavenly  treasure,  to  dis- 
charge this  cost  and  expense  that  you  must  be  at,  if  ever  you  will 
be  saved. 
Consider, 

[2]  The  desperate  debts  you  have  contracted  with  the  justice  of 
God,  and  the  deep  arrears  into  which  you  have  run  with  the  wrath 
and  vengeance  of  God  :  and  how  do  you  think  to  clear  your  account 
without  a  vast  and  infinite  treasure  to  defray  it  ?" 

Suppose  God  should  take  every  sinner,  this  day  before  him,  by 
the  throat ;  and  say  to  him,  "  "Wretch !  pay  me  what  thou  owest 
me :  I  will  give  thee  no  longer  time." 

"  Pay  thee,  Lord  !  why,  what  is  that  I  owe  thee  ?" 

1st.  "  Thou  owest  me  huge  and  vast  sums  for  all  the  temporal 
mercies  thou  enjoyest.  Thou  vauntest  it  in  the  world,  as  though 
none  were  so  great  as  thou  art :  yea,  but  thou  hast  paid  for  nothing 
that  thou  hast.  Here  is  so  much  upon  the  account,  for  thy  estate ; 
and  so  much  for  credit  and  reputation :  so  much,  for  protection  and 
preservation ;  yea,  for  thy  life  and  soul :  yea,  thou  owest  me  for  all. 
Pay  me  now  for  all  these ;  yea,  and  the  utmost  farthing  too  for  all 
these  debts  :  or,  else,  lie  forever  in  hell." 

0,  that  worldly-minded  men  would  but  seriously  corrder  ;hat 
none  of  the  good  things  which  they  now  enjoy  are  i  ice-cost : 
there  must  and  will  certainly  come  an  after-reckonmg :  and  then, 
perhaps,  they  will  say,  it  is  one  of  the  worst  bargains  they  made  in 
their  whole  lives,  when  they  were  content  to  grow  rich,  when  this 
after-reckoning  comes  and  God  shall  call  them,  to  pay  for  all  the 
mercies  and  enjoyments  that  he  lent  them. 

2dly.  Thou  owest  God  for  many  thousands  of  sins  and  provoca- 
tions against  him,  for  which  thou  must  make  recompence  and 
satisfaction. 

And  therefore  sins  are  called  debts :  "  Forgive  us  our  debts." 
And  how  many  thousand  talents  art  thou  thus  indebted  to  God ! 
Every  sin  is  a  talent  of  lead,  for  its  weight,  to  sink  the  soul  deep 
into  hell ;  but  it  is  a  talent  of  gold,  for  its  price  and  satisfaction. 


II  EAVK.NL  y 


TREASURES. 


451 


God's  law  is  transgressed:  and  how  canst  thou  recompense  it?  his 
wrath  is  provoked  :  and  how  canst  thou  atone  it  ?  thy  soul  is  for- 
feited to  endless  torments  :  and  how  canst  thou  redeem  it  ?  "  The 
redemption  of  the  soul  is  precious,  and  it  ceaseth  forever." 

Tell  me  now,  O  Sinner,  art  thou  rich  enough  in  thyself  to  dis- 
charge all  these  debts  ?  canst  thou  pay  God,  to  the  full,  for  every 
mercv  thou  hast  received?  canst  thou  satisfy  him,  to  the  full,  for 
every  sin  ~v>a  hast  committed?  dost  thou  think  still,  that  thou 
hast  no  need  of  a  treasure  to  discharge  all  these  ?  Possibly,  by 
this  time,  thou  art  convinced  that  thou  standest  in  need  of  a 
treasure :  but,  it  may  be,  thou  thinkest  there  is  none  rich  enough 
to  do  all  this.  Truly,  there  is  none,  but  the  treasure  of  the 
infinite  merit  of  Christ :  who,  for  those  that  believe  on  him,  hath 
paid  off  all  their  score :  so  that  neither  God's  mercies,  nor  yet 
their  own  sins,  shall  ever  be  charged  upon  them  to  their  con- 
demnation. They  can  plead,  "  Lord,  here  is  a  full  price,  the 
precious  blood  of  thine  own  Son.  It  was,  indeed,  thine  own 
free  grace  that  bestowed  him  upon  us,  who  is  such  a  boundless 
treasure :  but,  being  instated  in  that,  we  do  no  longer  desire  to 
deal  v.  I  thee  upon  terms  of  grace ;  but  upon  most  severe,  rigor- 
ous, and  strict  justice.  "What  mercies  we  have  had  were  purchased 
for  us  by  this  price:  what  sins  we  have  committed  were  satisfied 
for  us  by  this  expiation :  and,  therefore,  we  stand  acquitted  in  law." 
Thus  may  those,  that  have  a  part  in  this  heavenly  treasure,  make 
up  their  accounts  with  a  great  deal  of  confidence ;  when  others, 
that  have  nothing  to  discharge  their  debts  withal,  shall  be  cast 
into  prison,  whence  they  shall  never  return.  Be  convinced,  there- 
fore of  the  absolute  need  and  necessity  that  you  stand  in  of  this 
heavenly  treasure. 

(3)  Another  reason  why  no  more  labor  after  this  heavenly 
treasure,  is,  because  there  are  so  few  men  that  are  willing  to  so 
upon  trust. 

Truly,  the  riches  of  a  child  of  God  are  in  believing,  in  trusting: 
and,  therefore,  we  have  that  expression,  James  ii.  5  ;  "  The  poor  of 
this  world,  rich  in  faith."  Now  to  be  rich  in  faith  only,  the  world 
counts  a  fantastic  kind  of  riches :  they  would  rather  be  rich  in 
present  possessions :  they  know  not  the  mystery  of  growing  rich, 
by  believing,  and  having  nothing. 

Now  the  people  of  God  go  on  trust  for  their  treasure :  and  that 
two  ways. 

[1]  Their  treasures  are  invisible. 

2  Cor.  iv.  18;  "  We  look  not  at  the  things,  which  are  seen-  but 


452 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


at  the  things,  which  are  not  seen."  The  greatest  part  of  what  a 
Christian  doth  enjoy  lies  in  invisibles :  in  the  love  of  God :  in 
interest  in  him ;  in  communion  and  fellowship  with  him ;  in  the 
actings  of  faith  and  dependence  upon  him.  Tell  an  earthly,  car- 
nal man  of  such  a  treasure  as  this,  he  wonders  where  lies  the  glory 
and  excellence  of  it :  he  sees  not  God,  nor  Christ :  he  sees  not  that 
sweet  communion  and  intercourse,  that  there  is  betwixt  God  and 
the  soul.  The  things  of  the  world  he  sees ;  the  pomp,  and  glory, 
and  splendor  of  the  earth  :  these  are  objects  of  his  sense :  they  are 
sensible  things  :  and  therefore  these  are  things,  that  do  affect  him  ; 
but  he  prizes  not  invisible  things,  because  out  of  sight,  out  of  mind. 

[2]  Their  treasure  is  not  only  invisible,  but  future:  it  is  to  come. 

It  is  but  little,  that  a  saint  enjoys  for  the  present:  his  great 
estate  lies  in  hope  and  in  reversion :  now  he  lives,  it  may  be,  upon 
glimpses  and  half  smiles  ;  and  very  restricted  communications  of 
God  unto  his  soul :  he  hath  only  enough  to  make  him  know  what 
that  inheritance  is  that  he  expects  ;  and,  were  it  not  that  his  faith 
tells  him  sometimes  how  rich  and  glorious  it  is,  truly  he  could  not 
live  and  subsist  upon  his  present  income.  Now  there  is  a  body  of  sin 
and  death,  that  keeps  him  low  and  mean  in  h}s  actual  enjoyments : 
this  keeps  him  in  nonage,  and  bars  him  from  the  possession  of  his 
estate :  yea,  but  when  this  old  man  dies,  then  there  falls  to  him  a 
large  and  glorious  inheritance,  then  he  is  instated  into  the  present 
possession  of  all  his  hopes,  and  then  he  can  live  as  much  by  sight 
and  sense  as  the  men  of  the  world  now  do.  Now  this  doth  not 
affect  earthly  men :  they  have  somewhat  for  the  present,  and  they 
care  not  for  the  future  :  the  world  is  in  their  hands,  but  heaven  is 
afar  off:  as  eternity  is  that,  which  shall  never  end;  so  it  shall 
never  begin  with  them :  and  so,  foolish  creatures !  while  they  are 
pleasing  themselves  with  empty  enjoyments  here  below,  eternity 
comes  upon  them  unexpected,  and  they  unprovided  for  it. 

And  that  is  a  third  reason. 

(4)  Few  men  are  willing  to  come  up  to  the  price  of  this  heavenly 
treasure. 

"  Why,  what  is  the  price  ?"  you  will  say.  Truly,  it  is  nothing 
less  than  all :  Mat.  xiii.  46,  our  Saviour,  speaking  of  the  wise  mer- 
chant, says,  that  "  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  he 
went  and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it."  Now,  though  hereby 
is  not  required  actual  renouncing  of  all,  but  only  a  disposition  of 
heart  to  part  with  all,  when  they  stand  either  in  competition  with 
or  opposition  to  these  heavenly  things  :  yet  men's  affections  are  so 
glued  to  the  world  and  the  follies  and  vanities  here  below,  that  they 


IIEAVENLY  TREASURES. 


453 


count  this  a  hard  bargain ;  and  they  would  rather  forego  God  and 
Christ  and  the  great  and  glorious  things  of  eternity,  than  buy  them 
at  so  dear  a  rate,  as  to  be  willing  to  part  with  them  all  for  heavenly 
things. 

You  see,  then,  what  hinders  men  from  making  heavenly  things 
their  treasure.  Beware  that  these  things  be  not  charged  upon  you, 
as  your  practical  error,  at  the  last  day.  Let  me  tell  you,  it  will  be 
sad  and  dreadful  for  you,  to  see  poor  despicable  saints  let  in  to  the 
full  possession  of  this  treasure,  which  here  they  believed,  and  hoped, 
and  longed  for ;  and  you  yourselves,  for  cleaving  to  these  vain  and 
worldly  enjoyments,  to  be  shut  out  in  eternal  torments  :  what  horror 
and  dread  will  this  cause  within  you ! 

Thus  much,  for  the  first  branch  of  this  exhortation  :  labor  to  get 
these  heavenly  things  to  be  your  treasure. 

2.  The  other  branch  is,  never  rest  satisfied,  without  a  full  assurance, 
that  this  heavenly  treasure  is  yours  ;  that  you  have  a  share  in  it,  and  a 
right  to  it. 

(1)  Consider, 

[1]  "Without  this  assurance  you  can  never  live  comfortably. 

For,  though  it  be  sufficient  for  your  eternal  safety  and  security, 
that  God  is  your  treasure  and  your  exceeding  great  reward ;  yet  it 
will  not  be  sufficient  for  your  present  comfort,  unless  you  know 
and  apprehend  him  so  to  be. 

[2]  "Without  this  assurance  you  can  never  live  generously,  and 
as  it  becomes  a  Christian. 

That  is,  you  cannot  live  above  the  world  without  it :  not  above 
the  fears  and  flatteries,  above  the  frowns  and  fawnings,  of  the  world  : 
unless  you  have  assurance  that  God  is  your  treasure.  A  Christian, 
that  knows  God  is  his  portion,  can  do  thus :  he  can  rejoice  in  tribu- 
lation, and  triumph  in  afflictions,  and  live  splendidly  upon  his  God, 
though  all  the  things  of  this  world  fail  him :  Hab.  iii.  17,  18 ; 
"  Although  the  fig-tree  should  not  blossom,  neither  fruit  be  in  the 
vines ;  the  labor  of  the  olive  should  fail....though  the  flock  should 
be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  should  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls :" 
what  then?  must  not  he  languish  and  perish  with' other  men?  no: 
"  Yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion." "What  is  the  reason  there  is  so  much  base  compliance,  and 
cringing,  and  servility  to  every  humor  of  men ;  but  only  because 
men  have  no  assurance  of  any  treasure,  but  what  may  be  taken 
from  them  by  men  ?  I  need  not  tell  you  what  times  we  are  now 
fallen  into :  they  are  perilous  times,  wherein  nothing  is  worth  the 
making  sure-  nay,  indeed,  nothing  can  possibly  be  made  sure. 


454 


THE    EXCELLENCE  OF 


We  see  changes  and  vicissitudes  upon  every  thing ;  and,  therefore, 
make  that  sure,  that  alone  can  be  made  sure :  and  that  is  God,  and 
heavenly  and  spiritual  things :  and,  then,  "  Though  the  earth  be 
removed,  and  though  the  mountains  be  hurled  into  the  midst  of 

the  sea;  Though- the  waters  thereof  roar  and  the  mountains 

shake  yet  God  will  be  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present 

help  in  time  of  trouble :"  Ps.  xlvi.  1,  2,  3. 

(2)  To  those,  that  have  had  this  full  assurance,  I  shall  only  speak 
two  words  briefly. 

[1]  Live  upon  your  treasure :  by  faith  bring  in  supplies  from  it, 
for  all  your  exigencies  and  necessities. 

Yea,  live  at  a  far  higher  rate,  than  what  the  men  of  the  world 
can  do :  that  so  they  may  be  convinced,  that  the  poorest  Christian 
hath  greater  sufficiency  in  himself  than  all  the  world  besides ;  that 
the  world  may  be  convinced,  that  a  Christian  hath  more  in  God 
than  the  greatest  worldling  can  have  in  all  his  worldly  possessions. 

[2]  Take  heed  of  wasting  and  spending  this  treasure. 

Indeed,  the  main  stock  cannot  ~or  shall  not  be  spent:  yet  take 
heed  of  diminishing  the  heap.  Be  still  adding  to  it,  rather  than 
wasting  it.  Truly,  sin  will  both  waste  your  treasure,  and  blot  your 
evidences,  and  darken  that  knowledge  and  assurance  that  you  have 
that  this  treasure  is  yours. 

(3)  I  have  but  one  word  more :  and  that  is,  to  exhort  you  to  lay 
up  your  earthly  treasures  in  heaven :  you  cannot  lay  them  up  in  a 
safer  place. 

But  you  will  say,  "  How  may  that  be  done  ?" 

"Why,  if  you  lay  them  out  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  God  and 
in  his  service,  you  shall  thereby  lay  them  up  in  heaven  :  this  is  the 
way  to  carry  earth  to  heaven ;  yea,  to  make  earthly  comforts  and 
enjoyments  to  tend  upon  you  farther  than  the  grave.  "We  say  com- 
monly, "  These  things  will  go  no  farther  than  the  grave  with  us : 
there  we  must  part  with  them :"  no,  lay  up  these  earthly  things  in 
heaven,  by  employing  them  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  and 
they  shall  and  will  go  farther  with  you  than  the  grave ;  and,  though 
you  brought  nothing  with  you  into  the  world,  yet  you  shall  carry 
them  out  of  the  world  with  you.  See  Kev.  xiv.  13  ;  "  Their  works 
do  follow  them :"  they  enter  into  heaven  with  them.  And  Luke 
xvi.  9  ;  "  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteous- 
ness ;  that,  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into  everlasting 
habitations."  "  Mammon  of  unrighteousness :"  that  is,  earthly  en- 
joyments; so  called,  because  usually  abused  to  unrighteousness. 
"  Make  you  friends  of  them :"  that  is,  so  lay  them  out  for  the  glory 


HEAVENLY   T  It  E  A  J  D  E  E  S. 


455 


of  God  and  the  good  of  others,  "  that,  when  ye  fail,"  that  is,  when 
you  die,  you  may  be  received  into  "  everlasting  habitations,"  that 
is,  into  everlasting  glory. 

And  thus  I  have  finished  this  subject  of  laying  up  treasure  in 
heaven.  The  Lord  make  what  hath  been  spoken  profitable  to  your 
souls ! 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


RECOMMENDED,  URGED,  AND  ENCOURAGED, 

IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION. 

Wherefore,  my  beloved,  as  ye  have  always  obeyed,  not  as  in  my 
presence  only,  but  now  much  more  in  my  absence,  work  out  your  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling:  for  it  is  God,  which  worketh  in  you, 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure.    Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

The  whole  sum  of  Christianity  is  comprehended  in  two  points ; 
knowledge  and  obedience.  The  one  is  conversant  about  things 
supernaturally  revealed  ;  and  the  other,  about  duties  supernaturally 
performed. 

Now,  although  there  be  so  wide  a  difference  between  these  two : 
yet,  where  they  are  suffered  to  run  on  in  a  course,  they  will  one 
fall  into  the  other ;  and  gospel  revelations  will  make  way  for  and 
lead  unto  gospel  obedience. 

Indeed,  there  is  no  Divine  truth,  however  abstract,  however 
sublime  and  speculative  it  may  seem  to  be,  but,  by  the  help  of  one 
or  two  consequences,  may  be  improved  to  clear  and  direct  our  prac- 
tice. For  "  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in 
righteousness." 

And  therefore  the  Apostle,  speaking  of  the  whole  of  Christian 
religion,  calls  it  ""the  mystery  of  godliness:"  1  Tim.  iii.  16:  and, 
"  the  truth  which  is  after  godliness  :"  Titus  i.  1.  He  calls  it  not  a 
mystery  and  godliness,  or  truth  and  godliness ;  but  he  knits  and 
joins  them  both  together,  the  mystery  and  truth  of  godliness :  a 
truth,  yea  and  a  truth  wrapt  up  in  a  mystery,  because  discovered 
only  by  a  Divine  light;  and  yet  a  mystery  of  godliness,  because 
it  is  a  truth  that  tends  to  incline  the  will  and  raise  the  affections, 
and  so  direct  the  conversations  of  men,  unto  godliness  and  obedience. 

And  thus  also,  in  this  chapter,  after  the  Apostle  had  soared  very 
high  in  those  transcendent  mysteries  of  Christ's  Godhead,  in  the 
6th  verse ;  of  his  incarnation  in  the  7th  verse ;  of  his  humiliation, 
obedience,  and  passion,  in  the  8th  verse ;  of  his  glory,  and  exalta- 
tion above  every  thing  both  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth  and  in  hell, 
9th,  10th,  and  11th  verses :  after  he  had  thus  soared  aloft  in  these 
transcendent  mysteries,  he  makes  a  sudden  descent  to  the  exhorta- 

456 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 


457 


tion  in  the  text,  "  "Wherefore  work  out  your  own  salvation  with 

fear  and  trembling." 

This  illative  particle,  "wherefore,"  looks  back  as  far  as  to  the 
5th  verse :  where  the  Apostle  exhorts  them,  that  the  same  mind 
should  be  in  them,  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus:  who,  though  he  was 
essentially  equal  with  God,  yet  mediatorily  became  subject  unto 
God :  though  he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  yet  he  took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant ;  laid  aside  his  glory,  emptied  and  humbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  even  to  the  lowest  duties  and  to  the 
vilest  sufferings :  he  was  obedient  unto  the  death ;  that  is,  he 
was  obedient  to  God's  law  till  death,  by  fulfilling  it,  and  he  was 
obedient  unto  God's  will  in  death,  by  suffering  it.  For  which 
humiliation  and  obedience,  "  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and 
given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name ;  that,  at  the  name 
of  Jesus,  every  knee  should  bow."  Now,  says  the  Apostle,  be  you 
also  of  the  same  mind  with  Christ.  Wherefore,  as  he  was  obedient, 
so  be  you  you  also  :  do  you  "  work ;"  that  is,  do  you  obey.  As  he 
was  humble  and  emptied  himself,  be  you  also  humble  and  lowly : 

"work  with  fear  and  trembling;  "that  is,  obey  with  humility  and 

reverence,  as  the  phrase  imports  and  is  often  used  in  Scripture. 
That  so,  as  Christ  obtained  glory  and  exaltation,  you  also  may  be 
exalted  and  glorified  with  him  :  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation." 
For  these  words  come  in  as  a  parallel  with  Christ :  as  he  was 
obedient,  so  be  you :  as  he  was  humble  and  emptied  himself,  so  be 
you  also  humble :  that  so,  when  he  is  glorified,  you  may  be  saved. 
"  Wherefore.... work  oat  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 

And  this  I  judge  to  be  the  Apostle's  scope  in  drawing  this  con- 
clusion. 

In  the  words,  you  have  three  parts. 

A  duty  pressed  upon  us  by  a  most  serious  and  rational  exhorta- 
tion; "  Wherefore... .work  out  your  own  salvation." 

An  express  way  and  manner  how  it  is  to  be  performed :  and  that 
is  "with  fear  and  trembling'." 

Here  is  the  reason  of  this  exhortation:  "For  it  is  God,  which 
worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure." 

First.  Here  is  a  duty  pressed  upon  us :  and  that  is,  to  work  out 
our  own  salvation. 

To  explain  the  words  a  little : 

First.  For  salvation,  3-ou  may  take  it  for  the  whole  supernatural 
state  of  a  Christian  ;  begun  here  in  grace,  and  to  be  finished  here- 
after in  glory.  And, 


453 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


Secondly.  To  work  out  this  salvation,  is  nothing  but  to  continue 
and  persevere  in  ways  of  obedience,  until,  through  them,  that  sal- 
vation, that  is  begun  here  on  earth,  be  perfected  in  heaven. 
To  work  out  our  salvation,  therefore,  implies  three  things : 
First.  Pains  and  labor.  Salvation  is  that,  which  must  be  wrought 
out :  it  is  that,  which  will  make  the  soul  pant  and  breathe  to  ob- 
tain it. 

Secondly.  It  implies  constancy  and  diligence.  A  Christian,  that 
would  work  out  salvation,  must  always  be  employed  about  it.  It 
is  a  web,  into  which  we  must  weave  the  whole  thread  of  our  lives. 
That  man,  that  works  at  salvation  only  bv  some  passionate  fits, 
and  then  within  a  while  undoes  it  all  again  by  foul  apostacy  and 
notorious  sins,  will  never  work  salvation  out.  No :  it  must  be 
diligence  and  constancy  that  must  effect  that. 

Thirdly.  It  promises  success  and  accomplishment  also.  And  this 
is  a  mighty  encouragement  to  enforce  the  exhortation.  Though 
the  work  be  difficult,  our  strength  little,  the  enemies  many,  and  the 
oppositions  powerful ;  yet  continue  working,  your  labor  shall  not 
be  in  vain.  Though  it  be  hard  work,  it  shall  not  be  long  work : 
for  it  shall  be  wrought  out ;  and,  what  before  was  your  work,  shall 
be  your  reward ;  and,  what,  before  was  your  labor,  shall  be  your 
wages :  and  this  salvation,  that  was  so  painful  in  working,  shall  be 
most  blessed  in  the  enjoyment. 

Secondly.  Here  is  the  express  way  and  manner,  how  this  work 
should  be  done :  and  that  is,  with  fear  and  trembling.  "  "Work  out 
your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 

This  fear  is  not  to  be  taken  for  a  fear  of  diffidence,  perturbation, 
or  despondency  :  for  this  is  so  contrary  to  the  duty  of  working  out 
salvation,  as  that  it  only  stupefies  and  dulls  us ;  and,  as  in  other 
matters,  so  in  spirituals,  it  hinders  both  counsels  and  performances. 
But  this  "fear  and  trembling,"  that  must  qualify  our  obedience,  is 
nothing  else,  but  an  humble  self-resignation,  self-denial,  and  a  holy 
awe  of  God  and  reverence  for  Him :  with  which  humility  and 
reverence,  the  highest  degree  of  spiritual  joy  and  assurance  is  so 
far  from  being  inconsistent,  that  it  usually  springs  from  it,  and  is 
built  upon  it.  This  is  meant  by  "fear  and  trembling;"  and  so  the 
phrase  is  often  used  in  Scripture :  so  the  Psalmist,  "Serve  the  Lord 
with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling,"  Ps.  ii.  11 :  it  is  not  meant 
of  any  desponding  diffident  fear,  but  only  of  an  awful  reverential 
fear  of  God,  joined  with  sel£abasement :  and  so  St.  Paul,  to  the 
Corinthians,  says  of  Titus,  that  he  was  received  "with  fear  and 
trembling :"  2  Cor.  vii.  15  :  there  was  no  reason  why  Titus's  coming, 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  459 

which  was  so  much  desired,  should  cause  fear  aud  trembling  :  only 
the  meaning  is,  they  received  him  with  fear  and  reverence :  and,  so, 
"servants"  are  commanded  to  "be  obedient  to"  their  "masters:" 
Eph.  vi.  5 :  so,  here,  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling ;"  that  is,  work  it  out  with  humility,  self-abasement,  and 
reverence. 

Thirdly.  Here  is  the  reason  of  this  exhortation :  "  For  it  is 
God,  which  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good 
pleasure." 

Wherein  lies  the  strength  of  the  reason  ?  Possibly,  it  might 
seem,  to  a  carnal  judgment,  an  encouragement  to  sloth,  rather  than 
an  encouragement  to  working  and  obedience.  For,  if  God  work 
in  us  both  the  will  and  the  deed,  what  need  we  then  be  so  solicitous 
about  the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation;  which,  not  so  much 
we  ourselves,  as  God  works  out  for  us  ?  it  would  rather  seem  to 
be  a  greater  motive  for  us  to  work,  if  the  Apostle  had  said,  "  God 
will  not  assist  you,  and  therefore  look  to  yourselves." 

Yet  there  are  two  ways,  without  torturing  the  words,  whereby 
we  may  make  them  confess  wherein  their  great  strength  lies :  the 
one  is,  by  reducing  this  reason  to  the  duty :  and  the  other  is,  by 
referring  it  to  the  manner  of  performing  the  duty. 

First.  If  we  refer  it  to  the  duty  of  working  out  salvation,  then 
the  force  and  strength  of  it  lies  in  the  consideration  of  that  aid  and 
assistance,  that  God,  by  working  in  us,  affords  us,  to  the  working 
out  of  our  own  salvation, 

"  Work !  alas  !"  may  some  say,  "  How  can  we  work  ?  Are  not 
the  duties  of  obedience,  divine  and  supernatural  ?  And  is  it  not  an 
Almighty  power  alone,  that  can  enable  us  to  do  what  is  superna- 
tural ?  Are  we  omnipotent  ?  Doth  not  God  herein  plainly  seek 
advantages  against  us,  in  bidding  us  thus  to  work,  who  have  no 
hands  nor  strength  to  work  with?" 

No,  by  no  means :  for,  what  God  commands  us  to  do,  he  will 
assist  us  in  the  doing  of  it.  And,  though  obedience  be  superna- 
tural, and  we  weak  and  impotent ;  yet  God  is  omnipotent.  Work, 
therefore :  for  this  omnipotent  God  works  in  you,  both  to  will  and 
to  do. 

And  thus  appears  the  force  of  the  reason,  if  you  apply  it  to  the 
duty.  Now,  if  you  thus  refer  it,  then  observe,  that  all  ability  in 
and  all  encouragement  to  obedience  proceeds  from  God's  working 
in  us  what  he  requireth  from  us.  And  thus,  as  Christ  said,  "My 
Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work :"  so  may  a  weak  Christian 
say,  "  What  I  do  is  above  my  own  strength,  indeed ;  but  my  God 


460 


PBACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


and  my  Father  worketh  hitherto  in  me ;  and  therefore  it  is,  that  I 
am  enabled  thus  to  work." 

Secondly.  If  we  refer  this  reason  to  the  manner  of  performing 
obedience,  that  it  must  be  "with  fear  and  trembling;"  as  if  the 
exhortation  ran  thus,  Be  humble  and  awful  in  your  obedience, 
"  For  it  is  God,  which  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do :" 
then  it  carries  a  double  force  with  it. 

First.  That  the  due  consideration  of  God's  working  in  us,  is  the 
greatest  inducement  imaginable  to  a  self-abasing  humiliation.  There 
is  nothing,  that  will  sooner  take  down  pharisaic  pride  and  boasting, 
than  sometimes  to  be  catechising  ourselves  with  those  two  or  three 
questions  and  interrogatories  of  the  Apostle  :  "  Who  maketh  thee 

to  differ  ?  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  ?    Now  if 

thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou  boast,  as  if  thou  hadst  not  re- 
ceived it?"  1  Cor.  iv.  7.  "Why  dost  thou  boast  and  glory,  0  vain 
weak  man,  when  all  thou  hast  and  all  thou  dost  is  from  God's  free 
and  arbitrary  working  in  thee  ?  alas !  there  is  nothing  of  all  thy 
graces  or  duties  to  be  ascribed  unto  thyself,  unless  it  be  the  imper- 
fections and  weaknesses  of  them.  'And  this  should  cause  us,  when 
we  are  most  strongly  carried  out  in  the  ways  of  God  and  in  the 
duties  of  holy  obedience,  most  of  all  to  renounce  ourselves  and 
our  own  sufficiency ;  and  look  upon  it  as  an  evident  argument, 
that,  of  ourselves  we  are  able  to  do  nothing,  because  through  God 
we  are  enabled  to  do  so  much,  yea  to  do  all  things. 

Secondly.  Since  all  we  do  is  wrought  in  us  by  God,  this  should 
cause  us  to  obey  with  a  holy  fear  and  reverence ;  lest,  by  our  mis- 
carriages, we  should  provoke  God  to  withdraw  from  us,  on  whom 
depend  all  the  ability  and  power  we  have  to  obey.  "  It  is  God, 
which  worketh  in  you :"  and,  therefore,  "  work  out  your  own  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling." 

This  shall  suffice  for  the  opening  and  explaining  of  the  words. 

I.  That,  which  I  shall  press  upon  all,  is  the  duty  contained  in 
this  exhortation  of  the  Apostle.  And  the  proposition,  which  I 
shall  lay  down  from  his  inspired  words,  is  this: 

That  IT  IS  THE  DUTY  OF   EVERY   TRUE  CHRISTIAN"  TO  WORK 
OUT  HIS  OWN  SALVATION  WITH  FEAR  AND  TREMBLING. 
Or,  thus  : 

Every  Christian,  nay  every  man,  ought  to  work  for 
his  living,  even  for  an  eternal  life. 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  4G1 

To  mention  places  for  the  proof  of  this  were  to  transcribe  the 
Bible :  we  can  nowhere  open  this  blessed  book,  but  we  find  this 
truth  proved  to  us,  either  directly  or  by  consequence ;  for  it  is  the 
very  genius  of  the  Scripture.  And,  yet,  it  is  strange  in  these  days 
to  see  how  dubiously  some  men,  who  would  be  thought  admirers 
of  free  grace,  speak  of  obedience  and  working :  as  if  it  were  the 
brand  of  a  legal  spirit ;  and  as  great  a  stranger  to  a  Christian's 
warrant,  as  it  is  to  their  practice.  Oh,  it  is  a  soft  and  easy  doc- 
trine to  bid  men  sit  still  and  believe ;  as  if  God  would  translate 
men  to  heaven  upon  their  couches:  to  tell  them,  that  all  that  they 
have  now  to  do,  is  but  to  labor  for  more  assurance,  to  praise  God, 
and  to  sing  hallelujahs  unto  him.  And  so  also  it  conduces  much 
to  their  abundant  comfort — does  it  not  ? — to  tell  them,  that  God  sees 
no  sin  in  them,  nor  requires  any  duty  from  them !  that  repentance 
and  humiliation  are  legal  things,  belonging  only  to  younger  per- 
sons, and  not  to  the  heirs  of  the  promises !  Oh,  Avho  could  think 
it  possible,  that  such  dreams  and  fantastic  delusions  could  possess 
so  many  men's  hearts,  that  ever  heard  the  Scripture  speak  in  its  own 
language ;  or  that  ever  read  what  Christ  himself,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
or  the  blessed  Apostles  have  written,  who  bid  us  to  "  work  the 
works  of  God,"  to  give  all  diligence,  to  abound  in  all  the  fruits  of 
righteousness?  Is  it  possible,  that  these  notions  should  be  dis- 
persed by  some,  and  entertained  by  others,  but  because  it  always 
hath  been  the  policy  of  the  devil,  wherein  he  hath  sped  so  well, 
still  to  vent  those  doctrines  that  indulge  the  flesh,  under  the  name 
and  patronage  of  free  grace  and  gospel  attainments  ?  But,  of  this, 
more  hereafter. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  REASONS  of  this  truth. 

And, 

i.  "Wherefore  is  it,  that  we  are  commanded,  to  strive  that  we  may 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate?  Luke  xiii.  24;  so  to  run,  that  we  may 
obtain  ?  1  Cor.  ix.  24 ;  so  to  wrestle,  that  we  may  be  able  to  stand  ? 
Eph.  vi.  11, 12  ;  so  to  fight,  that  we  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  ? 
1  Tim.  vi.  12  ;  not  to  faint  in  our  minds  ?  Heb.  xii.  3 ;  nor  to  grow 
weary  in  well-doing  ?  Gal.  vi.  9. 

Do  not  all  these  expressions  imply  great  labor  and  pains  ?  Can 
you  strive,  and  run,  and  wrestle,  and  fight,  and  all  this  by  doing 
nothing  ?  or,  were  it  needful  to  be  taught  not  to  grow  faint,  nor  to 
be  weary,  when  we  have  no  work  to  do  ?  Therefore,  it  is  the  genius 
and  sum  of  the  Scripture,  to  excite  men  to  be  always  active  and 
laborious  in  the  ways  of  holiness  and  obedience. 


462 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


ii.  Wherefore  is  it,  that  salvation  is  set  forth  to  us  under  the 
notion  of  a  reward  ?   Is  it  not  to  imply  that  we  must  work  for  it  ? 

A  reward,  not  indeed  merited  by  our  works ;  but  yet  a  reward 
measured  out  to  us  and  conferred  upon  us,  according  to  our  works. 
God  "  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works :  to  them, 
who,  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory....and  im- 
mortality," he  will  render  "  eternal  life :"  Eom.  ii.  6,  7.  And,  indeed, 
it  were  very  strange,  if  that  God,  who  will  reward  us  with  eternal 
life,  according  to  our  works,  should  yet  lay  a  check  upon  the  in- 
genuousness of  the  new  creature,  thereby  to  account  eternal  life  too 
low  a  motive  to  excite  unto  eternal  life. 

iii.  Is  it  not  to  this  end,  that  God  hath  implanted  such  an  active 
principle  OF  grace  in  the  hearts  of  his  servants,  that  thereby  they 
might  be  enabled  to  work  out  their  own  salvation  ? 

If  God  would  save  you  without  working,  why  then  hath  he  given 
you  such  an  operative  principle  that  you  might  work  ?  Nay,  I 
might  affirm  that  he  might  as  well  save  you  without  grace,  as  with- 
out works ;  for  that  is  not  grace,  that  doth  not  put  forth  itself  in 
working :  grace,  if  it  be  true,  will  be  working :  it  will  rise  in  the 
thoughts :  it  will  work  in  the  affections :  it  will  breathe  in  desires, 
appear  in  good  works,  and  be  very  active  and  busy  in  the  whole 
life  and  conversation.  Now,  not  to  work,  is  that,  which  puts 
a  check  and  restraint  upon  this  active  principle :  it  is  to  curb  it  in, 
when  it  would  freely  break  forth  into  action,  upon  every  occasion 
given  to  it. 

iv.  Why  hath  God  so  often  promised  us  assistance,  if  it  be  not 
that  thereby  we  should  be  encouraged  to  work  ? 

He  stands  by  us,  to  confirm  our  hearts,  to  strengthen  our  hands, 
to  help  our  weakness,  to  quicken  our  deadness,  to  recruit  our  graces 
by  continual  supplies ;  and  wherefore  is  all  this,  but  that  we  might 
work  ?  God,  rather  than  we  shall  not  work,  himself  will  set  us  at 
work  :  nay,  he  will  maintain  us,  at  our  work  and  in  our  work,  upon 
his  own  cost.  He  gives  us  aid  and  promises  assistance  only  for  this 
end,  that  we  might  work  out  our  own  salvation.  We  are  not  suffi- 
cient of  ourselves,  says  the  Apostle,  "of  ourselves  to  think  any 
thing :"  2  Cor.  iii.  5,.  What,  then,  must  we  therefore  sit  still,  be- 
cause we  are  not  sufficient?  no,  says  he,  for  God,  who  finds  us 
employment,  will  also  find  us  strength :  "  our  sufficiency  is  of  God." 
And  therefore  it  is,  that  God  gives  in  assistances  and  supplies, 
that  we  might  work  the  works  of  God. 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  4G3 

And  thus  I  have  confirmed  the  doctrine,  why  we  ought  to  work, 
and  that  we  ought  to  work. 

II.  But.  here,  before  I  can  proceed  any  farther,  there  are  some 
OBJECTIONS  that  must  be  answered,  THAT  SEEM  TO  OP- 
POSE THE  TBUTH  OF  THIS  DOCTRINE. 

Obj.  1.  Some  may  cavil  against  this  command  of  working  out ' 
our  salvation,  as  a  thing  impossible. 

Obj.  2.  Others,  as  derogatory  unto  Christ  and  his  merits. 

Obj.  3.  Others,  as  prejudicial  to  the  free  grace  of  God,  by  which 
alone  we  are  saved,  and  not  by  our  own  works. 

Obj.  4.  Others  look  upon  it  as  vain  and  needless  ;  since  God  will 
certainly  bring  to  salvation  all  those  whom  he  hath  elected  and 
foreknown,  according  to  his  purpose :  which  purpose  of  his,  neither 
their  not  working  with  it,  no  nor  their  working  against  it,  shall 
ever  make  void  or  frustrate. 

Object,  i.  Say  some,  "With  what  justice  and  equity  can  God 
require  this  duty  of  working  di  '  alvation,  when  he  knows  we 
have  no  power  to  perform  ic  ?  Either,"  say  they,  "it  concerns 
those,  that  are  spiritually  inclined  and  have  their  salvation  already 
begun,  that  they  perfect  it  by  working  it  out :  and,  if  so,  alas !  to 
what  purpose  is  it,  when  they  themselves  can  act  no  further  than 
they  are  acted?  they  cannot  so  much  as  will  their  own  salvation, 
unless  God  give  them  to  will ;  much  less  then  can  they  work  out 
their  salvation.  Or,  else,  it  concerns  all,  that  live  under  the  sound 
of  the  Gospel,  though  reprobates  and  castaways,  though  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins.  And  is  it  rational,  is  it  just  and  equal,  to  bid 
dead  men  work  ?  Or  doth  it  become  that  God,  who  would  be 
thought  by  us  to  be  infinitely  merciful  and  compassionate,  to  mock 
and  deride  human  miseries,  in  requiring  of  them  things  that  are 
impossible?  Had  he  commanded  us  to  bring  light  out  of  dark- 
ness :  had  he  bid  us  pull  the  stars  out  of  their  orbs ;  or,  with  one 
of  our  hands,  to  stop  the  sun  in  its  course :  all  these  impossibilities 
we  might  as  well  do,  as  perform  these  divine  duties,  without  divine 
assistance.  We  can  as  soon  glorify  ourselves,  as  sanctify  ourselves. 
Exhort  and  command  never  so  long,  with  as  great  authority  and 
vehemency  as  you  please;  yet,  till  God  move  on  us  and  work  in 
us,  you  may  as  well  expect  stocks  and  stones  should  move  at  your 
speaking  as  we.  And,  if  God  doth  but  once  begin  to  move  and 
work  in  us,  we  shall  work  and  move  without  your  exhortations.  It 


464 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


It  is  therefore,"  say  such  as  these,  "  altogether  in  vain  to  press  men 
to  duty,  till  God  works  in  them :  for  all  your  exhortations  are  not 
sufficient,  till  he  works  ;  and,  when  he  works,  all  your  exhortations 
will  be  fruitless." 

Because  this  is  the  common  plea  of  sinners,  why  they  do  not 
work ;  and  that,  which  unquestionably  doth  too  often  rise  in  the 
hearts  and  thoughts  of  most  men,  whereby  they  are  greatly  dis- 
couraged, and  their  hands  weakened  in  their  obedience ;  I  shall, 
therefore,  the  more  largely  and  particularly  answer  this  objection. 

And, 

Ans.  1.  This  serious  and  pressing  exhortation  to  obedience  and 
working,  doth  not  suppose  in  us,  nor  is  it  necessary  that  it  should  sup- 
pose in  us,  a  power  to  obey ;  I  mean  a  present  and  actual  power :  neithet 
doth  our  want  of  power  take  off  our  obligation  to  obey. 

It  may  and  will  be  granted,  that  there  is  no  command  of  God, 
but  doth  suppose  a  power  once  bestowed.  "Whether  or  no  his  ab 
solute  incontrollable  sovereignty  might  have  required  that  from  us, 
that  is  above  our  power  ever  to  perform,  may  rather  modestly  be 
doubted,  than  peremptorily  concluded.  Yet  this  is  certain,  that 
those  very  duties,  that  now  we  complain  we  have  no  strength 
or  power  to  perform,  were  once  as  subject  to  our  power  and  the 
freedom  of  our  own  wills,  as  now  natural  and  moral  actions  are : 
subject,  I  say,  to  our  power,  either  to  perform  them  or  not  to  per- 
form them :  not  as  though  we  come  now  into  the  world  with  this 
power,  for  we  are  all  dead  and  still-born  in  respect  of  grace ;  but 
as  having  this  power  in  our  first  parent,  who  was  our  representa- 
tive :  for  in  him  we  must  be  considered  as  existent,  even  when  he 
existed ;  and,  what  he  received  was  for  us,  and  what  he  did  was 
done  by  us,  and  what  he  lost  we  lost  in  him.  Now  if  we  have  lost 
this  power  of  obeying,  must  God  also  lose  his  privilege  and  sove- 
reignty of  commanding  ?  must  he  lessen  his  authority,  as  we  lessen 
our  ability  ?  Truly,  had  Adam  once  thought  of  this  flight,  he 
might  have  sinned  himself  quite  from  under  the  command  and 
dominion  of  his  Creator,  and  might  soon  have  become  thus  free. 
Do  not  you  yourselves  think  you  may,  if  a  debtor  of  yours  through 
his  own  default  becomes  a  bankrupt,  require  your  debt  of  him  ? 
So  stands  the  case  here  between  God  and  us :  we  are  all  disabled  to 
pay  the  debt  of  obedience  that  we  owe  to  God,  but  yet  it  is  through 
our  own  default ;  and  the  power,  that  we  had,  is  not  so  much  lost, 
as  willfully  thrown  away :  and  may  not  God  justly  come  upon  us 
for  our  debt?    Our  want  of  power  takes  not  off  our  obligation  to 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


465 


obedience,  because  it  is  through  a  willful  defect  that  we  are  deprived 
of  that  power :  if  a  servant  throw  away  his  tools  with  which  he 
should  work,  may  not  his  master  justly  expect  his  work  from  him, 
thouoh  he  knows  he  cannot  work  without  them  ?  God's  commands 
respect  not  the  impotence  that  we  have  contracted,  nor  do  they 
therefore  abate  any  thing  of  their  severity ;  but  they  respect  that 
power  and  ability,  that  was  once  conferred  and  bestowed  upon  us. 

Yea,  were  it  so  that  God  could  with  justice  require  no  more  from 
us  than  what  at  present  we  have  power  and  ability  to  perform,  this 
would  make  the  grace  of  God,  first,  vain  and  fruitless,  and,  secondly, 
dangerous  and  destructive. 

(1)  This  would  make  void  the  pardoning  grace  of  God. 

For,  according  to  this  doctrine,  nothing  could  be  required  of  us, 
if  we  could  do  nothing :  but,  without  grace,  we  can  do  nothing ; 
and,  therefore,  if  grace  be  not  bestowed  on  us,  nothing  can  justly  be 
required  from  us  ;  and,  if  nothing  be  required,  nothing  is  due  from 
us ;  and,  then,  we  do  not  sin  in  not  performing  any  thing ;  and, 
where  there  is  no  sin,  certainly  there  can  be  no  place  for  pardoning 
grace  and  mercy.  And  so  these  wise  men,  who  think  they  do  so 
much  befriend  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  in  all  haste,  in  affirming 
that  God  requires  nothing  from  us  but  what  at  present  we  have 
power  to  perform,  are  injurious  to  the  mercy  of  God,  in  making  it 
void  as  to  pardon  and  remission. 

(2)  This  doctrine  makes  the  sanctifying  grace  of  God  destructive 
and  pernicious.  , 

If  God  can  require  justly  no  more  of  us  than  we  can  perform, 
wherefore  is  it,  that  men  are  justly  damned  ?  is  it  not,  because  they 
will  not  do  what  they  are  able  to  do  ?  And  whence  is  it,  that 
they  have  this  ability  ?  is  it  not  from  the  grace  of  God's  Spirit  ? 
And,  therefore,  if  they  have  not  grace  to  make  them  able  to  do 
more  than  their  own  corrupt  wills  are  willing  to  do,  God  could  not 
justly  condemn  them ;  and,  consequently,  that  of  the  Apostle 
should  stand  no  longer  true,  "  Through  grace  ye  are  saved,"  (Eph. 
ii.  5,)  but  through  grace  ye  perish. 

These  two  consequences  will  follow,  if  God  could  justly  require 
no  more  from  us,  than  what  we  have  the  power  now  to  do.  So 
that,  though  we  have  not  the  power  and  ability  to  work  out  our 
own  salvation,  yet  we  are  not  thereby  excused  from  our  obligation 
to  do  it. 

But, 

Ans.  2.  Though  we  cannot,  of  ourselves,  work  out  our  own  . 
salvation,  Yet  God  doth  not  mock  us,  as  some  do  thence  infer ;  neither 
Vol.  II.— 30 


4G6 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


doth  he  only  upbraid  us  with  our  own  weakness:  but  hath  serious  ano 
weighty  ends  why  he  commands  us  to  obey. 

Those,  that  are  so  ready  to  cast  this  odium  upon  the  doctrine  of 
special  grace  ;  making  God  a  derider  of  human  frailty  and  miseries, 
when  he  commands  obedience  from  them,  to  whom,  say  they,  him- 
self denies  that  power  and  grace  that  should  enable  them  to  obey  ; 
I  would  only  ask  these  persons  this  question :  Whether  do  they 
grant,  or  whether  or  no  they  can  deny,  that  God,  antecedently, 
before  he  commands,  knows  who  will  obey  and  who  will  not  obey? 
If  they  say  God  knows  who  will  not  obey,  will  they  say  God 
mocks  them  when  he  commands  them  to  obey,  though  he  knows 
they  will  not  ?  "What  they  answer  to  this,  the  same  may  we  an- 
swer to  their  objection. 

But,  there  are  two  ends,  why  God  commands  us  thus  to  work, 
though  we  are  not  able ;  according  to  which,  God  is  very  serious 
in  commanding  us  thus  to  work. 

And  God  doth  this, 

(1)  That  he  may  thereby  convince  us  of  our  own  weakness,  and 
that  wretched  estate  into  which  our  sins  have  brought  us ;  that  he 
may  humble  and  abase  us,  when  we  reflect  how  far  we  are  fallen 
from  our  first  perfection  and  excellence. 

"When  we  consider,  on  the  one  hand,  that  God  requires  nothing 
from  us  now,  but  what  Ave  once  had  a  power  to  perform  :  and  then, 
on  the  other  hand,  how  little,  yea  how  much  of  that  nothing,  it  is 
that  now  we  have  power  to  perform ;  this  convinces  us  how  miser- 
ably great  our  fall  is,  that  makes  those  things  impossible  to  us, 
that  once  were  both  easy  and  delightful. 

(2)  God  loves  to  deal  with  men  as  with  rational  creatures,  that 
have  free  faculties ;  are  capable  of  moral  influences ;  and  are  fit 
subjects  to  be  wrought  upon  by  precepts,  counsels,  commands,  and 
exhortations,  as  well  as  by  internal  and  efficacious  grace :  that  ar- 
guments and  motives  may  persuade  without,  as  grace  sways  within; 
that  so,  by  both,  he  might  render  them  a  willing  people  in  the  day 
of  his  power. 

And,  therefore,  they  are  not  in  vain,  neither  to  those  that  shall 
be  saved,  nor  to  those  that  perish. 

[1]  To  those,  that  shall  be  saved,  these  are  the  instruments, 
of  which  the  Spirit  of  God  makes  use  to  incline  their  wills,  and 
conquer  their  affections  unto  the  obedience  of  Christ :  and,  there- 
fore, they  are  not  in  vain. 

In  conversion,  ordinarily,  if  not  always,  the  moral  work  goes 
before  the  physical :  that  is,  there  is,  first  the  rational  persuasion, 


IN  WORKING  OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


467 


before  there  is  the  efficacious  and  determining  motion.  For  God, 
when  he  works  on  man,  accommodates  himself  to  the  nature  of 
man :  that,  as  he  is  a  creature,  so  he  may  be  and  is  the  subject  of 
God's  efficacious  motions ;  and,  as  he  is  rational,  so  he  may  be 
guided  by  counsels,  led  by  persuasions,  and  overawed  by  convic- 
tions. And,  therefore,  when  God  converts  any,  he  takes  both  these 
ways :  inwardly,  he  works  by  effectual  grace,  powerfully  subduing 
the  will  as  a  creature  subject  unto  it ;  and,  outwardly,  he  works  by 
moral  suasions  and  authoritative  commands,  whereby  he  inclines 
the  will  sweetly  and  freely  to  consent  to  the  power  of  that  inward 
grace,  which  indeed  he  shall  never,  nay  indeed  he  cannot  resist : 
and  both  these  together  do  concur,  as  I  said  before,  to  make  a 
willing  people  in  the  day  of  God's  power. 
And, 

[2]  For  those,  that  perish,  these  commands  have  a  double  end 
and  use. 

1st.  They  are  instruments  in  the  hand  of  the  common  work  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  to  raise  them  up  to  all  those  moral  good  things, 
that  they  attain  to,  short  of  true  and  saving  grace. 

It  is  wonderful,  truly,  to  see  how  the  raging  wickedness  of  the 
world  is  dared  by  a  command  charged  with  a  threatening.  Herod 
heard  John  Baptist,  who  doubtless  laid  the  law  home  to  him,  so 
that  "he  did  many  things:"  Abimelech  and  Laban  were  warned 
in  a  dream,  whereby  God  overruled  and  prevented  that  wickedness, 
that  was  intended  by  them :  were  they  compelled  to  what  they 
did  ?  No ;  God  loves  to  rule  the  world  in  a  rational  way  ;  so  that, 
though  he  acts  and  moves  wicked  men  to  that  good  that  they  do, 
yet  he  doth  it  by  moral  considerations,  and  such  inducements  as 
do  most  comport  with  and  suit  the  liberty  of  their  own  will. 
Promises  encourage :  threatenings  deter :  counsels  direct :  com- 
mands enforce:  and  all  these  concur,  instrumentally,  to  awe  the 
consciences,  and  to  incline  the  wills  even  of  wicked  men  them- 
selves. "Whose  conscience  can  gainsay  this  ?  Let  the  vilest  sin- 
ner freely  speak :  when  he  hath  been  most  mad  and  vile  upon  his 
lusts,  hath  not  oftentimes  some  command  or  threatening  suddenly 
shot  itself  in  betwixt  his  conscience  and  sin  ?  Have  not  two  or  three 
weak  words  silently  whispered  to  him,  whence  or  from  whom  he 
knows  not,  stopped  his  way  and  given  a  check  to  his  lust,  when  it 
was  swelling  ready  to  break  forth  into  act  ?  And  whence  have 
they  this  power  ?  It  is  not  from  themselves :  for  why  then  doth 
it  not  always  so  work  ?  But  it  is  from  God's  inward  and  physical, 
though  but  common  work ;  that,  when  the  affections  are  most 


468 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


furious  and  corruption  most  raging,  will  effectually  persuade  to 
restrain  and  assuage. 

2dly.  Another  end  is,  that  hereby  God  leaves  them  without 
excuse. 

If  they  perish,  they  shall  have  nothing  to  pretend  against  God. 
Hath  he  not  often  warned,  and  counselled,  and  threatened  them  ? 
Hath  he  not  told  them,  with  as  much  earnestness  and  vehemence 
as  the  words  of  his  ministers  could  deliver  it,  that  "  the  wages  of 
sin  is  death,"  and  the  end  of  those  ways  wherein  they  walk  will 
be  shame  and  eternal  destruction  ?  Have  they  not,  with  all  se- 
riousness and  entreaties,  been  called  upon,  again  and  again,  to 
repent  and  turn  from  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  and  to  work 
the  works  of  God  ?  Can  the  mouth  of  God  or  man  speak  plainer, 
when  they  have  been  calling  and  crying  after  any,  "  Turn  ye,  turn 
ye  :  why  will  ye  die  ?"  This  is  that,  which,  from  our  souls,  we  do 
beseech  and  entreat  at  the  hands  of  sinners,  even  for  the  blood  and 
bowels  of  Jesus  Christ ;  nay,  for  the  blood  and  bowels  of  their  own 
precious  souls,  which  they  are  willfully  spilling  upon  the  ground  ; 
that  they  would  "  turn  and  live."  Now  there  is  not  one,  that  hears 
this  serious  injunction  and  is  not  obedient  to  it,  but  his  blood,  even 
the  blood  of  his  soul,  will  lie  upon  him  forever.  "What  is  it,  that 
men  expect  ?  Must  God  drive  men  to  heaven  by  force  and  violence, 
whether  they  will  or  no  ?  He  hath  laid  promises  and  threatenings 
before  them  :  he  exhorts  and  commands :  and,  if  these  things  will 
not  prevail  with  men  whose  faculties  are  entire,  whose  reason  is 
sound,  and  whose  wills  are  free  ;  think  not  foolishly  to  charge  God, 
for  he  is  free  from  the  blood  of  all  men,  and  sinners  will  be  found 
to  be  self-murderers  and  self-destroyers.  "  If  I  had  not  come  and 
spoken  unto  them,"  says  our  Saviour,  "  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but 
now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin :"  so,  if  God  had  not  come 
and  spoken  unto  sinners,  they  had  neither  had  sin  nor  condemna- 
tion ;  but,  now  that  he  hath  spoken  to  them  so  often,  and  exhorted 
them  so  frequently  and  earnestly,  therefore  "now  they  have  no 
cloak  for  their  sin."  God  hath  spoken,  and  his  speaking  will  strike 
every  impenitent  wretch  dumb  and  silent  at  the  great  day,  what- 
ever they  pretend  to  now. 

And  this  is  a  second  particular,  in  answer  to  this  objection :  God 
doth  not  mock  men's  weakness,  when  he  commands  them  to  work  ; 
but  hath  great,  wise,  and  weighty  ends  why  he  doth  it. 

Ans.  3.  To  come  somewhat  nearer :  there  is,  indeed,  no  such 
impotence  and  weakness  in  man;  but,  if  he  will,  he  may  work  out  his 
own  salvation. 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


469 


I  speak  not  this  to  assert  the  power  of  man  to  work  out  salva- 
tion, without  the  aid  of  special  grace,  to  incline  the  will ;  but,  if 
the  will  be  once  inclined  and  made  willing,  there  is  nothing  more 
required  to  make  a  man  able :  I  say,  where  there  is  special  grace 
given  to  make  the  will  willing  to  convert,  to  believe,  and  to  repent, 
there  is  nothing  more  required  to  make  a  man  able ;  because  con- 
version, faith,  and  repentance  chiefly  consist  in  the  act  of  the  will 
itself:  now  if  the  will  wills  repentance,  it  doth  repent ;  if  it  wills 
faith,  it  doth  believe ;  and  so  of  the  rest :  and,  therefore,  there  is 
nothing  more  required  to  make  a  man  able,  than  what  he  hath  in  a 
state  of  unregeneracy ;  only,  to  make  him  willing  is  required 
special  grace,  which  they  that  favor  the  undue  liberty  of  the  will 
do  deny.  And,  therefore,  God  expostulates  with  the  stubbornness 
of  the  will :  Why  will  ye  perish  ?  "  Why  will  ye  die  ?"  Ezek. 
xviii.  31 ;  xxxiii.  11;  and  Christ  accuseth  the  will :  "Ye  will  not 
come  to  me,  that  ye  may  have  life :"  John  v.  40.  It  is  true,  there 
is  an  impotence  in  the  will ;  but  this  is  only  its  stubbornness  and 
obstinacy :  it  will  not  hearken  to  God's  call :  it  will  not  obey  his 
commands :  it  will  not  strive  against  sin  nor  perform  duties :  and, 
therefore,  it  cannot.  Our  cannot  is  not,  indeed,  an  impotence, 
that  we  lie  under ;  so  much  as  the  stubbornness  of  our  wills.  There 
is  not  the  greatest  sinner,  who  hath  wrought  iniquity  with  both 
hands  greedily,  but  may  work  out  his  own  salvation  if  he  will :  if 
he  be  but  once  willing,  he  hath  that  already,  that  may  make  him 
able :  God  puts  no  new  powers  into  the  soul,  when  he  converts  it. 
It  is  true,  the  will  cannot  incline  itself  to  obedience,  without  grace,- 
but,  yet,  it  can  intend  it,  if  it  will :  it  is  its  stubbornness,  that 
makes  it  impotent.  It  is  in  the  things  of  grace,  as  in  other  free 
actions  of  a  man's  life,  with  a  proportionable  abatement :  a  man  can 
speak  and  walk,  if  he  will ;  but,  if  he  be  resolutely  set  not  to  do 
these  things,  he  cannot  do  them  so  long  as  that  resolution  remains, 
though  simply  and  absolutely  he  can  do  them :  doth  this  argue  any 
impotence  ?  So  is  it  here :  you  may  obey  and  work,  if  you  will ; 
but,  if  you  are  resolutely  bent  against  these,  if  you  are  resolved  not 
to  do  them,  while  that  resolution  continues  you  cannot  do  them : 
but  this  argues  not  any  natural  impotence,  but  a  moral  impotence 
only:  this  is  an  impotence  of  stubbornness  and  perverseness. 
Never,  therefore,  plead  the  inability  of  your  will:  no;  it  is  through 
your  own  stubborn  resolution  if  you  perish  :  you  are  resolved  for 
hell  and  destruction;  and,  if  you  are  plunged  into  them,  it  is 
through  your  own  willfulness,  and  not  through  weakness. 

Ans.  4.  To  come  yet  a  little  nearer  to  conscience  and  practice  : 


470 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


these  very  men,  that  thus  make  their  impotence  a  pretence  for  their  sloth, 
do  not  indeed  believe  what  they  pretend  and  assert  here. 

Tbey  do  not  believe,  that  they  are  thus  impotent:  no;  it  is  in 
the  inward  and  secret  thoughts  of  them  all,  that  they  have  a  power 
to  work  out  their  own  salvation ;  and,  therefore,  whether  they 
have  or  have  not  power,  yet  still  they  are  inexcusable,  if,  while 
they  think  they  have  power,  yet  they  will  not  strive  and  endeavor 
to  put  it  forth.  Those  men,  who  thus  plead  impotence  and  want 
of  power  to  obey  and  work  out  their  salvation,  though  they  speak 
these  things,  yet  they  believe  not  a  word  of  what  they  say  ;  and  there- 
fore they  are  inexcusable,  if  they  strive  not  to  put  forth  that  power, 
that  they  suppose  they  have,  into  act.  Although  a  man's  feet  be 
chained  and  fettered  that  he  cannot  walk  nor  stir,  yet  if  he  thinks 
himself  at  liberty,  and  yet  will  sit  still,  judge  you  whether  the 
fault  be  not  wholly  to  be  imputed  to  his  want  of  will,  and  not  to 
his  want  of  power ;  for  he  thinks  himself  free  and  able  to  move, 
but  will  not  try.  So  is  it  here :  wicked  men  do  think  they  have 
power  to  work,  however  they  speak  otherwise  sometimes ;  and, 
therefore,  they  are  utterly  inexcusable  if  they  do  not  work :  this  is 
as  clear  as  the  light ;  and  their  slothfulness,  therefore,  proceeds  not 
from  their  weakness,  but  from  their  willfulness. 

And  I  shall  endeavor,  by  some  arguments,  to  convince  sinners, 
that  they  do  indeed  think  and  believe  that  they  have  this  power 
to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  whatever  they  may  pretend  to ; 
and  that  therefore  they  are  inexcusable,  if  they  do  not  strive  and 
endeavor  to  do  it.  And, 

(1)  Did  you  never,  when  God  hath  shaken  his  rod  over  you, 
promise  and  resolve  to  work  ? 

By  his  rod,  I  mean  either  some  convictions  or  afflictions :  have 
not  these  made  you  to  enter  into  engagements  with  God,  that  you 
would  obey  him,  and  walk  more  holily  and  strictly  for  the  future  ? 
And  did  you  not  really  thus  resolve  to  do  ?  Few,  I  believe,  there 
are,  but  have,  some  time  or  other,  under  some  fit  of  sickness  or 
some  pang  of  conscience,  thus  done.  And  what !  did  you  resolve 
all  this ;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  think  and  believe  you  could  do 
nothing  at  all  ?  Did  you  only  mock  God  ?  Did  you  only  dally 
and  play  with  your  own  consciences  ?  No,  certainly  :  conscience 
was  too  much  provoked,  too  much  enraged,  and  too  broad  awake, 
to  be  so  jested  withal.  "We  find  this  very  temper  in  the  Israelites, 
when  they  were  affrighted  with  the  terrible  voice  of  God  from 
Mount  Sinai:  see  how  confidently,  under  that  conviction,  they 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  471 

promise  and  resolve:  "Speak  thou  unto  us  all  that  the  Lord 

our  God  shall  speak  unto  thee;  and  we  will  do  it."  Deut. 

v.  27 ;  and  so  the  Jews  also,  when  they  were  in  great  distress 
and  calamity,  when  the  whip  and  the  rod  were  over  them,  then 
they  took  up  large  resolutions,  and  made  great  promises  what  they 
would  be  and  do  :  "  Whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil,"  say 
they,  "  we  will  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our  God."  Jer.  xlii.  6. 
And,  O,  unto  how  many  pious  purposes  and  holy  resolutions  have 
the  dangers,  fears,  and  sick-beds  of  many  men  been  witnesses ! 
Have  they  not  heard  sinners  cry  out,  "Lord,  spare  a  little :  give  us 
some  space :  try  us  once  more,  Lord  ;  and  we  will  reform  our  sinful 
lives,  and  perform  neglected  duties :  never  more  will  we  return  to 
folly."  And  are  not  these  resolutions  and  promises  evident  con- 
victions, that  you  thought  you  had  power  to  do  what  you  thus 
resolved  to  do  ?  Who  is  there,  but  hath,  some  time  or  other,  under 
some  trouble  and  affliction,  taken  up  such  resolutions  of  obedience 
as  these  ?  And,  certainly,  you  dare  not  so  much  mock  God,  and 
dally  with  your  own  consciences  under  such  convictions,  as  to  make 
such  promises,  but  that  you  think  you  can  perform  what  you 
promise. 

(2)  Did  you  never,  in  your  whole  lives  perform  a  duty  to  God  ? 
Did  you  never  pray  to  him  ?    Is  there  any  one  so  desperately 

profane,  so  utterly  lost  as  to  any  show  and  appearances  of  good- 
ness, as  not  to  have  prayed  or  performed  one  duty  unto  God  in  his 
whole  life  ?  To  what  end  have  you  prayed  and  performed  these 
duties,  that  you  have  done  ?  Was  it  not  for  salvation  ?  And  did 
you  work  for  salvation,  and  at  the  same  time  believe  you  could  not 
work  ?  No :  it  is  impossible,  that  ever  any  man's  practice  should 
maintain  such  a  contradiction.  Whatever  men's  opinions  are,  yet 
their  works  show  that  they  think  they  have  power :  for,  something 
must  be  done,  though  it  be  but  formally  ;  though  but  a  slight,  cold, 
heartless,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  on  me !"  or  a  customary,  "  Lord,  for- 
give me :"  yet  something  conscience  requires  ;  and  this  men  reckon 
and  account  the  working  out  of  salvation. 

(3)  Wherefore  is  it,  that  you  trust  to  and  rely  upon  your  works, 
if  indeed  you  think  you  have  no  power  to  work  out  your  own  sal- 
vation by  them  ? 

Would  it  be  so  hard  and  difficult  to  take  men  off  from  leaning 
too  much  upon  their  works,  if  they  did  not  believe  they  had  a 
power  to  work  out  their  own  salvation  by  them  ?  Men  do  appre- 
hend some  worth,  some  value  and  sufficiency,  in  what  themselves 


472 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


do  in  order  to  eternity.  For,  bid  them  forego  and  renounce  their 
own  works,  tbeir  own  righteousness,  this  is  a  hard  saying ;  and 
they  can  as  easily  renounce  and  forego  all  hopes  of  happiness  and 
salvation,  as  renounce  tbeir  own  works.  Now,  whence  is  it,  that 
men  are  with  such  difficulty  brought  to  renounce  their  own  works  ? 
It  is  because,  by  them,  they  hope  to  obtain  salvation.  And  can 
there  be  such  a  principle  in  men,  and  they  yet  at  the  same  time 
believe  and  think  that  they  cannot  work  out  their  own  salvation  ? 
It  is  very  evident,  therefore,  whatever  notions  men  may  take  up, 
to  stop  the  mouth  of  a  clamorous  conscience  when  it  calls  them  to 
working  and  laboring,  that  yet  they  do  not  themselves  believe  what 
they  say  concerning  their  impotence,  but  do  really  think  they  have 
a  power  to  work  out  their  own  salvation. 

(4)  "When  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  been  dealing  with  your  hearts 
and  consciences,  when  it  hath  been  persuading  you  to  enter  upon  a 
course  of  obedience,  did  you  never  procrastinate  and  use  delays  ? 

Did  you  never  stifle  the  breathings  and  resist  the  motions  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  thinking  it  time  enough  to  do  that  upon  which  they  put 
you  hereafter?  "Why  need  I  begin  so  soon  to  vex  flesh  and 
blood?  What?  deny  the  pleasures  of  my  life,  so  soon  as  I  come 
to  relish  and  taste  them  ?  When  sickness  and  gray  hairs  admonish 
me,  and  tell  me  I  am  near  eternity ;  when  old  age  promiseth  me, 
that  the  severity  and  strictness  of  religion  shall  not  last  long  tc 
trouble  me ;  then,  will  I  repent  and  believe,  and  work  out  my  own 
salvation."  Speak  truly,  and  deal  plainly  with  your  own  con- 
sciences :  have  not  these  been  the  foolish  reasonings  of  your  own 
hearts  ?  have  you  not  often  thus  promised  God  and  }-our  own  con 
sciences  ?  and  doth  not  all  this  imply,  that  you  thought  you  had  a 
power  to  do  it  ?  why  did  you  delay  and  put  it  off,  if  you  thought 
vou  had  no  power  to  do  it  at  last  ?  Wherefore  thou  art  inexcusable, 
O  man,  whoever  thou  art  that  wilt  not  work :  it  is  in  vain  to  plead 
thou  wantest  power :  God  will  confute  thee  by  thyself,  and  out  of 
thy  own  mouth.  What !  wilt  thou  say,  thou  hadst  no  power  ?  why 
thou  thoughtest  that  thou  hadst  power,  and  yet  wouldst  not  work, 
nor  endeavor  so  to  do ;  and  therefore  thy  ruin,  if  thou  perishest,  is 
as  willful,  and  thy  condemnation  will  be  as  just,  as  if  thou  hadst 
power  and  wouldest  not  work. 

And  this  is  the  fourth  answer  to  this  objection :  men  do  really 
believe  that  they  have  power  to  work,  and  therefore  they  are  inex- 
cusable if  they  will  not  endeavor  to  put  it  forth. 

Ans.  5.  Men  will  not  plead  so  foolishly ;  no,  not  in  matters  of  far 
lower  concernment,  than  the  salvation  of  their  souls  is. 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


473 


"Would  a  master,  when  lie  commands  his  servant  to  work,  take 
this  as  a  sufficient  excuse  for  his  sloth  and  idleness,  that  he  hath 
no  power  to  work,  till  God  acts  and  moves  him?  Why  this  is  a 
truth,  that  he  cannot  do  it  unless  God  enable  him ;  and,  it  may  as 
well  be  objected  by  your  servants  to  you,  and  with  more  reason 
too,  than  by  you  unto  God.  Pray  tell  me,  what  power  have  I  to 
speak  one  word,  or  you  to  hear  one  word  more,  unless  God  concurs 
to  it  ?  nay,  we  are  not  sufficient  to  think  as  of  ourselves :  yet  we 
do  not  make  this  an  excuse  to  forbear  those  actions,  that  are  neces- 
sary. Do  we  therefore  resolve  to  do  nothing,  because  it  is  impos- 
sible for  us  to  do  any  thing  unless  God  concur  ?  What  stupid  and 
dull  folly  is  this !  No :  but  we  put  it  plainly  and  hourly  to  the 
trial :  and  never  could  any  one  produce  that  man,  that  could  ever 
say,  God  was  wanting  to  him  in  his  concurrence,  when  he  would 
have  done  an  action.  "What  a  miserably  ridiculous  task  would  it 
be,  if,  in  every  action  of  our  lives  wherein  we  can  do  nothing  with- 
out God,  we  should  still  be  questioning  God's  concurrence  with  us ! 
When  you  sit,  do  you  dispute  whether  God  will  enable  you  to 
arise  ?  when  you  walk,  do  you,  every  step  you  take,  question  whe- 
ther God  will  concur  to  another  step  ?  no  men  put  these  things  to 
the  trial :  and,  though  it  be  impossible  that  they  should  live,  move, 
or  stir,  till  God  act  and  move  them ;  yet  this  hinders  not  men's 
endeavors,  no,  nor  is  it  any  matter  of  discouragement  to  them. 
Now  why  should  we  not  do  so  in  spirituals,  as  well  as  in  tempo- 
rals? are  they  not  of  greater  concernment?  do  they  not  more 
deserve  the  trial  ?  It  is  true,  we  can  do  nothing  without  God's 
concurrence;  yet,  let  us  put  it  to  the  trial,  whether  or  no  God  will 
not  concur  when  we  endeavor.  Certainly,  that  man  must  be  for- 
ever nameless  that  can  say,  he  was  truly  willing  and  did  sincerely 
endeavor  to  do  any  good  thing,  and  God  did  not  enable  him. 

Ans.  6.  Although  wicked  men  1  Lad  'power  to  work  out  their  salvation, 
yet  they  would  never  do  it:  and  therefore  it  is  a  vain  and  most  un- 
reasonable pretence  for  sloth,  to  plead  want  of  power :  for,  had 
wicked  men  power,  they  would  never  obey. 

"But  how  can  any  one  tell  that?  What!  not  obey,  if  we  had 
power  I"  No  :  and  the  reason  is  this :  because  there  is  no  wicked 
man  in  the  world,  that  hath  done  so  much,  or  that  doth  so  much, 
as  he  is  able  to  do ;  no,  not  so  much  as  he  is  able  to  do  without 
special  grace  and  assistance :  and,  therefore,  it  is  not  inability,  but 
willful  sloth,  that  destroys  men.  Sinners,  ask  your  own  consciences 
these  questions :  Was  there  not  one  duty  more  that  you  could  have 
performed  ?  Was  there  not  one  temptation,  nor  one  corruption  more, 


474 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


that  you  could  have  resisted  ?  Could  you  not  have  prayed,  and  read, 
and  heard,  and  meditated  more  upon  heavenly  things ;  even  then, 
when  your  hearts  and  thoughts  have  been  vain  and  worldly,  yea 
sinful  and  devilish  ?  Might  not  that  time  have  been  spent  in  holy 
converse,  that  you  have  trifled  away  in  idleness  and  in  doing 
nothing,  or  that  which  is  worse  than  nothing?  "What  force,  or 
restraint,  is  laid  upon  you  ?  Is  there  any  violence  used  to  you  ? 
Can  you  not  think  ?  And,  if  you  can,  can  you  not  think  of  God ;  as 
well  as  of  the  things  of  the  world,  or  upon  your  lusts  ?  Can  you 
not  speak  ?  And,  if  you  can,  can  you  not  speak  of  God,  of  heaven, 
and  the  concernments  of  another  life  ;  as  well  as  of  your  trade,  and 
bargainings,  and  other  trivial  matters,  which  are  below  a  man, 
much  more  below  a  Christian?  What  force  is  there  put  upon 
sinners  ?  Doth  the  devil  force  open  the  drunkard's  mouth ;  and  pour 
down  his  intemperate  cups,  whether  he  will  or  no  ?  Doth  the  devil 
violently  move  the  black  tongue  of  the  blasphemer  and  swearer,  to 
rend  and  tear  the  holy  name  of  God,  by  horrid  oaths  and  blas- 
phemies ?  Doth  the  devil  strike  men  dumb,  when  they  should  pray  ; 
or  deaf,  when  they  should  hear;  or  senseless,  when  they  should 
understand  and  ponder  ?  Is  there  any  such  force  or  violence  used 
unto  any  ?  Can  you  not  avoid  the  one,  and  can  you  not  do  the 
other,  if  you  will  ?  You  can :  but,  you  will  not ;  and  therefore 
neither  would  you  work  out  your  own  salvation,  if  you  could  do  it. 
Is  there  any  hope,  that  you  would  ever  willingly  do  the  greater, 
who  will  not  do  the  less  ?  Let  your  impotence  and  weakness  be 
what  it  will,  your  damnation  lies  not  upon  it,  but  upon  your  will- 
fulness, so  long  as  your  willfulness  is  greater  than  your  weakness. 
No,  it  is  not  owing  to  your  impotence,  that  your  precious  and  in- 
mortal  souls  perish  eternally ;  but  it  is  only  for  lack  of  a  will,  to 
pity  them,  and  to  save  them.  Sinners'!  wherefore  then  will  you 
perish  ?  Why  will  you  sleep  away  your  souls  into  hell  ?  Will  you 
go  on  drowsily  to  destruction  ?  Shall  your  souls  be  ready  to  burn 
as  a  brand  in  unquenchable  fire,  and  will  you  not  stretch  forth  your 
hand  to  snatch  it  out  ?  Is  it  more  painful  for  you  to  work,  than  to 
be  damned  ?  Endeavor,  therefore,  to  do  what  you  can :  labor  and 
sweat  at  salvation,  rather  than  fail  of  it :  let  it  not  grate  and  fret 
your  consciences  in  hell,  that  you  lie  there  for  a  willful  neglect. 

"  But,  should  I  labor,  should  I  endeavor,  should  I  work  to  my 
utmost,  should  I  do  all  that  I  am  able  to  do,  I  cannot  work  grace 
in  myself  by  all  this :  to  what  purpose,  then,  should  I  work  ?" 

However,  try  God  in  this  particular.  Did  you  ever  know  any, 
who  thus  labored  and  thus  wrought,  that  did  not  give  very  good 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  475 

evidence  of  a  work  of  grace  wrought  upon  their  hearts  ?  And  why- 
then  should  you  suspect  that  you  should  be  the  first  ?  "What  reason 
have  you  to  think,  that  God  should  make  you  the  first  example  of 
a  soul,  that  did  endeavor,  strive,  and  work  for  salvation,  and  yet 
came  short  of  it ;  when  you  never  either  heard  or  read  of  any,  that 
put  forth  themselves  to  the  utmost  for  the  obtaining  of  grace,  and 
yet  fell  short  of  grace  or  glory  ? 

Thus,  in  these  six  particulars  put  together,  you  have  a  full  and 
an  abundant  answer  and  satisfaction  to  this  objection,  concerning 
our  impotence  to  work  out  our  own  salvation. 

Object,  ii.  Another  objection  against  this  doctrine  is  ^his :  "  Thus 
to  press  men  to  obedience  and  working,  is  prejudicial  and  deroga- 
tory unto  Christ's  merits ;  by  which  alone  we  are  saved,  and  not 
by  our  own  works.  Hath  not  Christ  already  done  all  for  us  ?  Hath 
he  not  finished  and  wrought  out  our  salvation  himself?  And  is 
not  this,  to  render  his  work  as  insufficient,  to  go  and  piece  it  out  by 
our  obedience  ?  Is  not  this,  to  set  up  our  works  as  Antichrist,  in 
flat  opposition  and  defiance  to  the  gracious  undertaking  and  perfect 
accomplishment  of  Jesus  Christ ;  when  all,  that  we  have  now  to  do, 
is  to  believe  in  him,  and  to  get  a  right  and  title  to  him  and  saving 
interest  in  him?" 

To  this  I  answer:  The  merit  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  our  working, 
are  not  inconsistent ;  but  there  is  a  sweet  harmony  and  agreement 
betwixt  them,  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  our  salvation. 

And,  to  make  this  evident,  I  shall  lay  down  the  due  bounds  and 
limits  of  each  of  them ;  that  so  it  may  appear,  what  Christ  hath 
done  for  us,  and  what  he  expects  we  should  do  for  ourselves. 

Christ,  therefore,  hath  done  two  things,  in  order  to  carry  on  our 
salvation. 

He  hath  purchased  and  procured  eternal  happiness,  to  be  con- 
ferred upon  us  hereafter. 

He  hath  merited  grace,  to  be  conferred  upon  us  here  to  prepare 
us  for  that  happiness. 

1.  He  hath  purchased  happiness  and  eternal  life,  for  all  that  do  believe 
in  him.  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,"  says  he  himself.  John  x.  28. 
And,  says  the  Apostle,  He  is  "the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto 
all  them  that  obey  him  ?"  Heb.  v.  9. 

Now,  as  there  are  two  things,  that  must  be  done  for  us,  before 
we  can  be  brought  unto  a  state  of  salvation  ;  namely  to  free  us  from 


476 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


our  liability  to  death,  and  to  bestow  upon  us  a  right  to  life 
eternal :  so,  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  might  bring  us  into  this  state,  hath 
performed  both  these  things  for  us. 

(1)  He  hath  satisfied  divine  justice  for  us;  snatching  us  from 
under  the  vengeance  of  God  ;  substituting  himself  in  our  room  and 
stead  ;  bearing  the  load  of  all  that  wrath  and  punishment,  that  must 
otherwise  have  fallen  insupportably  heavy  upon  us.  "  His  soul," 
says  the  Prophet,  was  made  "an  offering  for  sin  :"  Isa.  liii.  10.  And 
he  was  made  "  sin  for  us,"  says  the  Apostle,  that  is,  he  was  punished 
as  a  sinner  for  us,  "who  knew  no  sin:"  2  Cor.  v.  21.  And, 

(2)  He  hath  perfectly  fulfilled  the  commands  of  the  law,  by  his 
active  obedience ;  so  that  the  life,  promised  by  God  in  the  law  to 
the  doers  of  it,  doth  now  undoubtedly  belong  to  all  those,  for  whom 
Christ  did  obey  the  law ;  that  is,  for  all  those,  that  believe  in  him. 

And,  by  both  these,  bearing  the  penalty  of  the  law  and  fulfilling 
the  duties  of  the  law,  God  is  atoned,  justice  is  satisfied,  vengeance 
is  pacified  ;  and  we  are  reconciled,  adopted,  and  made  heirs  of  glory 
according  to  the  promise. 

"But,  what!  shall  glory  and  happiness  be  presenttly  bestowed 
upon  us  ?  Shall  we  be  installed  into  it,  without  any  more  circum- 
stance? Must  nothing  intervene  betwixt  Christ's  purchase  and 
our  actual  possession  ?" 

There  must :  for, 

2.  Christ  hath  purchased  grace,  to  he  bestowed  upon  them,  upon  whom 
he  bestows  salvation.  "  "When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  cap- 
tivity captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men :"  Eph.  iv.  8 ;  and,  among 
others,  especially  the  gifts  of  grace.  For,  "  of  his  fullness,"  says  the 
Apostle,  "have  we  all  received,  and  grace  for  grace:"  John  i.  16. 

And  why  did  Christ  make  this  purchase  ?  why  did  he  merit 
grace  for  us  ?  was  it  not,  that  we  might  act  it  in  obedience  ?  And, 
if  Christ  merited  grace  that  we  might  obey,  is  it  sense  to  object  that 
our  obedience  is  derogatory  to  Christ's  merit  ?  If  one  end  of  Christ's 
doing  all  that  he  did  for  us,  was  to  enable  us  to  do  for  ourselves,  will 
any  man  say,  "  Now  I  am  bound  to  do  nothing,  because-Christ  hath 
done  all  ?"  How  lost  are  such  men,  both  to  reason  and  religion, 
who  undertake  so  to  argue !  No :  salvation  was  purchased  and 
grace  was  procured,  that,  by  the  acting  and  exercise  of  that  grace, 
Ave  might  attain  to  that  salvation ;  and  both  these  are  to  be  pre- 
served entirely  as  things  most  sacred,  ascribing  them  solely  to  the 
merits  of  our  Saviour.  So  far  are  we  from  exhorting  men  to  work 
out  their  salvation  by  way  of  merit  and  purchase,  as  that  we  con- 
clude them  guilty  of  the  highest  sacrilege  and  practical  blasphemy 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR  OWN   SALVATION.  477 

against  the  priestly  office  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  think  by  their  own 
works  to  merit  the  one  or  the  other. 

And,  therefore,  though  Jesus  Christ  hath  done  thus  much  for 
us ;  yet,  that  he  might  leave  us  also  some  work  to  do,  I  shall  now 
show  what  he  expects  from  us  in  order  to  the  working  out  of  our 
own  salvation. 

And,  as  he  hath  done  two  things  for  us,  so  he  requires  two 
things  from  us.  As, 

He  requires,  that  we  should  put  forth  all  the  strength  and 
power  of  nature,  in  laboring  after  grace.  And, 

He  requires  that  we  should  put  forth  the  power  of  grace,  in 
laboring  for  salvation,  purchased  for  us. 

(1)  He  requires,  that  all  those,  who  are  void  of  grace,  should 
labor  for  it  with  that  power  and  strength  that  they  have. 

And,  in  so  doing,  they  do  not  at  all  intrench  upon  the  work  of 
Christ;  neither  is  it  at  all  derogatory  to  his  merits.  See  how  the 
Prophet  expresseth  this,  Ezek.  xviii.  31;  "Make  you  a  new  heart 
and  a  new  spirit :"  he  speaks  to  those,  that  were  in  a  state  of 
nature ;  and  he  bids  them  make  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit ; 
"for  why  will  ye  die?"  noting,  that,  if  they  did  not  labor  after  a 
new  heart  and  a  new  spirit,  they  would  certainly  die  the  death. 
Let  every  sinner  know,  that  this  is  it,  that  he  is  required  to  do : 
this  is  that,  which  God  expects  from  him :  it  is  his  work,  to  re- 
pent and  return  that  he  may  live  :  it  is  his  work,  to  labor  to  change 
his  own  heart,  and  to  renew  his  own  spirit.  It  is  true,  it  is  God's 
work  also ;  for  he  hath  promised  to  give  a  new  heart  and  a  new 
spirit :  Ezek.  xi.  19 ;  and  it  is  Christ's  work  also,  as  he  is  God ; 
but  yet  it  is  not  Christ's  work,  as  a  Mediator :  and,  therefore,  to 
endeavor  the  working  of  a  new  heart  in  us,  is  not  at  all  to  intrench 
upon  the  mediatorial  office  of  Jesus  Christ ;  for,  so,  his  office  is  not 
to  work  grace,  but  to  procure  it ;  not  to  implant  grace,  but  to  pur- 
chase it.  You  cannot,  therefore,  sit  down  and  say,  "  What  need  is 
there  of  my  working?  Christ  hath  already  done  all  my  work  for 
me,  to  my  hands."  No :  Christ  hath  done  his  own  work  :  he  hath 
done  the  work  of  a  Saviour  and  a  surety ;  but  he  never  did  the 
work  of  a  sinner.  If  Christ,  by  meriting  grace,  had  bestowed  it 
upon  thee  and  wrought  it  in  thee,  then  indeed  there  was  no  more 
required  of  thee  to  become  holy,  but  to  cast  back  a  lazy  look 
to  the  purchase  of  Jesus  Christ :  then,  thy  sloth  would  have  had 
some  pretence  why  thou  dost  not  labor.  But  this  will  not  do :  our 
Saviour  commands  all  men  to  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
his  righteousness :"  Mat.  vi.  33 ;  and  the  Apostle  exhorts  Simon 


473 


PRACTICAL  CIIRISTIANITY, 


Magus  himself,  though  "  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond 
of  iniquity,"  yet  "  pray,"  says  he,  "  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine 
heart  may  be  forgiven  thee  :"  Acts  viii.  22  ;  do  not,  therefore,  cheat 
your  own  souls  into  perdition,  by  lazy  notions  of  Christ's  merits. 
What  though  Christ  hath  merited,  yet  God  requires  that  you  should 
work  and  labor,  to  change  your  own  hearts,  and  reform  your  own 
lives;  but,  if  you  sit  still,  expecting  till  the  meriting  grace  of 
Christ  drop  down  into  your  souls,  of  its  own  accord,  and  change 
your  hearts ;  truly,  it  may  be,  before  that  time  you  yourselves  may 
drop  down  into  hell  with  your  old  unchanged  hearts. 

And  this  is  the  first  thing,  which  Christ  requires. 

(2)  Christ  expects  and  requires,  that  those,  that  have  grace  should 
put  forth  the  utmost  strength  and  power  thereof,  in  laboring  after 
that  salvation  that  he  hath  purchased  for  them. 

He  hath  merited  salvation  for  them,  but  it  is  to  be  obtained  by 
them  through  their  own  labor  and  industry.  Is  not  that,  which 
Christ  hath  already  done,  sufficient  for  them  ?  Is  it  not  enough, 
that  he  hath  reconciled  them  to  God  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant  ? 
that  he  hath  made  their  peace  and  procured  their  pardon  for  them  ? 
but  must  Christ  repent,  and  believe,  and  obey  for  them  ?  This  is 
not  to  make  him  a  Saviour,  but  a  drudge.  He  hath  done  what 
was  meet  and  fit  for  a  Mediator  to  do  :  he  now  requires  of  us  what 
is  meet  for  sinners  to  do :  namely,  to  believe,  to  repent,  to  be  con- 
verted, and  to  obey :  he  now  bids  you  wash  and  be  clean.  And 
what  would  you  have  more  ?  would  you  have  the  Great  Prophet 
cone  and  strike  off  your  leprosy,  and  you  only  mark  the  cure,  and 
do  nothing  thereunto?  Or,  is  it  indeed  enough,  that  salvation  and 
happiness  are  purchased,  that  the  way  to  heaven  is  made  passable, 
that  the  bolts  and  bars  of  the  New  Jerusalem  by  Christ  are  broken 
off?  Alas !  what  of  all  this !  thou  mayest  still  be  as  far  from 
heaven  and  glory  as  ever,  if  thou  dost  not  walk  in  the  way  that 
leads  to  it :  still  thou  art  as  far  from  entering  into  heaven  as  ever, 
if  thou  dost  not  strive  at  the  entrance  into  the  strait  gate.  It  is, 
therefore,  in  vain  that  Christ  died,  it  is  in  vain  that  thou  art  justi- 
fied, it  is  in  vain  that  thou  art  adopted,  it  is  in  vain  that  heaven  is 
prepared  for  thee:  Christ  may  keep  heaven,  and  glory,  and  his 
crowns,  and  robes  forever  to  himself ;  unless,  as  he  hath  purchased 
these  great  things  for  his  people,  so  also  he  hath  purchased  to  him- 
self a  peculiar  people  zealous  of  good  works :  a  people,  "  who,  by 
patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory  and  immor- 
tality," and  by  that  way  obtain  it.  Thus  we  see  that  Christ's  doing 
all  for  us,  is  no  excuse  for  our  doing  nothing :  he  hath,  indeed, 


IX    WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


479 


done  all  for  us  that  belongs  to  him,  as  a  Mediator  meriting  and 
procuring  grace  and  salvation ;  but  be  never  intended  to  do  all  for 
us,  as  to  the  conveying  of  them  to  us  and  making  them  ours :  no ; 
that  is  still  to  be  done  by  us  :  and,  therefore,  though  Christ's  works 
alone  were  meritorious,  yet  by  the  actings  of  faith  we  must  apply 
Ms  merit,  and  by  the  actings  of  obedience  confirm  them  to  our- 
selves. I  might  add  also,  when  Christ  is  said  to  obey  the  law  in 
our  stead,  as  well  as  to  suffer  in  our  stead :  though  his  bearing  the 
punishment  of  the  law  by  death  doth  excuse  and  exempt  us  from 
suffering ;  yet  his  obeying  the  law  doth  not  excuse  our  obedience 
unto  the  law :  Christ  obeyed  the  law,  in  a  far  different  respect  to 
the  obedience  which  is  now  required  from  us :  he  obeyed  as  a 
covenant  of  works ;  we,  only  as  a  rule  of  righteousness :  if  he  had 
failed  in  the  least  tittle,  he  could  not  have  purchased  life  that  was 
promised ;  but  we,  though  we  fall  infinitely  short  in  our  obedience, 
may  yet  inherit  that  life  that  Christ  hath  purchased :  Christ's  obe- 
dience was  fully  perfect,  yet  ours  is  not  derogatory  thereunto,  be- 
cause it  proceeds  from  other  grounds  than  Christ's  did. 

But  I  will  not  proceed  in  this  further  than  to  conclude  this 
answer  with  two  practical  things  in  reference  to  this  question. 

First.  So  work  with  earnestness,  constancy,  and  unweariedness 
in  well  doing,  as  if  thy  works  alone  were  able  to  justify  and  save 
thee. 

Look,  with  what  affection  and  fervency  you  would  pray,  if  now 
God  with  a  voice  from  heaven  should  tell  you,  that,  for  the  next 
prayer  you  make,  you  should  be  either  saved  or  damned :  look, 
with  what  reverence  and  attention  you  would  hear,  with  what  spi- 
rituality of  heart  you  would  meditate,  if  your  eternal  state  and 
condition  were  to  be  determined  and  fixed  by  the  next  of  those 
duties  that  in  this  kind  you  were  to  perform :  with  the  same  fer- 
vency, affection,  and  spirituality  perform  all  the  obedience  that  you 
do.  "Why  should  you  not  do  so  ?  Are  not  God's  commands  as 
peremptory  and  as  authoritative  for  obedience  under  the  covenant 
of  grace,  as  they  were  under  the  covenant  of  works  ?  Is  not  obedi- 
ence of  as  absolute  necessity  now  as  ever,  though  not  to  the  same 
end  and  purpose  ?  and,  since  the  end  of  our  obedience  is  graciously 
changed,  doth  not  this  change  lay  a  farther  obligation  of  gratitude 
upon  us  to  obey  God,  who  requires  it  from  us,  not  as  merit,  but  as 
duty  ?  Still,  there  is  as  great  an  obligation  to  obey  now  under  the 
condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  ever  there  was  while 'man- 
kind stood  under  the  tenor  of  the  covenant  of  works.  Certainly, 
Christ's  merit  was  never  given  to  slacken  our  obedience :  and  it  is 


480 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


the  most  unworthy,  nay  it  is  the  most  accursed  use,  that  any 
Christian  can  make  of  it,  that  therefrom  he  should  take  encourage- 
ment to  grow  more  remiss  and  slack  in  obedience.  Would  you 
not  thereby  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness  ?  "Would  you 
not  abuse  the  infinite  mercy  of  a  Mediator  ?  Think  with  your- 
selves :  "  How  would  I  strive  and  struggle,  were  I  to  stand  or  fall 
upon  the  account  o£  my  own  works  and  duties  I"  Use  the  same 
diligence,  put  forth  the  same  endeavors,  as  indeed  in  that  case  you 
would  do.  And, 

Secondly.  So  absolutely  depend  and  rely  upon  the  alone  merits 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  your  justification  and  salvation,  as  if  you  never 
had  performed  an  act  of  obedience  in  all  your  life. 

This  is  the  right  gospel-frame  of  obedience :  so  to  work,  as  if 
you  were  only  to  be  saved  by  your  own  merits ;  and,  withal,  so  to 
rest  on  the  merits  of  Christ,  as  if  you  had  never  wrought  &ny  thing. 
It  is  a  difficult  thing,  to  give  to  each  of  these  its  due,  in  our  prac- 
tice ;  when  we  work,  we  are  too  apt  to  neglect  Christ ;  and,  when 
we  rely  on  Christ,  we  are  too  apt  to  neglect  working.  But,  that 
Christian  hath  got  the  right  skill  and  art  of  obedience,  that  can 
mingle  these  two  together:  that  can,  with  one  hand,  work  the 
works  of  God ;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  with  the  other  hand,  lay 
fast  hold  on  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  Let  this  antinomian  prin- 
ciple be  forever  rooted  out  of  the  minds  of  men,  that  our  working 
is  derogatory  to  Christ's  work.  Nevermore  think  Christ  hath  done 
all  your  work  for  you :  for  that  is  unbecoming  the  free  spirit  of 
the  Gospel :  but  labor  for  that  salvation,  that  he  hath  purchased 
and  merited.  Could  such  senseless  objections  prevail  with  those 
men,  who  ever  seriously  read  that  scripture  in  Tit.  ii.  14 ;  "  Who 
gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works?" 
Were  this  place  seriously  pondered  by  men,  they  would  be 
ashamed  to  object  any  longer,  that  our  duties  and  works  are  de- 
rogatory to  the  purchase  of  Christ ;  for  he  gave  himself  for  this 
end,  that  he  might  purchase  such  a  people,  that  might  be  zealous 
of  good  works.  But,  truly,  when  sloth  and  ignorance  meet  to- 
gether, if  you  tell  men  what  powers  their  natures  have  to  work, 
and  how  necessary  obedience  is  to  salvation,  that  thereby  you  may 
excite  and  quicken  their  hearts  to  obedience  ;  they,  with  the  slug- 
gard, fold  their  arms  in  their  bosom,  doing  nothing,  telling  us  these 
doctrines  are  Arminianism  and  fiat  Popery :  whereas,  in  deed  and 
in  truth,  they  are  as  far  distant  from  either  of  them,  as  light  is 
from  darkness :  it  is  their  ignorance  and  sloth  only,  that  makes 


I N  WORKING  OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


481 


them  think  so.  But,  deceive  not  yourselves  :  this  doctrine  is  such 
that  whether  it  take  hold  on  your  judgments  and  understandings 
now,  I  know  not ;  but,  this  I  know  assuredly,  it  shall  take  hold  of 
your  consciences,  either  here  or  hereafter :  and,  then,  it  will  not 
suffice  you  to  make  this  excuse,  either  that  you  had  no  power  to 
do  any  thing,  or  that  Christ  had  already  done  all  things  for  you. 

And,  so  much,  for  the  second  objection. 

Object,  iii.  Others  may  object,  that  "  This  duty  of  working  out 
our  salvation,  is  inconsistent  with,  and  prejudicial  to,  the  freeness 
of  God's  grace,  by  which  alone  we  are  saved.  If  God  save  them 
only,  that  work  for  salvation ;  how  then  doth  he  save  them  freely, 
and  how  is  it  that  by  grace  we  are  saved  ?" 

In  general,  I  answer :  that  salvation  upon  our  working  and 
obedience,  is  free  salvation :  and  that,  for  four  reasons. 

1.  Because  all  our  working  is  a  natural  duty,  that  we  owe  to  God, 
as  creatures  to  their  Creator. 

Had  God  required  the  same  things  of  us  that  now  he  doth,  and 
never  propounded  a  reward  to  encourage  us,  he  had  been  just,  and 
we  had  been  as  absolutely  and  as  indispensably  obliged  to  obey  as  we 
are  now.  We  have  not  so  great  a  right  to  salvation,  as  God  hath  to 
our  obedience.  God  can  challenge  our  service  and  obedience  from  us, 
because  of  our  natural  bond  and  obligation;  as  well  as  from  that 
voluntary  covenant,  whereinto  we  have  entered  with  God  to  be 
obedient :  but  we  can  only  plead  for  salvation,  because  God  hath 
made  a  promise,  that  he  will  save  those  that  ohey.  "Whether  God 
had  made  that  promise  or  not,  yet  he  might  have  required  the  same 
obedience  from  us  that  now  he  doth,  because  we  owe  it  to  him 
naturally  by  our  creation.  And  is  it  not  now  free  grace  and 
mercy,  that,  when  God  might  have  required  obedience  without  a 
reward,  yet  he  will  bestow  salvation  according  to  that  obedience? 
See  what  our  Saviour  saith,  in  Luke  xvii.  9, 10 ;  "  Doth"  the  master 
"thank  the  servant  because  he  did  the  things  that  he  was  com- 
manded  to  do  ?  I  trow  not.  So  even  ye  likewise,  when  ye  shall 
have  done  all  those  things  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are 
unprofitable  servants ;"  for,  when  we  have  done  all,  "  we  have  but 
done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  do."  Yea,  and  our  duty  it  was  to 
do  it,  though  God  had  never  made  a  promise  to  reward  what  we 
have  done :  we  are  unprofitable  servants,  and  deserve  not  so  much 
Vol.  II.— 31 


482 


PKACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


as  thanks:  and,  if  we  do  not  merit  thanks  when  we  have  done  our 
utmost,  how  then  can  we  merit  salvation  ? 

2.  Because  our  obedience  is  imperfect  in  this  life :  it  is  full  of  craclcs 
and  flaws. 

And  if,  to  accept  and  reward  the  most  perfect  obedience  with 
salvation,  be  an  act  of  mercy  and  free  grace ;  as  it  is,  because  it  is 
our  duty  if  there  were  no  salvation  promised ;  how  much  more  is 
free  grace  magnified  and  glorified,  in  accepting  and  rewarding  a 
weak  and  imperfect  obedience  with  that  salvation,  which  the  most 
perfect  obedience  cannot  deserve  ?  For,  when  we  have  done  all, 
"  we  have  done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  do :"  and,  if  we  could 
say  so,  doth  the  master  thank  the  servant?  No:  But  alas!  "in 
many  things  we  offend  all."  Now  to  reward  that  with  eternal  sal- 
vation, that  deserves  eternal  damnation ;  to  reward  that  work  with 
life,  that  deserves  to  be  rewarded  with  death ;  what  is  this,  but  the 
effect  of  rich  and  glorious  grace  ?  What  is  this,  but  to  bestow  heaven, 
not  according  to  merit,  but  rather  according  to  our  demerit  ? 

3.  Because  there  is  no  comparison  between  salvation  and  our  obe- 
dience ;  and,  therefore,  free  grace  shines  forth  still. 

It  is  free  grace,  though  we  do  obey.  We  obey,  as  creatures : 
God  rewards,  as  a  God.  Our  obedience  is  temporal ;  but  our  reward 
is  eternal.  Our  obedience  is  mixed  with  rebellion  ;  but  the  reward 
hath  no  mixture  to  take  off  the  fullness  and  sweetness  of  it.  There- 
fore, it  is  free  grace  still,  to  give  an  infinite  reward  to  so  mean  an 
obedience  ;  between  which  obedience  and  reward,  there  is  no  com- 
parison nor  proportion. 

4.  Because  though  we  are  commanded  to  obey,  yet  that  grace,  whereby 
we  do  obey,  is  the  gift  of  God. 

It  is  he,  that  works  in  us  this  obedience,  which  he  rewards  with 
salvation.  And  must  not  this  then  be  wholly  of  free  grace  ?  To 
save  upon  an  obedience  wrought  in  us  by  God  himself,  is  to  save 
altogether  as  freely  as  if  we  were  saved  without  any  obedience 
at  all. 

And,  so  much,  in  answer  unto  the  third  objection. 

Object,  iv.  Others  may  say,  that  "It  is  a  vain  and  most  needless 
thing,  to  press  this  doctrine  of  working  for  salvation  upon  us. 
What !  we  work  !  If  we  are  elected  to  salvation,  we  shall  be  saved, 
whether  we  work  or  not :  and,  if  we  are  not  elected,  all  our  working 
will  be  to  no  purpose,  for  we  shall  never  be  saved  by  it." 


To  this  I  answer :  We  are  to  look  to  God's  commands ;  not  to 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  483 

his  decrees :  to  our  duty ;  not  to  his  purposes.  The  decrees  of  God 
are  a  vast  ocean,  whereinto  many  possibly  may  have  curiously 
pried,  to  their  own  horror  and  despair;  but  few  or  none  have  ever 
pried  into  them,  to  their  own  satisfaction.  This  election,  in  par- 
ticular, is  not  written  in  the  plain  word  of  God ;  but  this  duty  is 
plainly  written.  If  thou  performest  thy  duty,  thereby  thou  shalt 
come  to  know  thy  election.  It  is  but  a  preposterous  course,  and 
that  which  will  both  discourage  all  endeavors  and  fill  the  soul  with 
despair,  to  look  first  to  God's  decrees,  and  then  to  its  own  duty : 
whereas,  indeed,  the  right  method  is,  first  to  perform  thy  own  duty, 
and  thereby  to  be  led  into  the  knowledge  of  God's  decrees.  Question 
not,  therefore,  whether  thou  art  elected  or  not;  but,  first,  work  for 
salvation  :  and,  if  thy  work  be  good  and  thy  obedience  true,  thereby 
thou  mayest  come  to  a  certain  knowledge  that  thou  art  elected. 
And,  know  this  also,  farther :  that  God,  who  elects  to  the  end, 
elects  also  to  the  means :  now  obedience  is  the  means  and  way 
to  salvation ;  and,  therefore,  if  thou  art  elected  to  salvation,  thou 
art  also  elected  to  obedience.  Say  not,  therefore,  "  If  I  am  elected, 
I  shall  be  saved  whether  I  work  or  not:"  there  is  no  such  thing : 

1  may  boldly  say,  if  thou  art  elected  and  dost  not  work,  it  is  im- 
possible that  thy  election  should  save  thee.   "What  says  the  Apostle, 

2  Thess.  ii.  13?  "God  hath  chosen  us:"  there  is  election:  "chosen 
us  to  salvation  ;"  there  is  the  end :  but  how  ?  "  through  sanctification 
of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth :"  chosen  us  to  salvation,  as  to 
the  end ;  but  it  is  not  an  end  to  be  obtained  without  sanctification. 
There  is,  indeed,  an  absolute  election  to  salvation,  whereby  God, 
without  respect  of  works,  hath  chosen  some  to  salvation :  but  there 
is  no  election  to  salvation  absolute,  whereby  God  hath  chosen  any 
to  salvation  without  works  ;  that  is,  whether  they  work  or  not.  If, 
therefore,  you  believe  heartily  and  obey  sincerely,  then  your  election 
to  salvation  stands  firm.  Nay,  the  Scripture  makes  election  to  be 
terminated,  as  well  in  obedience  as  salvation:  "elect,"  says  the 
Apostle,  "unto  obedience,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit:"  in 
the  former  place  it  was,  elect  "  to  salvation,  through  sanctification  :" 
but  in  this  it  is,  "elect to  obedience,  through  sanctification  :"  noting 
thus  much  to  us,  that  none  are  elected  to  salvation,  but  those  that 
are  elected  to  obedience ;  and  therefore  it  is  unreasonable,  yea  it  is 
contradictory,  to  say,  "  If  I  am  elected,  I  shall  be  saved  whether  I 
obey  or  not,"  for  none  are  thereunto  elected  but  through  obedience. 

III.  And  now,  having,  as  I  hope,  satisfactorily  answered  all 
objections  and  scruples,  that  may  arise  in  the  hearts  of  men  against 


484 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


this  doctrine,  I  proceed  to  PEESS  THIS  DUTY  of  working  for 
salvation  upon  their  consciences :  and  I  shall  do  it  in  a  USE  OF 
EXHOBTATION. 

Be  persuaded  then,  0  Sinners  !  to  cast  off  your  sloth  and  laziness ; 
and  to  rouse  yourselves  from  that  drowsy  slumber  that  you  have  long 
lain  in,  and  to  work  for  salvation.  But,  truly,  when  1  consider,  how 
powerful  an  orator  and  how  mighty  a  charmer  sloth  is ; — how  easily 
it  can  stupefy  and  benumb  reason,  and  lull  men  asleep  on  the  top 
of  a  mast  and  on  the  brink  of  hell ; — and,  though  God  and  man 
call  upon  them,  "  Sinners,  sinners,  bestir  yourselves :  work  for  your 
lives :  you  perish  eternally,  if  you  do  not  labor  to  lay  hold  on 
eternal  life,  for  you  are  falling  and  hell-fire  is  under  you :"  yet, 
when  we  call  and  cry  thus  earnestly,  how  easily  a  careless,  yawning, 
wretched  sinner  can  slight  all  these  admonitions ;  baffle  all  these 
arguments,  motives,  and  persuasions,  though  urged  upon  him  with 
all  vehemence  and  tenderness  of  affection ;  and  turn  about,  like  a 
man  besotted,  falling  fast  asleep  again  : — when  I  consider  this,  truly 
I  am  apt  to  conclude,  that  it  is  but  a  desperate  attempt  to  press  men 
any  more  against  their  natures ;  and  against  so  many  disadvantages, 
that  can  soon  frustrate  the  efficacy  of  weaker  words :  and  am  ready 
to  give  over  in  despair,  with  that  of  the  prophet,  "  He  that  will  be 
righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still :  and  he,  that  will  be  wicked, 
let  him  be  wicked  still."  And,  truly,  were  it  not  more  for  conscience 
of  duty  than  for  any  hope  of  success,  I  would  not  speak  one  word 
more  upon  the  subject :  success,  I  mean,  upon  those,  who  are  alto- 
gether carnal,  whose  hearts  Satan  hath  filled,  and  whose  ears  Satan 
hath  stopped ;  we  may  call  long  enough  and  loud  enough,  ere  these 
men  will  awake ;  or,  if  they  do  sometimes  give  a  look  upwards, 
they  soon  close  their  eyes  again  and  slumber  away  into  destruction. 
And  yet,  truly,  if  variety  of  motives,  if  strength  of  arguments  and 
persuasions  would  prevail,  we  might  hope  for  this  seldom-seen 
success. 

Then  let  us  consider  these  following  particulars. 

i.  Consider,  sinners,  you  have  A  great  axd  weighty  work  to 
do  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  time,  yea  high  time,  that  you  were  up  and 
doing. 

Believe  it,  sirs :  God  hath  not  placed  you  here  in  this  world,  as 
the  leviathan  in  the  great  waters,  only  to  play  and  sport :  were  it 
so,  you  might  take  your  ease,  fold  your  arms  in  your  bosoms,  and 
follow  your  delights  and  pleasures ;  and  let  him  be  blamed,  that 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  485 


ever  should  disturb  or  discourage  you.  I  know  not  whether  some 
may  not  think  that  we  ministers  are  task-masters,  and  that  we 
make  more  ado  than  needs.  No,  sirs :  it  is  God,  that  hath  set  you 
your  work :  we  do  only  tell  you  how  great  it  is,  and  of  how  great 
concernment  it  is  to  you  that  it  be  done.  And,  if  you  will  not  do 
it,  who  can  help  it  ?  We  have  no  scourges  nor  scorpions  to  drive 
you  to  your  work ;  but  God  hath,  to  punish  you,  if  you  neglect  it. 
And  why  is  it  so  generally  neglected,  but  because  men  do  not 
seriously  consider  how  great  it  is  ?  Most  men  acknowledge  that 
it  must  be  done :  but,  because  they  look  upon  it  as  that  which  may 
speedily  and  quickly  be  dispatched,  they  drive  it  before  them  from 
day  to  day,  and  think  to  huddle  it  up  at  the  end  of  their  lives : 
then,  when  they  are  fit  for  no  other  employment,  and  least  of  all 
fit  for  this  employment,  then  they  think  to  do  the  works  of  God. 

I  shall  here  lay  down  three  particulars,  to  convince  sinners  of 
the  greatness  of  this  work :  and,  because  it  is  so  great  a  work,  it 
requires  that  they  should  presently,  without  delay,  set  upon  it. 

1.  It  is  a  work,  in  which  sinners  must  undo  all,  that  they  have 
wrought  in  their  whole  lives  before. 

0  sinner,  think :  "What  hast  thou  been  doing,  these  twenty, 
thirty,  forty  years,  or  more  ?  Hast  thou  not,  instead  of  working- 
out  thine  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  been  working  out 
thine  own  condemnation  without  fear  and  trembling  ?  Hast  thou 
not  been  working  the  works  of  darkness?  Hast  thou  not  been 
working  the  works  of  thy  father  the  devil,  as  our  Saviour  tells  the 
Jews  ?  Truly,  this  is  not  so  much  working,  as  making  work : 
all  this  must  be  undone  again,  or  you  yourselves  must  be  forever 
undone :  you  must  unrip  and  unravel  your  whole  lives,  by  a  deep 
and  bitter  repentance :  you  are  gone  far  in  the  way,  that  leads  to 
death  and  destruction ;  and  you  must  tread  back  every  step,  and 
at  every  step  shed  many  tears,  before  ever  you  come  into  the  way 
that  leads  to  life  and  happiness.  And  is  it  not  yet  time  to  begin  ? 
Can  the  work  of  so  many  years  be  undone,  think  you,  in  one  mo- 
ment ?  No :  sin  and  Satan  make  their  works  more  durable  and 
lasting,  than  to  be  so  easily  and  speedily  spoiled.  It  were  the 
work  of  an  age,  yea  of  eternity  itself,  if  possibly  we  could  so  spend 
it,  rather  than  of  a  few  faint  late  thoughts,  to  get  a  humiliation 
deep  enough  and  a  sorrow  sad  enough,  to  bear  any  the  least  pro- 
portion to  any  of  the  least  sins  that  we  have  committed.  Do  not 
hope  or  think,  that  your  many  great  and  sinful  actions  shall  ever  be 
blown  away  with  a  slight  and  general  confession ;  or  that  ever 
they  shall  be  washed  away  with  a  slight  and  overly  repentance. 


486 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


"What  says  holy  David  ?  "  Thou  tellest  my  wanderings :  put  thou 
my  tears  into  thy  bottle :"  Ps.  lvi.  8 ;  thou  hast  my  wanderings, 
by  number ;  but  thou  hast  also  my  tears,  by  measure  :  there  must 
be  some  proportion  betwixt  the  humiliation  and  the  sins :  great 
sins  call  for  great  sorrow ;  and  long  continuance  in  sin  requires  a 
continued  and  prolonged  repentance.  Is  it  not  then  high  time  to 
begin  ?  Have  you  not  already  made  work  enough  for  your  whole 
lives,  should  they  be  longer  than  they  are  like  to  be  ?  Nay,  and 
will  not  every  day  of  your  lives  make  work  enough  for  itself? 
"What  says  our  Saviour  ?  "  Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil 
thereof :"  Mat.  vi.  34.  Truly,  the  evil,  that  we  every  day  commit, 
is  sufficient  work  for  the  sorrow  and  repentance  of  that  day  to 
undo.  Now,  then,  begin  this  undoing  work :  the  longer  you  delay, 
still  the  more  will  lie  upon  your  hands ;  still,  the  more  sins  you 
have  to  repent  of.  We  already  complain,  that  the  work,  which 
God  hath  set  us,  is  too  hard  and  too  grievous ;  and  yet,  such  fool- 
ish creatures  are  we,  that  we  make  it  more  and  more  difficult  by 
our  delays ;  adding  to  the  strictness  of  God's  commands,  the  ne- 
cessity of  a  severe  repentance.  And  therefore  it  is  prudence  as 
well  as  duty,  to  begin  this  repenting,  this  undoing  work  betimes ; 
that  so,  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  the  shortness  of  the  time  to 
do  it  in,  may  not  at  last  dismay  and  confound  us. 

2.  Consider  the  great  variety  of  duties,  that  must  be  gone  through,  in 
the  working  out  of  salvation  ;  and  this  will  evince  how  great  a  work 
it  is. 

A  Christian's  work  is  a  life  full  of  actions  and  employments. 
There  should  be  no  gap  nor  void  space  at  all  in  it ;  but  all  should 
be  filled  up  with  duties,  ranked  in  their  several  orders ;  that,  as  soon 
as  he  passeth  through  one,  he  should  enter  upon  another,  that  where 
one  leaves  him  another  may  find  him.  Thus  a  Christian  should  go 
from  one  duty  to  another  :  from  hearing  the  word,  to  meditation ; 
from  meditation,  to  prayer ;  from  prayer,  to  the  acting  of  grace : 
and,  in  all,  there  should  be  much  striving  and  struggling  with  the 
heart,  and  much  carefulness  and  circumspection  over  the  way  and 
life. 

Now  there  are  four  great  and  usual  duties,  which  every  man 
hath  to  do ;  which  are  enough  to  fill  up  all  the  time  of  his  life, 
were  it  stretched  and  tentered  out  to  the  end  of  our  time. 

(1)  He  is  to  get  the  truth  and  reality  of  grace  wrought  in  him. 

This -is  his  first  and  general  work.  And  this  will  cost  a  man 
much  sweat  and  anguish :  for  this,  he  shall  lie  under  many  fears 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR  OWN   SALVATION.  187 


and  jealousies,  lest  hypocrisy  and  presumption  should  cause  him  to 
mistake  in  a  matter  of  such  infinite  concernment. 

(2)  He  is  to  draw  forth  and  to  act  this  grace,  when  once  it  is 
wrought  in  him. 

This  is  the  next  work  of  a  true  Christian  ;  continually  to  act 
faith,  love,  patience,  humility,  and  to  let  all  have  their  perfect  work. 
And  there  is  no  moment  of  a  man's  life  so  idle,  but  all  may  admin- 
ister some  occasion  or  object  for  the  exercise  of  grace. 

(3)  A  Christian's  next  work  is,  continually  to  grow  and  increase 
in  grace. 

To  "go  from  strength  to  strength :"  to  be  "  changed  from  glory 
to  glory."  Still  to  be  adding  cubits  to  his  spiritual  stature,  till  he 
is  grown  to  such  a  height  and  tallness  in  grace,  that  his  head  shall 
reach  into  heaven,  and  be  crowned  there  in  absolute  perfection, 
with  a  crown  of  glory  and  immortality.  Here  is  that  work,  that 
will  keep  you  in  employment  all  your  days ;  and,  if  you  can  find 
one  spare  minute  in  your  whole  lives  wherein  you  have  not  some 
duty  to  perform,  then  give  over  and  sit  still. 

But,  besides  all  this, 

(4)  Another  work  of  a  Christian  is,  earnestly  to  labor  after  the 
evidence  and  assurance  of  grace  in  himself.  "  Give  all  diligence," 
says  the  Apostle,  "  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure." 

Still,  a  Christian  must  be  ascending :  ascending,  from  a  probable 
conjecture,  to  a  good  persuasion ;  from  a  good  persuasion,  to  a  full 
assurance ;  from  that,  to  a  rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory. 

These  are  the  general  works,  that  should  take  up  the  lives  of 
Christians :  and  to  these  are  subservient  almost  an  infinite  number 
of  particulars  ;  some  whereof  are  means  whereby  these  great  things 
are  obtained,  others  are  concomitants  or  the  effects  and  fruits  of 
them ;  but  I  will  not  so  much  as  mention  any  of  them  now. 

For  shame  then,  O  Christians :  since  that  your  work  is  so  great, 
why  will  you  sit  still,  as  if  you  knew  not  how  to  employ  your- 
selves? Besides,  there  is  great  variety  in  your  work;  and  this 
usually  breeds  some  kind  of  delight :  you  are  not  always  to  be 
toiling  and  drudging  at  the  same  thing ;  but,  as  bees  fly  from  one 
flower  to  another  and  suck  sweetness  from  each  of  them,  so  should 
a  Christian  pass  from  one  duty  to  another  and  draw  forth  the 
sweetness  of  communion  with  God  from  every  one  of  them. 

3.  To  evince  the  greatness  of  this  work,  consider,  it  is  a  work, 
that  must  be  carried  on  against  many  encounters  and  strong  oppositions, 
that  a  Christian  will  certainly  meet  with. 


488 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


"Within,  are  strong  corruptions  :  without,  are  strong  temptations. 
You  have  a  treacherous  and  deceitful  heart,  within ;  and  this  traitor 
holds  intelligence  and  league  with  your  great  enemy,  the  devil,  with- 
out. You  are  sure  to  meet  with  difficulties,  affronts,  and  discour- 
agements, from  a  peevish,  ill-conditioned  world  in  which  you  live. 
Never  any  yet  could  escape  free  to  heaven,  without  meeting  with 
these  things.  And  doth  not  all  this  call  upon  you  to  work  and 
strive  for  salvation?  Is  it  a  time  to  sit  still,  when  you  have  all 
this  opposition  to  break  through ;  so  many  temptations  to  resist ; 
so  many  corruptions  to  mortify  :  Satan,  that  "  old  serpent,"  to  repel, 
and  make  him  become  a  flying  serpent  ?  Doth  not  all  this  require 
a  firm  constancy ;  and  a  fixed  resolvedness  to  go  through  the 
ways  of  obedience,  notwithstanding  all  opposition?  These  great 
things  are  not  to  be  achieved,  without  great  pains  and  labor. 
And,  therefore,  if  you  resolve  to  do  no  more  than  a  few  heartless 
wishes,  no  more  than  a  few  more  heartless  duties,  will  amount  to, 
never  raise  your  expectations  so  high  as  salvation :  for,  let  me  tell 
you,  salvation  will  not  be  obtained  at  such  a  rate  as  this  :  no  ;  there 
must  be  great  stragglings  and  labor,  with  earnest  contendings,  if 
ever  you  intend  to  be  saved. 

And,  thus  much,  for  the  first  argument,  taken  from  the  con- 
sideration of  the  greatness  of  the  work :  to  work  salvation  out,  is  a 
great  work  and  requireth  great  pains. 

ii.  But,  lest  the  setting  out  of  the  greatness  of  this  work  should 
rather  deter  and  fright  men  from  it,  than  excite  and  quicken  their 
endeavors  to  it,  let  me  add  a  second  thing :  and  that  is,  to  consider 

WHAT  AN  INFINITE,  INCOMPARABLE  MERCY  IT  IS,  THAT  GOD  WILL 

allow  YOU  TO  work  for  YOUR  lives  ;  that  he  sets  life  and  death 
before  you,  and  gives  them  into  your  hands  to  take  your  choice. 

If  you  will  indulge  your  sloth,  then  you  choose  death ;  but  life 
may  be  yours,  if  you  will.  It  will,  indeed,  cost  you  much  pains 
and  labor;  but,  yet,  it  may  be  yours.  And  is  it  not  infinite 
mercy,  that  salvation  and  happiness  may  be  yours,  though  upon 
any  terms  ? 

"Wicked  men  are  apt  to  say,  "  Oh,  how  happy  had  we  been,  if 
God  had  never  commanded  us  to  work ;  if  he  had  never  required 
from  us  such  harsh  and  difficult  duties ;  if  we  were  but  once  free 
from  this  hard  task  and  heavy  burden  of  obedience !"  But,  alas, 
foolish  sinners!  they  know  not  what  they  say:  as  happy  as  they 
count  this  to  be,  yet,  if  God  required  no  working  from  them,  he 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR  OWN  SALVATION.  489 


should  then  show  them  just  so  much  mercy  as  he  doth  to  the  devils 
and  damned  spirits,  and  no  more ;  from  whom  God  requires  no 
duty  as  well  as  from  whom  he  receives  no  duty,  and  unto  whom  he 
intends  no  mercy. 

You  think  it  a  hard  restraint,  possibly,  to  be  kept  under  the 
strict  commands  of  the  law :  "  0,  that  God  required  no  such  ob- 
servances from  us  I"  but  what  do  you  desire  herein,  but  only  the 
unhappy  privilege  of  the  damned ;  to  be  without  law  and  without 
commands  ?  But,  should  God  send  to  the  spirits  now  imprisoned, 
and  declare  to  them  that  if  they  would  work  they  should  be  saved, 
O  !  how  would  they  leap  in  their  chains  at  such  glad  tidings ;  and 
count  it  part  of  salvation,  that  there  was  but  a  possibility  of  it ! 
No,  but  God  commands  nothing  from  them,  because  he  intends 
nothing  but  wrath  upon  them :  he  will  not  vouchsafe  so  much 
mercy  to  them,  as  to  require  those  duties  from  them,  that  you 
repine  and  murmur  at  as  grievous. 

And,  furthermore,  consider  this :  if  you  do  not  now  work,  but 
perish  under  your  sloth,  in  hell  you  will  think  it  an  infinite  mercy 
if  God  would  command  you  more  rigid  and  severe  obedience,  than 
ever  he  commanded  from  you  on  earth.  It  would  be  a  great  mercy 
there,  if  it  might  be  your  duty  to  repent,  and  pray,  and  believe. 
Nay,  you  would  count  a  command  then,  to  be  as  comfortable  as  a 
promise ;  for,  indeed,  there  is  no  command  but  implies  a  promise. 
No :  but  these  things  shall  not  so  much  as  be  your  duty  in  hell : 
for  there  you  shall  be  freed  forever  from  this  rigorous  and  dreadful 
law  of  God,  that  now  you  so  much  complain  of  and  murmur 
against. 

0 !  therefore  be  persuaded,  while  you  are  yet  under  the  mercy 
of  the  law  (give  me  leave  to  call  it  so),  and  while  you  have  so 
many  promises  couched  in  every  command,  before  God  hath  left 
off  his  merciful  commanding,  before  the  time  of  duty  be  expired, 
be  persuaded  to  work.  Delay  not :  you  know  not  how  long  God 
will  vouchsafe  to  require  any  thing  from  you ;  and,  as  soon  as  that 
ceaseth,  truly  you  are  in  hell. 

And  this  is  the  second  argument  to  press  this  duty  upon  you. 
Work,  and  that  speedily  too.  "While  you  may  work,  there  is  hope, 
that,  upon  your  working,  you  may  be  saved.  And,  therefore,  while 
God  calls  upon  you,  and  whilst  he  will  accept  of  obedience  from 
you,  it  is  time  for  you  to  begin  to  work. 

iii.  Consider,  WHAT  A  SHORT  SCANTLING  OF  TIME  IS  ALLOWED 
YOU  IN  WHICH  TO  DO  YOUR  GREAT  WORK. 


490 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


And  this  I  shall  branch  out  into  two  particulars. 

1.  Consider  how  sad  it  will  be  for  your  time  to  be  run  out,  before 
your  great  work  be  done. 

Alas !  what  are  threescore  years,  if  we  were  all  sure  to  live  so 
long,  from  the  date  of  this  present  moment  ?  How  short  a  space  is 
it,  for  us  to  do  that  in,  which  is  of  eternal  concernment !  and,  yet, 
how  few  of  us  shall  live  to  that,  which  we  so  improperly  call  old 
age  !  Our  candle  is  lighted  ;  and  it  is  but  small,  at  the  best :  and, 
to  how  many  of  us,  is  it  already  sunk  in  the  socket,  and  brought 
to  a  snuff  f  and  how  soon  the  breath  of  God  may  blow  it  out,  neither 
you  nor  I  know.  Night  is  hastening  upon  us  :  the  grave  expects 
us ;  and  bids  other  corpses  make  room  for  us.  Death  is  ready  to 
grasp  us  in  its  cold  arms,  and  to  carry  us  before  God's  tribunal : 
and,  alas !  how  little  of  our  great  work  is  done !  "What  can  any 
show,  that  they  have  done  ?  Where  are  the  actings  of  faith,  the 
labors  of  love,  the  perfect  works  of  patience  ?  Where  are  those 
graces,  that  are  either  begotten  or  increased  ?  Where  are  the  cor- 
ruptions, that  you  have  mortified?  These  are  works,  that  require 
ages  to  perform  them  in  :  and  yet  you  neglect  them,  that  have  but 
a  few  days,  nay  possibly  but  a  few  minutes,  to  do  them  in. 

"  But  what !  Is  God  severe  ?  Is  God  unjust,  to  require  so  much 
work  to  be  done  in  so  little  time  ?" 

No :  far  be  it  from  us  to  say  thus.  Though  our  work  be  great, 
yet  our  time  is  long  enough  to  perform  it  in,  if  it  were  well  im- 
proved. We  do,  indeed,  consume  away  our  precious  days,  and 
waste  our  life  and  light,  exhaust  our  strength,  and  lay  out  our  en- 
deavors upon  vanities  and  trifles,  on  nothing  but  emptiness  and 
folly :  and  that  life,  which  the  Prophet  tells  us  is  but  as  a  tale,  truly 
we  spend  it  as  a  dream :  we  sleep,  and  drowse,  and  suffer  our  pre- 
cious minutes  to  run  and  waste  away,  doing  nothing  to  any  good 
purpose ;  till  the  night  is  shutting  in,  till  the  night  of  darkness 
comes  upon  us,  and  then  the  greatness  of  our  work  will  confound 
us,  and  cause  despair  rather  than  excite  endeavors.  Have  you 
never  known  any,  who,  at  the  close  of  their  lives,  having  neglected 
their  great  work,  have  spent  that  little  time,  that  they  had  then  left 
them,  in  crying  out  for  more  time  ?  and  thus  it  may  be  with  you 
also,  if  your  consciences  be  not  awakened  sooner  than  by  the  pains 
and  disquiets  of  a  sick  bed :  then,  with  horror,  you  may  cry  out, 
"  More  time,  Lord,  more  time."  But  it  will  not  then  be  granted  : 
the  term  is  fixed  :  the  last  hour  is  struck :  the  last  sand  is  run :  and, 
as  you  and  your  work  shall  then  be  found,  so  you  must  go  together 
into  eternity.    This  is  such  a  consideration,  as  must  needs  prevail 


IK  WORKING  OUT  OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


491 


with  all  men,  if  tlicy  would  but  lay  it  to  heart :  "  My  time  is  but 
short  and  momentary :  I  am  but  of  yesterday ;  and,  possibly,  I  may 
not  be  to-morrow;  and  God  hath  suspended  eternity  upon  the  im- 
provement of  this  moment :  a  few  hours  will  determine  mine  ever- 
lasting state  and  condition :  according  as  these  few  are  spent,  so 
will  my  doom  be ;  either  for  eternal  happiness  or  for  eternal  misery  ; 
and  why  should  my  precious  soul  be  so  vile  in  my  own  eyes,  as  to 
lose  it  forever  through  sloth  and  negligence  ?  Why  shoidd  I  hearken 
to  the  allurements  of  my  own  corruptions,  or  to  the  enticements 
and  persuasions  of  Satan's  temptations  ?  No  :  stand  off,  for  I  am 
working  for  eternity  ;  an  eternity,  that  is  but  a  few  days  hence  ;  a 
boundless,  a  bottomless,  an  endless  eternity,  into  which  I  know  not 
how  soon  I  may  enter :  and  woe  to  me,  yea  a  thousand  woes  to  me, 
that  ever  I  was  born,  if  my  great  work  be  not  done  before  the  days 
of  eternity  come  upon  me."  This  is  such  a  motive,  as  methinks 
should  make  every  man,  that  hears  it  and  hath  but  a  sense  what 
eternity  is,  presently  to  bestir  and  rouse  up  himself,  and  give  God 
and  bis  soul  no  rest  till  his  immortal  soul  be  secured,  and  well  pro- 
vided for,  for  eternity.  To  me,  there  is  no  greater  evidence  of  the 
witchcraft  and  sorcery,  that  sin  and  Satan  use  to  besot  the  reason 
and  judgment  of  rational  creatures,  than  that  men  can  hear  of  such 
truths,  truths  that  are  not  to  be  denied  or  doubted,  and  yet  live 
at  such  a  rate  as  they  do :  so  vainly,  so  fruitlessly,  so  lazily,  so 
securely  and  presumptuously ;  as  if  their  eternity  were  to  be  ex- 
pected and  enjoyed  here,  or  that  there  were  none  to  come  hereafter. 

2.  The  consideration  of  the  shortness  of  our  life,  may  serve  as  a 
great  encouragement  to  work. 

The  consideration  of  the  burthensomeness  and  trouble  of  working 
for  salvation  may,  doubtless,  fright  many  from  engaging  therein. 
Oh  !  it  is  a  work  very  painful  and  laborious  :  and  this  discourageth 
them.  But  know,  0  sinner !  though  it  be  grievous,  yet  it  is  but 
short  work :  it  is  to  last  no  longer,  than  our  frail,  short  life  doth 
last.  And,  oh  !  how  unreasonable  is  it  to  complain,  as  most  do  of 
our  work,  as  being  too  long  and  too  tedious ;  and  of  our  lives,  as 
being  too  short  and  brittle !  for  our  work  is  to  be  no  longer  than 
our  lives.  A  child  of  God  doth  not,  at  least  he  should  not,  desire 
to  live  longer  than  his  great  work  is  done:  and,  truly,  when  it  is 
finished,  it  is  a  great  piece  of  self-denial  in  him,  to  be  content  to 
abide  here  in  this  world  any  longer:  and,  in  the  mean  while,  this 
may  support  him,  that  it  shall  not  be  long,  that  he  shall  thus  wrestle 
with  temptations,  and  thus  struggle  with  corruptions.  Death  will 
come  in  to  his  help,  and  put  an  end  to  his  toil  and  labor;  and, 


492 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


though  he  brings  a  dart  in  one  hand,  yet  he  brings  a  reward  and 
wages  in  the  other  hand :  and  this  may  be  his  great  encouragement. 

iv.  My  next  argument,  to  press  this  duty  of  working  out  our 
own  salvation,  shall  consist  of  three  or  four  gradations.  And, 

1.  We  are  all  of  us  very  busy,  active  creatures. 

The  frame  and  constitution  of  our  natures  is  such,  as  we  must 
be  working  some  work  or  other :  and,  therefore,  since  we  must  be 
working,  why  should  we  not  work  the  works  of  God  ?  "We  do  not 
simply  exhort  sinners  to  work :  neither,  indeed,  need  we :  you 
have  active  faculties  and  stirring  principles  within  you,  that  must 
and  will  be  still  in  employment ;  and,  when  your  hands  cease,  yet 
then  your  hearts  and  thoughts  are  at  work :  your  whole  lives  are 
nothing  but  actions ;  yea,  when  your  thoughts  themselves  are  most 
unbent  and  most  remiss,  when  they  are  most  vanishing  and  glim- 
mering, so  that  yourselves  scarce  know  what  they  are,  yet  then  are 
they  visibly  working,  though  you  perceive  it  not.  ISTow,  what  is 
it,  that  God  requires  of  you  ?  It  is  not,  that  you  should  be  more 
employed  than  you  are,  that  you  should  do  more  than  "you  do;  for 
that  is  impossible,  because  you  are  never  idle,  doing  nothing:  but 
it  is,  that  what  you  do,  should  be  done  in  order  unto  heaven  and 
salvation.  And  how  reasonable  is  such  a  command  as  this !  It  is 
not  more  work,  that  God  expects  from  you ;  only  other  work : 
your  thoughts  need  not  be  more  than  they  are  ;  but  they  must  be 
more  spiritual  than  they  are :  your  desires  no  more ;  but  only 
more  gracious :  your  actions  no  more  ;  but  only  they  must  be  more 
holv  than  now  they  are.  Let  but  grace  regulate  what  nature  doth, 
and  the  art  of  working  out  your  salvation  is  attained.  The  wheels 
of  a  watch  move  as  fast  and  as  quick,  when  it  goes  false  as  when 
it  goes  true ;  and,  if  the  watch  be  but  at  first  set  right  and  true, 
the  same  activity,  that  makes  it  go  false,  will  make  the  motions  go 
right  and  orderly.  Truly,  you  yourselves  are  like  your  watches  : 
your  faculties  are  the  wheels  of  your  souls ;  and  they  move  and 
click  as  fast,  when  they  go  false,  as  when  they  go  right ;  and,  if 
grace  doth  but  once  set  them  right,  the  same  activity  of  nature  that 
makes  them  work  falsely  and  go  amiss,  will  also  continue  their 
motion  orderly  and  regularly,  when  once  they  are  set  right.  Well, 
then,  whatever  your  trade  be,  whether  it  be  a  trade  of  sin,  or 
whether  it  be  a  trade  of  holiness,  you  must  be  working  at  it.  And, 
let  me  tell  you,  religion  and  holiness  are  so  far  from  increasing 
your  work,  that  they  rather  lessen  and  contract  it :  what  sa}'s  our 
Saviour  ?  "  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful  about  many  things : 


IN   WORKING   OUT  OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


493 


But  one  thing  is  needful :"  Luke  x.  41,  42  ;  so  may  I  say ;  Sinners, 
you  are  careful,  and  busy  yourselves  about  many  things  ;  but  there 
is  but  one  thing,  that  is  necessary  :  many  things,  indeed,  you  trouble 
yourselves  with :  the  cares  of  the  world,  the  temptations  of  Satan 
the  corruptions  of  your  own  hearts,  these  distract  you  ;  yea,  very 
trifles  and  impertinences  themselves  give  you  full  emploj'ment ; 
this  lust  storms  and  rages ;  that  lust  flatters  and  entices :  this  is 
impetuous;  that  is  insinuating :  the  one  impels;  the  other  allures  : 
and,  it  may  be,  after  all,  conscience  begins  to  grow  terrible ;  giving 
the  sinner  no  quiet  in  doing  that,  which  lust  would  let  him  have 
no  rest  till  he  had  done ;  so  that,  betwixt  them,  of  all  men's  lives 
in  the  world,  his  is  the  most  toilsome  and  vexatious. 

Since,  then,  you  can  save  no  labor  by  being  as  you  are,  why 
will  you  not  change  your  work  ?  You  are  now  in  constant  em- 
ployment as  you  are,  and  no  more  is  required  of  you  in  the  ways 
of  obedience.  Nay,  you  are  now  divided,  distracted,  and  even  torn 
in  pieces,  betwixt  divers  lusts  and  pleasures ;  all  which  cry,  "  give, 
give,"  and  all  are  eager  and  importunate,  so  that  you  know  not 
which  to  turn  to  first :  but,  in  working  for  salvation,  your  employ- 
ment is  but  the  one  thing  necessary,  which  though  indeed  it  calls 
for  the  same  endeavors  and  industry  which  now  you  use  in  the 
service  of  sin,  yet  by  reason  of  its  uniformity,  is  less  distracting 
and  less  cumbersome. 

And  that  is  the  first  gradation. 

2.  You  must  work  either  in  God's  service,  or  in  the  deviVs  drudgery. 
And  choose  you  whether  you  would  rather  be  Satan's  slaves,  or 

God's  servants.  Nay,  indeed,  choose  whether  ?  Is  it  a  matter  of 
choice  with  men,  who  have  rational  and  immortal  souls  ?  Do  you 
not  all  profess  yourselves  to  be  the  servants  of  the  living  God  ? 
Do  you  not  all  wear  his  livery  ?  Would  not  the  vilest  and  most 
profligate  sinner  willingly  lurk  under  the  name  and  badge  of 
a  Christian ;  and  count  it  a  great  wrong  done  him,  should  any  so 
much  as  doubt  of  his  salvation  ?  And  wherefore  is  this,  but  be- 
cause they  are  ashamed  of  their  service,  and  of  their  own  black 
master  ?  But,  alas !  it  is  in  vain  to  renounce  him  in  words  :  for, 
if  your  works  be  not  for  God,  if  they  be  not  such  as  religion  ex- 
acts, as  the  Holy  Ghost  inspires,  as  grace  performs,  and  as  salvation 
calls  for  from  you,  his  slaves  you  are ;  and,  though  you  profess  to 
deny  him,  yet  in  your  works  you  own  him. 

3.  If  you  work  for  Satan,  you  do  hut  work  for  your  own  damna- 
tion. 

For  work,  you  must  and  will :  and  this  is  all  the  reward  and 


494 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


wages,  that  you  can  justly  expect  from  the  service  of  sin  and 
Satan  ,  and,  of  this,  a  just  God  and  a  malicious  devil  will  look 
that  vou  shall  not  be  defrauded ;  but,  as  your  ephah  hath  been  full 
of  iniquity  and  abominations,  so  shall  your  cup  be  full  of  wrath 
and  indignation.  Think,  0  sinner,  think  how  these  masters,  whom 
thou  now  servest,  will  in  hell  insult  over  thee  and  upbraid  thee : 
"  Is  this  he,  our  faithful  and  industrious  servant  ?  He,  who  pre- 
ferred our  misery,  before  his  own  happiness  ?  Whose  precious  soul 
was  not  precious  to  him  for  our  sakes  ?  And  is  he  now  come, 
whither  his  ways  led  him  ?  Prepare  a  place  quickly  for  him.  Let 
his  darkness  be  horrid  and  dismal :  his  works  were  so.  Let  his 
chains  be  strong  and  massy :  the  bonds  of  his  iniquities  were  so. 
Let  his  unquenchable  fire  be  piercing  and  vehement :  let  his  tor- 
ment be  next  unto  my  own."  This,  this  will  be  the  insulting  of 
your  master  then.  0  sinners,  consider !  Is  this  the  reward  and 
preferment,  that  you  work  for  ?  "  God  forbid !  mercy  prevent !" 
you  will  say :  nay,  believe  it,  mercy  will  not  prevent,  God  will  not 
forbid,  unless  you  yourselves  labor  to  prevent  it :  all  this  must  be 
your  condemnation,  as  unavoidably  as  if  God  had  no  such  attribute 
as  mercy  belonging  to  his  nature.  This  sinners  know,  and  are  per- 
suaded of  the  truth  of,  unless  they  are  atheists.  And,  if  you  are, 
truly  it  will  not  be  long  before  your  own  sense  and  feeling  will 
convince  you  of  the  truth  of  these  things,  to  your  eternal  grief  and 
sorrow.  And,  if  you  do  believe  this,  why  do  you  not  rouse  up 
yourselves  and  fall  to  work  ?  If  you  are  resolved  for  hell,  for  a 
foreseen  and  forewarned  hell,  who  then  can  stop  you  ?  And,  unless 
you  are  resolved  for  hell,  methinks  I  might  have  done,  and  need 
proceed  no  further.  Tell  me,  therefore,  0  sinners,  are  you  not  all 
persuaded  by  these  terrors  ?  Will  you  not  from  this  moment 
labor,  struggle,  and  strive  ;  and  take  any  pains  in  the  ways  of  obe- 
dience, rather  than  ruin  your  own  souls,  and  thrust  them  down 
into  the  pit  of  destruction?  I  might  be  confident  sinners  thus 
resolve  to  do,  were  I  speaking  now  to  men  that  were  themselves  : 
but  men's  reasons  are  besotted ;  and  their  ears  are  open  only  to  the 
devil,  and  to  the  base  allurements  of  the  flesh  :  and,  when  we  have 
done  our  utmost  in  persuading  sinners,  in  the  end  we  must  turn 
our  exhortations  to  them  into  prayers  to  God  for  them,  that  he 
would  snatch  them  as  brands  out  of  the  fire  and  burning,  into 
which  they,  like  drunken  men,  are  casting  themselves,  and  in  which 
they  are  lying  down. 

4.  Once  more :  The  same  pains,  that  possibly  some  take  to  damn 
their  own  souls,  might  suffice  eternally  to  save  them. 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


495 


The  same  toil  and  labor,  that  some  undergo  for  hell  and  destruc- 
tion, might  have  brought  them  to  heaven  and  happiness,  had  it 
been  but  that  way  laid  out.  The  prophet  tells  us  of  some,  "  that 
draw  iniquity  with  cords  of  vanity,  and  sin  as  it  were  with  a  cart- 
rope  :  "  Isa.  v.  18 ;  that  is,  they  are  so  enslaved  to  the  work  of  the 
devil,  that  he  puts  them  into  his  team,  and  makes  them  draw  and 
strain  for  their  iniquities;  and  he  doth  them  a  courtesy  when  their 
sins  come  easily  to  them,  for  so  the  phrase  imports.  And  we  read 
of  some  in  another  prophet,  that  sin  "  with  both  hands  earnestly  :" 
Mic.  vii.  3.  And  the  Psalmist  tells  us  of  those,  that  devise  mis- 
chief upon  their  beds,  and  that  travail  with  iniquity :  Ps.  xxxvi. 
4;  vii.  14  :  that  is  ;  they  are  in  as  much  pain  and  torment  till  their 
wicked  designs  be  accomplished,  as  a  woman  in  travail  is  till  she 
be  delivered.  Sinners,  since  the  work  of  sin  is  so  toilsome,  why 
will  you  not  "  work  the  works  of  God  ?"  Doth  that  salvation,  that 
follows  obedience,  fright  you ;  or  is  heaven  and  glory  become  terri- 
ble to  you  ?  Is  not  this  it,  that  all  men  desire  ?  Do  not  your 
hearts  leap  at  the  mention  of  it  ?  What  then  is  it,  that  any  ra- 
tional man  can  pretend,  why  he  will  not  work  ?  Is  it  because  you 
are  loth  to  take  pains  ?  Why  then  are  you  so  laborious  in  sinning  ? 
Why  do  you  so  sweat  and  toil  in  carrying  faggots  to  your  own  fire  ? 
Why  are  you  continually  blowing  up  those  flames,  that  shall  for 
ever  burn  you  ?  It  is  in  vain  to  plead  this  any  longer,  that  you 
are  loth  to  take  pains :  for  where  are  there  greater  drudges  in  all 
the  Avorld,  than  sinners  ?  The  devil  can  scarce  find  them  work 
enough :  they  out-sin  his  temptations ;  and,  had  they  not  that  cor- 
ruption within,  the  scum  whereof  is  continually  boiling  up  in  them, 
they  must  of  necessity,  I  was  going  to  say,  sometimes  be  holy,  for 
want  of  employment :  Satan  could  not  find  them  work  enough. 
Kow  restless  and  impatient  are  they,  till  they  have  done  some 
wicked  work!  and,  sometimes,  they  are  more  restless  and  impa- 
tient when  they  have  done  it,  through  the  devil;s  temptations ;  and 
yet,  notwithstanding  these  torments,  they  will  do  them  again.  Are 
there  more  drudges  in  the  world  than  these  ?  Doth  God  require 
more  pains  in  his  service,  than  these  men  take  ?  No  :  he  doth  not : 
would  but  men  do  as  much  for  their  precious  souls,  as  they  do 
against  them  ;  would  they  do  as  much  to  save  them,  as  they  do  to 
destroy  and  damn  them ;  truly,  their  salvation  would  not  lie  upon 
their  hands  unwrought. 

But  some  may  say  in  their  hearts,  "  It  is  true,  indeed,  we  are 
convinced,  that  the  work  of  sin  is  laborious ;  but,  yet,  there  is 
pleasure  in  that  labor :  but  to  the  works  of  obedience  we  find 


496 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


reluctance;  and,  to  struggle  against  that,  is  exceedingly  irksome 
and  grievous:  and,  therefore,  we  cannot  work." 

But  is  it  so,  indeed?  Is  it  all  peace  and  tranquillity  with  you, 
when  you  sin?  Are  your  consciences  so  utterly  seared,  as  that 
they  make  no  reluctance,  give  you  no  checks  or  reproofs,  when  you 
sin  ?  If  they  do,  put  that  reluctance  of  natural  conscience  against 
sin,  into  the  balance  with  the  reluctance  of  natural  corruption 
against  obedience ;  and  the  most  profligate  sinner  in  the  world 
shall  find,  though  this  is  more  strong  and  prevalent,  yet  that  is  more 
vexatious  and  tormenting.  God  requires  no  more  labor  from  you, 
than  you  now  take :  nay,  this  labor  shall  not  put  you  to  so  much 
torment,  as  sometimes  you  now  feel :  the  same  labor,  with  more 
content  and  satisfaction,  may  perfect  your  salvation,  that  now  tends 
only  to  consummate  your  destruction.  What  madness  then  is  it, 
for  men  not  to  be  persuaded  to  work  the  works  of  God,  when  it 
will  cost  them  less  pains ;  I  mean,  less  tormenting  pains !  You 
wear  your  lives  in  the  service  of  sin  ;  and,  at  the  end  of  your  days, 
you  go  down  to  hell ;  when,  with  as  much  ease,  you  might  inherit 
life  and  glory,  as  you  thus  purchase  hell  and  destruction.  And  is 
not  this  great  folly  and  madness  ? 

Bring,  then,  all  these  four  gradations  together,  and  look  upon 
them  all  at  once ;  and  we  shall  find  the  argument  so  strong,  that 
nothing  can  resist  it,  but  the  perverse  reasonings  of  men's  own 
wills  :  you  will  not,  because  you  will  not : — You  must  work.  If  you 
work  not  in  God's  service,  you  will  work  in  the  devil's  drudgery : 
— If  you  work  Satan's  work,  you  must  receive  Satan's  wages ; 
which  is  the  reward  of  eternal  damnation.  And  the  same  labor, 
that  you  take  to  damn  your  own  souls,  might  suffice  to  save  them. 
Wherefore  then  shall  not  God  employ  you,  as  well  as  the  devil  ? 
Hath  he  not  more  right  to  you?  Why  should  you  not -work  out 
your  own  happiness,  as  well  as  work  out  your  own  misery  ?  Doth 
it  not  concern  you  more  ?  If  men  would  but  set  their  reason  at 
work  in  this  particular,  if  they  would  but  show  themselves  to  be 
men,  they  would  soon  set  grace  at  work  and  show  themselves  to  be 
Christians  also.  It  is  but  turning  the  streams  of  your  actions  into 
the  right  channel,  and  the  work  is  done :  since  that  will  incessantly 
flow  from  you,  why  should  they  all  fall  like  Jordan  into  the  Dead 
Sea,  when  they  might  as  well  run  into  the  infinite  ocean  of  all  hap- 
piness, and  carry  your  souls  along  with  them  also  ?  But, 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  497 

v.  Consider  this  also:  the  devil  works  constantly  and 

INDUSTRIOUSLY   FOR  YOUR    DESTRUCTION.     And   will    not  you 

much  more  work  for  your  own  salvation  ? 

See  the  place  of  the  Apostle,  1  Pet.  v.  8 ;  He  "  walketh  about  as 
a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  And,  therefore, 
when  God  questions  him,  "  Whence  comest  thou,"  Satan?  he  an- 
swers, "  From  going  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  and  from  walking  up 
and  down  in  it:"  Job  i.  7.  What  pains  doth  he  take,  to  prompt 
men  with  temptations  !  to  suit  objects  and  occasions  to  their  corrup- 
tions !  Still,  he  is  at  their  right-hand,  laying  snares  and  traps  for 
them,  that  they  may  fall  as  his  prey.  And  wherefore  makes  he  all 
this  ado  ?  Is  it  not  to  satisfy  his  malice  and  hatred  against  men's 
souls  ?  And  shall  malice  and  rancor  make  the  devil  so  laborious 
and  unwearied  to  destroy  souls,  and  shall  not  your  own  happiness 
and  salvation  make  you  much  more  diligent  to  save  your  souls  ? 
Is  the  devil  more  concerned  in  your  ruin,  than  you  yourselves  are 
in  your  own  salvation  ?  Shall  the  death  of  your  souls  be  more 
dear  to  him,  than  the  life  of  your  souls  is  to  yourselves  ?  Learn 
from  Satan  himself,  how  to  rate  and  value  your  own  souls.  Did  not 
he  know  them  to  be  exceeding  precious,  he  would  never  take  so 
much  pains  to  get  them  ;  and  did  you  but  know  how  precious  they 
are,  certainly  you  would  never  lose  them  so  contentedly.  Let  the 
devil,  if  you  will  learn  no  otherwise,  teach  you  the  worth  of  your 
precious  souls :  and,  since  he  thinks  no  pains  too  much  to  ruin 
them,  why  should  you  think  any  pains  or  labor  too  much  to  save 
them  ? 

vi.  Consider :  you  yourselves  do  labor  and  take  pains,  in 

THINGS  OF  FAR  LOWER  AND  LESSER  CONCERNMENT,  THAN  THE 
SALVATION  OF  YOUR  SOULS. 

Men  can  rise  up  early  and  go  to  bed  late,  eat  the  bread  of 
carefulness,  and  all  to  get  some  little  inconsiderable  piece  of  this 
world,  to  provide  for  a  frail,  short  life  here :  and  who  is  there,  that 
thinks  his  pains  too  much  ?  And  why,  then,  should  you  not  labor 
for  a  future  life  in  another  world,  that  you  confess  to  be  infinitely 
more  glorious  and  desirable  than  any  thing  you  can  obtain  here  ? 
To  me,  it  is  folly,  so  gross  and  senseless  as  to  be  bemoaned,  if  it 
were  possible,  with  tears  of  blood,  that  men  should  so  toil  for  the 
low  conveniences  of  the  world,  and  yet  neglect  the  eternal  hap- 
piness of  their  precious  and  immortal  souls,  as  if  they  were  not 
worth  the  looking  after.  Sinners,  do  you  know  what  a  vain,  empty 
bubble,  blown  up  by  the  creating  breath  of  the  Almighty,  the  world 
Vol.  II.— 32 


498 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


is  ?  Do  you  know  it,  and  yet  will  you  take  pains  for  it,  yet  will 
you  grasp  and  catch  at  it  ?  Who  would  doubt,  when  we  see  men 
so  busy  about  impertinences,  and  the  trivial  concernments  of  this 
vain  world  :  who  would  doubt,  but  that  they  were  far  more  anxious 
and  careful  about  the  things  of  heaven,  and  the  concernments  of 
their  souls  ?  Who  would  not  conclude,  but  that  they,  who  are  so 
diligent  about  petty  trifles,  had  certainly  made  sure  that  their  great 
work  was  done  ?  But,  alas !  would  it  not  astonish  men  and  angels, 
if  we  should  tell  them  how  foolish  sinners  are?  "Would  it  be 
believed,  that  rational  creatures,  who  have  immortal  souls  that 
must  be  forever  saved  or  damned,  should  spend  all  their  time  and 
strength  about  nothing ;  never  taking  any  care  or  thought  what 
will  become  of  them  forever  ?  Would  such  foil}'  be  believed  to  be 
in  men  ?  And  yet  of  this  madness  are  most  men  guilty.  We  may 
all  of  us  be  ashamed  to  lift  up  our  heads  to  God,  when  we  confess 
the  world  to  be  so  vain  and  slight  a  thing,  that  if  we  should  get  all 
of  it,  nay  should  we  get  ten  thousand  of  them,  yet  were  they  not 
all  worth  one  soul ;  that,  yet,  we  should  be  so  foolish  as  to  strive 
to  get  a  vain  world,  to  the  neglect,  yea  to  the  contempt,  of  our 
precious  souls.  It  is  such  folly,  as  men  would  scarce  suspect  that 
any  persons  should  be  guilty  of,  if  it  were  not  seen  daily  in  the 
practices  of  almost  all  men. 

vii.  Consider  this:  Are  you  ambitious?    Do  you  affect 

TRUE  HONOR  AND  DIGNITY? 

Yes,  I  know  this  is  the  great  idol  of  the  world :  that,  which 
every  one  falls  down  to  and  worships.  Well  then,  sinners,  here 
is  a  way  to  prefer  you  all.  To  work  for  salvation,  is  the  most 
honorable  employment  in  the  world  ;  an  honor,  that  will  pose  and 
nonplus  the  most  towering  and  raised  ambition,  when  once  it  is 
spiritualized.  Alas !  what  poor  and  contemptible  things  are  the 
grandees  and  great  ones  of  the  world  !  though  they  take  great  state 
and  pomp  upon  them,  and  will  scarce  own  their  inferiors  for  their 
fellow-creatures,  nay  will  scarce  own  God  himself  for  their  supe- 
rior ;  yet  are  they  but  like  painted  flies,  that  play  and  buzz  awhile 
in  the  sunshine,  and  then  molder  away  and  come  to  nothing !  All 
worldly  honor  and  pomp  is  but  imaginary.  But  would  you  have 
that,  which  is  solid  and  substantial?  Christ  tells  you  how  it  is  to 
be  attained :  "  If  any  man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father  honor :" 
John  xii.  26.  Whatever  honor  we  have,  we  hold  it  by  service: 
our  work  is  not  only  duty,  but  preferment  also :  "  If  any  man 
serve  me,"  he  shall  be  honored.    Would  you  be  enrolled  for  right 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION.  499 


honorable  in  heaven's  treasury  ?  Would  you  be  peers  of  that 
kingdom,  with  saints  and  glorified  angels  ?  Then  honor  God.  And 
how  shall  you  honor  him,  but  by  obeying  him  ?  And  him,  who 
thus  honors  God,  God  will  honor.  This  is  the  only  real  honor  : 
all  other  is  but  airy,  fictitious  titles ;  like  ciphers,  which,  as  they 
are  placed,  stand  for  hundreds  and  thousands,  but  are  all  of  the 
same  value  when  huddled  together.  So,  truly,  the  great  ones  of  the 
world,  if  not  made  honorable  by  obedience  to  God,  have  but  ima- 
ginary excellence ;  and,  when  death  once  shuffles  and  huddles 
them  together,  nobles  with  ignobles,  will  the  dust  and  ashes  of  the 
one  stand  at  a  distance  and  make  obeisance  to  the  other  ?  No.  All 
honor  here  signifies  no  more  than  a  king  upon  a  stage.  But,  here, 
is  a  way  to  attain  true  honor :  here,  is  the  way  to  it,  by  becoming 
servants ;  not  to  command,  but  to  obey  ;  not  to  be  imperious  over 
others,  but  to  work  yourselves.    This  is  true  honor. 

Now  I  shall,  in  three  things,  demonstrate  the  honor  of  working 
for  salvation  ;  that,  if  men  be  not  very  lowly  spirited,  they  may  be 
excited  unto  this  honorable  work. 

1.  It  is  pure,  spiritual,  refined  work. 

In  services  among  men,  the  less  of  filth  and  drudgery  there  is 
in  them,  the  more  creditable  they  are  accounted.  It  is  an  honor 
to  be  employed  in  higher  and  more  cleanly  work,  when  others  are 
busied  about  baser  employments.  Christians,  your  work  is  the 
highest  and  most  noble  service  imaginable :  you  are  not  at  all  to 
set  your  hands  to  any  foul  office :  you  have  nothing  to  do  with  that 
mire  and  sink,  in  which  wicked  men  are  raking ;  yea,  and  it  is 
their  work  to  do  it :  no  ;  but  your  work  is  all  spiritual,  consisting 
of  the  same  pure  employment  about  which  the  angels  in  heaven 
spend  their  eternity.  Holy  thoughts,  divine  affections,  heavenly 
meditations,  spiritual  duties,  in  these  lies  your  work ;  which,  because 
of  its  purity,  is  therefore  very  honorable. 

2.  Your  work  is  honorable,  because  it  is  the  service  of  a  most 
honorable  Master. 

"We  account  it  a  great  credit,  to  tend  immediately  upon  the  per- 
son of  some  prince  or  potentate :  but  what  is  this,  to  their  honor, 
who  are  called  always  to  attend  upon  the  person  of  God  himself, 
who  is  "  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords ;"  to  be  continual 
waiters  about  his  throne  ?  God  hath  but  two  thrones :  his  throne 
of  glory  in  the  highest  heavens,  about  which  angels  and  glorified 
saints  are  the  attendants ;  and  his  throne  of  grace,  to  which  you 
are  called.  Angels  and  saints  are  but  your  fellow-attendants :  and, 
if  they  see  his  glory  in  the  highest  exaltation,  you  are  admitted  to 


500 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


see  it  in  the  next  degree.  Yea,  and  herein  is  your  honor  so  great, 
that  you  are  capable  but  of  one  preferment  more ;  and  that  is,  of 
being  removed  from  one  throne  to  the  other,  from  attending  upon 
the  throne  of  grace  to  attend  upon  the  throne  of  glory :  so  great 
is  your  honor. 

3.  Your  work  is  suck,  as  makes  you,  not  so  much  servants,  as  friends 
of  God. 

It  is  an  honor  to  be  servant  unto  a  king ;  but,  much  more,  of  a 
servant,  to  become  a  favorite.  Thus  it  is  in  the  service  of  God. 
You  are  not  only  servants,  but  friends  and  favorites.  "Ye  are  my 
friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you :"  a  strange  speech ! 
One  would  think  the  doing  of  what  is  commanded,  is  the  office  of 
a  servant,  rather  than  of  a  friend  :  no,  says  Christ :  "  Henceforth  I 

call  you  not  servants  but  friends:  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do 

whatsoever  I  command  you."  And,  certainly,  no  title  so  glorious, 
as  that,  which  God  put  upon  Abraham,  to  be  "the  friend  of  God." 
"Well,  then,  let  wicked  men  go  on  scoffing  and  mocking  at  obedience 
in  the  people  of  God,  let  them  look  on  them  as  poor  and  low-spirited 
persons ;  yet  can  there  be  no  honor  like  unto  theirs,  to  be  attendants 
upon,  yea  the  friends  of,  the  Great  God  of  Heaven :  and  there  can 
be  no  discredit  so  base  as  theirs,  who  are  slaves  to  the  devil,  who 
is  God's  slave ;  to  be  a  slave  unto  the  devil,  whom  the  people  of 
God  have  in  part  subdued  and  overcome,  and  over  whom  they  shall 
shortly  at  once  perfectly  triumph. 

IV.  Having  thus,  by  several  arguments,  pressed  this  great  duty 
of  working  out  our  own  salvation,  I  should  now  proceed  to  some 
other  things  that  are  necessary  to  be  spoken  unto  from  this  doctrine. 
But  because  this  is  a  duty  of  so  vast  importance,  and  of  so  universal 
concernment ;  and  the  slothfulness  and  backwardness  of  many  so 
great,  and,  if  persisted  in,  will  be  so  ruinous  and  destructive,  I 
SHALL  FURTHER  URGE  THE  PEACTICE  OF  THIS 
DUTY  upon  the  consciences  of  sinners,  by  these  following  CON- 
SIDERATIONS. 

i.  This  "working-  for  salvation  is  the  most  delightful 

WORK  AND  EMPLOYMENT  IN  WHICH  A  CHRISTIAN  CAN  BE  ENGAGED. 

What  is  it,  that  makes  the  whole  world  so  busy  in  the  service  of 
sin  and  Satan,  but  only  pleasure,  which  they  either  find  or  imagine? 
The  devil  baits  all  his  temptations  with  this  enticing  witchcraft, 
which  the  world  calls  pleasure ;  and  this  is  that,  which  makes  them 
so  successful.    But,  hath  the  devil  engrossed  all  pleasure  unto  his 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


501 


service?  Can  the  ways  of  God  promise  no  delight?  Are  they 
only  rough  and  rugged  ways  ?  David  certainly  thought  otherwise, 
when,  speaking  of  the  commandments  of  God,  he  tells  us,  they 
were  "  sweeter  than  the  honey  and  the  honey-comb :"  Ps.  xix.  10  : 
he  could  squeeze  honey  out  of  them :  it  is  an  expression,  that  sets 
forth  the  exceeding  pleasantness  and  delight,  that  are  to  be  found 
in  the  ways  of  obedience.  And,  truly,  the  whole  book  of  Psalms 
is  abundantly  copious,  in  setting  forth  that  delight,  that  is  to  be 
found  in  the  ways  of  God.  Ask,  therefore,  the  children  of  God, 
who  are  the  only  sufficient  judges  in  this  matter,  and  they  will  tell 
you  with  one  consent,  that  they  know  no  delight  on  earth  com- 
parable to  that  delight  that  is  to  be  found  in  obedience.  Indeed, 
if  you  are  only  taken  with  a  soft,  luxurious,  washy  pleasure;  this 
is  not  to  be  found  in  the  ways  of  holiness :  but,  if  a  severe  delight 
can  affect  you,  a  delight  that  shall  not  effeminate  but  ennoble  you ; 
if  you  desire  a  masculine,  rational,  vigorous  pleasure  and  delight ; 
you  need  not  seek  any  further  for  it,  than  in  the  ways  of  obedience. 

There  are  two' things,  that  make  this  working  for  salvation  to  be 
so  pleasant :  the  suitableness  of  this  work  to  the  agent  or  worker, 
and  the  visible  success  and  progress  of  the  work  itself :  and  both 
these  make  the  working  out  of  salvation  exceedingly  pleasant  and 
delightful  to  the  people  of  God. 

1.  It  is  a  work  suited  to  their  natures  ;  and  that  makes  it  pleasant. 

As  Jesus  Christ  had,  in  a  physical  sense,  so  every  Christian  hath, 
in  a  moral  sense,  two  natures  in  one  person.  There  is  the  divine 
nature,  or  the  nature  of  God ;  and  there  is  the  human,  corrupt  na- 
ture, the  nature  of  sinful  man.  And  each  of  these  has  inclinations 
suited  unto  it :  there  is  the  carnal  part,  and  that  is  too  apt  to  be 
seduced  and  drawn  away  with  the  pleasures  of  sin,  that  are  objects 
proportioned  to  the  carnal  part ;  but  then  there  is  also  a  divine, 
and,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  a  supernatural  nature,  imprinted  by  re- 
generation, that  only  doth  relish  heavenly  and  spiritual  things:  so 
that  it  is  not  more  natural  to  a  godly  man,  by  reason  of  the  pro- 
pensities of  the  old  nature,  to  sin  against  God ;  than  it  is  natural 
to  him,  by  reason  of  the  propensities  of  the  new  nature,  to  obey 
and  serve  God.  Now  when  nature  acts  suitably  to  its  own  sway 
and  pondus,  this  must  needs  cause  two  things :  first,  facility  and 
easiness ;  secondly,  delight  and  complacency.  Streams  flow  from 
the  fountain  with  ease,  because  they  take  but  their  natural  course: 
so  the  works  of  obedience  flow  easily  from  that  fountain-principle 
of  grace  that  is  broken  up  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  God, 
because  they  flow  naturally  from  them ;  and,  therefore,  because 


502 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


nature  makes  things  easy,  that  easiness  will  make  them  pleasant 
and  delightful.    It  is  true,  indeed,  when  they  work,  there  is  an 
opposition  and  reluctance  from  their  other  contrary  nature ;  for,  as 
the}r  act  suitably  to  the  one,  so  they  act  quite  contrary  to  the  other 
nature:  but  doth  not  the  gracious  and  new  nature  as  strongly 
wrestle  against  and  oppose  the  workings  and  eruptions  of  the  old 
nature,  as  the  old  doth  the  workings  of  the  new  ?    It  doth :  and 
therefore  you,  that  are  truly  regenerate,  never  sin  because  of  the 
easiness  of  it,  because  of  its  suitableness,  because  you  must  offer 
violence  to  your  nature  if  you  resist  a  temptation :  do  you  not 
offer  violence  to  your  nature,  if  you  close  with  that  temptation  ? 
You  are  not  all  of  one  piece,  if  I  may  so  speak,  if  you  are  regene- 
rate.   And  what!  must  the  corrupt  part  only  be  indulged  and 
gratified,  and  must  the  renewed  part  be  always  opposed  ?  Why 
should  not  grace,  since  it  is  as  much,  nay  more  yourself  than  sin 
is,  why  should  not  that  have  the  same  scope  and  liberty  to  act 
freely  as  sin  doth?    Truly,  these  things  are  riddles  to  wicked 
men  ;  and  they  are  unfit  judges  in  this  case :  they  wonder  what  we 
mean,  when  we  speak  of  easiness  and  delight  in  ways  of  obedience, 
which  they  never  found  to  be  otherwise  than  the  most  burdensome 
things  in  the  world.    And,  truly,  it  is  no  wonder :  for  they  have 
no  principle  suited  to  these  things:  they  are  made  up  only  of  the 
old  nature,  that  is  as  contrary  and  repugnant  to  them  as  darkness 
is  to  light.    But,  if  once  God  renew  and  sanctify  them,  then  they 
will  confess  as  we  do,  that  the  works  of  God  have  more  easiness  in 
them  than  the  generality  of  the  world  do  imagine.    And  therefore 
St.  Paul  tells  us,  that  he  delighted  "  in  the  law  of  God  after  the 
inward  man :"  Eom.  vii.  22.    But  why  after  the  inward  man,  but 
because  though  his  corrupt  part  was  contrary  thereunto,  yet  his 
renewed  part,  which  he  calls  his  inward  man,  was  suited  to  the 
duties  of  the  law  of  God,  and  carried  him  out  as  naturally  to  obe- 
dience as  the  spark  flies  upward  ?    And,  hence  it  is,  that  the 
children  of  God  delight  in  the  ways  of  obedience,  because  they  suit 
with  their  new  nature  that  is  implanted  in  them. 

2.  Another  thing,  that  makes  working  for  salvation  so  delightful 
is,  that  visible  success,  that  the  children  of  God  gain  ;  and  that  visible 
progress,  that  they  make  in  this  work. 

Nothing  doth  usually  cause  greater  delight  in  work,  than  to  see 
some  riddance  in  it :  and  that  we  are  like,  at  length,  to  bring  it  to 
some  issue.  So,  truly,  this  is  that,  which  mightily  delights  the 
children  of  God :  to  see  that  their  work  goes  forward ;  that  their 
graces  thrive ;  that  their  corruptions  pine  and  consume  away ;  that 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


503 


they  are  much  nearer  salvation,  than  when  they  first  believed  ;  that 
they  are  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  every  day 
growing  nearer  unto  heaven  and  happiness  than  other ;  and  that, 
these  works  of  theirs  are  now  imperfect,  yet  they  shall  be  shortly 
finished  and  consummate  in  glory. 

Well,  then,  if  pleasure  and  delight  do  affect  you,  here  you  see 
is  that,  which  is  solid  and  substantial :  it  springs  from  success  in 
your  work,  and  from  that  suitableness  that  is  in  your  renewed  part 
thereunto.  And,  therefore,  the  more  work,  the  greater  delight  you 
find ;  because  the  greater  progress  you  make,  and  the  more  suitable 
to  it  your  will  becomes.  Nay,  your  delight  is  of  the  same  nature 
with  that,  which  you  shall  enjoy  in  heaven.  The  work,  in  which 
the  blessed  are  there  employed,  is  of  the  same  nature  with  yours : 
only,  their  suitableness  to  it  is  perfect,  and  therefore  their  delight 
and  pleasure  are  perfect :  and,  accordingly,  the  more  suitable  your 
hearts  are  to  your  work,  the  more  delight  and  pleasure  you  will 
find  in  it.  This  is  that,  which  makes  heaven  a  place  of  happiness, 
because  there  is  no  corruption,  no  body  of  sin  and  death  there, 
to  make  those  duties,  that  are  there  required  from  glorified  saints, 
to  be  irksome  and  grievous  to  them. 

ii.  Consider  the  exceeding  greatness  of  your  reward. 

"Doth  Job  fear  God  for  nought?"  was  the  cavil  of  Satan,  when 
God  applauded  himself  that  he  had  such  a  servant  as  Job  was  upon 
the  earth.  The  devil  himself  thought  it  no  wonder,  that  Job  should 
fear  and  serve  a  rewarding  God ;  a  God,  whose  hands  are  as  full  of 
blessings,  as  his  mouth  is  full  of  commands.  And,  yet,  what  were 
these  great  somethings,  for  which  the  devil  envies  Job ;  and  thinks 
every  one  would  have  done  as  much  as  he,  if  tbey  had  but  as  great  a 
recompense  for  it  ?  It  was  but  hedging  him  about,  but  blessing 
the  works  of  his  hands,  and  increasing  his  substance ;  as  it  is  in 
Job  i.  10.  Alas !  these  are  poor,  mean  rewards,  to  what  God 
intends  to  bestow :  such  rewards  they  are,  as  that  God  still  reckons 
himself  in  arrears  to  his  children,  till  he  hath  given  them  some- 
thing better  than  he  can  bestow  upon  them  here  upon  earth  :  these 
things  he  casts  but  as  crumbs  unto  dogs  ;  when  he  reserves  a  far 
better  portion  for  his  children.  And  yet  Satan  thinks  Job  well 
paid  for  his  service,  in  having  these  lower  enjoyments,  in  causing 
the  works  of  his  hands  to  prosper :  "  Doth  Job"  serve  "  God  for 
nought  ?"  And,  therefore,  if  Satan  doth  not  wonder  that  Job  fears 
and  serves  God  for  temporal  mercies,  will  it  not  be  to  the  great 
wonder  of  Satan  himself  that  you  should  not  fear  and  serve  God, 


504 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


who  have  infinitely  better  things  promised  to  you  than  temporal 
mercies  are  ?  Do  you  deserve  your  breath,  in  spending  it  some 
few  hours  in  prayer  ?  Or,  do  you  deserve  your  plentiful  estate,  by 
laying  out  some  small  part  of  it  for  God  ?  Why,  to  be  able  to 
think  or  speak,  to  enjoy  health  and  strength,  are  such  mercies, 
though  outward  mercies,  as  can  never  be  recompensed  to  God ; 
although  you  should  think  of  nothing  but  of  his  glory,  and  speak 
of  nothing  but  of  his  praise ;  although  you  should  impair  your 
health  and  waste  your  strength,  and  languish  away  in  the  per- 
formance of  holy  duties.  These,  though  they  are  obligations  to 
obedience,  yet  they  are  not  the  reward  of  obedience :  no ;  far  higher 
and  more  glorious  things  are  provided,  promised,  and  shall  be  con- 
ferred upon  you,  if  you  will  but  work. 

For  there  are,  first,  your  standing  wages ;  and  that  is  eternal 
salvation  ;  no  less.  And,  secondly,  besides  this,  many  special  gifts 
accrue  to  God's  servants,  in  their  performance  of  his  service.  And 
are  not  here  reward  and  wages  enough  ? 

1.  There  is  that  eternal  weight  of  glory,  that  shall  be  the  reward  of 
the  saints  in  heaven. 

This  is  so  great,  that  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  conceive  it.  As 
the  Apostle  speaks :  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of.  man,  the  things  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  1  Cor.  ii.  9. 

If  St.  Paul  were  now  preaching,  and  pressing  this  very  consider- 
ation of  the  infinite,  glorious  reward,  it  would  possibly  be  expected, 
that  he,  who  enjoyed  a  translation,  and  was  admitted  as  a  spy  into 
the  land  of  promise,  should,  at  his  return,  make  some  relation  of 
it,  and  discover  something  of  the  riches  and  glory  of  that  place : 
and  would  not  all  flock  about  him,  as  men  do  about  travelers,  to 
incpiire  for  a  description  of  the  country  whence  they  come  ?  "  Who 
are  the  people  and  inhabitants?  What  are  their  manners  and 
customs  ?  What  is  their  employment  ?  Who  is  their  king,  and 
what  subjection  do  they  yield  unto  him  ?"  Thus  inquisitive,  truly, 
our  curiosity  would  be.  And,  yet,  when  St.  Paul  purposely  relates 
his  voyage  to  the  other  world,  all  that  he  speaks  of  it  is  only  this, 
"  I  knew  a  man....caught  up  into  paradise,  and  who  heard  unspeak- 
able words,  which  it  is  not  lawful  (or  possible.  Marg.)  for  a  man  to 
utter."  2  Cor.  xii.  4. 

The  glory  of  heaven  is  such,  that  it  can  never  be  fully  known, 
till  it  be  fully  enjoyed.  And,  yet,  if  heaven  were  ever  made 
crystally  transparent  to  you,  if  ever  God  opened  you  a  window  into 
it  and  then  opened  the  eye  of  your  faith  to  look  in  by  that  window, 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


505 


think  what  it  was  that  you  there  discovered,  what  inaccessible  light, 
what  cherishing  love,  what  daunting  majesty,  what  infinite  purity, 
what  overloading  joy,  what  insupportable  and  sinking  glory,  what 
rays  and  sparklings  from  crowns  and  sceptres ;  but  more,  from  the 
glances  and  smiles  of  God  upon  the  heavenly  host,  who  forever 
warm  and  sun  themselves  in  his  presence:  and,  when  you  have 
thought  all  this,  then  think  once  again  that  all  your  thoughts  are 
but  shadows  and  glimmerings,  that  there  is  dust  and  ashes  in  the 
eye  of  your  faith  that  makes  all  these  discoveries  come  infinitely 
short  of  the  native  glory  of  these  things ;  and  then  you  may  guess, 
and  guess  somewhat  near  what  heaven  is. 

Nay,  as  God,  by  reason  of  his  infinite  glory,  is  better  known  to 
us  by  negatives,  than  by  affirmatives ;  by  what  he  is  not,  than  by 
what  he  is :  so  is  heaven,  by  reason  of  the  greatness  of  its  glory, 
better  known  to  us  by  what  it  is  not,  than  by  what  it  is :  and  we 
may  best  conceive  of  it,  when  it  is  told  us,  there  is  nothing  there, 
that  may  affright  or  afflict  us ;  nothing,  that  may  grieve  or  trouble 
us ;  nothing,  that  may  molest  or  disquiet  us ;  but  we  shall  have 
the  highest  and  sweetest  delight  and  satisfaction,  that  the  vast  and 
capacious  soul  of  man  can  either  receive  or  imagine.  Are  you  now 
burdened  with  sin  and  corruption ;  those  infirmities,  that  though 
they  are  unavoidable,  yet  make  your  lives  a  burden  to  you  ? 
There,  the  old  man  shall  never  more  molest  you :  that  body  of  sin 
and  death  shall  never  enter  with  you  into  life :  the  motions  of 
sin  shall  forever  cease  in  that  eternal  rest.  Are  you  here  oppressed 
with  sorrows  ?  Do  afflictions  overwhelm  you  ?  There,  God  shall 
kiss  your  swollen  eyes  dry  again,  and  wipe  with  his  own  hands  all 
tears  from  your  face.  Are  you  pestered  here  with  temptations  ;  and 
doth  the  evil  one,  without  intermission,  haunt  you  with  black  and 
hellish  thoughts,  with  dreadful  and  horrible  injections  ?  There, 
you  shall  be  quite  beyond  the  cast  of  all  his  fiery  darts ;  and, 
instead  of  these,  you  shall  have  within  you  an  everdiving  fountain, 
bubbling  up  spiritual  and  sprightly  contemplations  and  holy  rap- 
tures forever,  such  as  you  never  knew  when  you  were  here  upon 
earth,  no  not  when  you  were  in  the  most  spiritual  and  heavenly 
frame.  Are  you  here  clouded  and  cast  down  with  desertions ;  and 
doth  God  sometimes  hide  his  face  from  you  in  displeasure  ?  In 
heaven,  there  shall  be  an  everlasting  sunshine :  God  shall  look 
freely  and  steadfastly  upon  you ;  and  you  shall  no  more  see  him 
"  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face,"  without  any  interruption 
or  obscurity. 

Think,  O  soul,  and  then  think  of  any  thing  else  if  thou  canst 


506 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


"  "What  is  it,  to  see  'the  Father  of  lights'  in  his  own  rays  ?  "What 
is  it,  to  see  'the  Sun  of  Bighteousness'  lie  in  the  bosom  of  'the 
Father  of  lights  ?'  "What  is  it  to  feel  the  eternal  warmth  and  in- 
fluence of  the  Holy  Ghost,  springing  from  both  these  lights  ?  "What 
is  it,  to  converse  with  holy  angels  and  'the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect ;'  to  join  with  them  in  singing  the  same  hallelujahs 
forever  ?"  And,  when  you  have  thought  all  this,  think  once  more, 
"  Heaven  is  all  this,  and  more  also." 

"Well,  then,  since  heaven  is  such,  and  since  such  a  heaven  as 
this  is  may  be  yours,  what  should  I  say  more,  but  only,  with  the 
Apostle,  "  Having  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,"  promises  of  so 
certain  and  vast  a  glory  as  this  is,  "  let  us  cleanse"  and  purify  "  our- 
selves from  all  filthiness"  and  pollution,  both  "of  the  flesh  and 
spirit,"  and  perfect  "  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God  ?"  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 
Is  this  heaven  attainable,  upon  your  working  ?  "Will  God  give  it  as 
wages,  after  working  ?  "Will  he  share  stars,  will  he  share  himself 
and  his  Christ  among  you?  Truly,  methinks  Christians  should 
not  have  patience  to  hear  any  more :  methinks,  it  is  too  much 
dullness,  to  endure  another  motive  besides  this.  Why  do  you  not 
interrupt  me,  then  ?  "Why  do  you  not  cry  out,  "  "What  shall  we 
do  that  we  may  work  the  works  of  God?"  "Why  do  you  not  say  and 
pray,  Lord,  work  in  us,  "  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  thy  good  plea- 
sure ?"  Why  is  there  not  such  a  holy  tumult  and  disturbance 
among  you ;  some  questioning,  some  praying,  some  resolving,  all 
some  way  or  other  testifying  a  sense  of  salvation  upon  you  ?  But, 
alas !  there  is  a  general  silence.  Men  and  women  sit  as  quiet  in 
their  seats,  as  if  their  seats  were  filled  rather  with  monuments  than 
with  men ;  as  if  heaven  and  eternal  salvation  were  of  no  concern- 
ment for  them  to  look  after.  And  wherefore  is  all  this,  but  because 
their  sight  is  short  and  their  faith  weak  ?  They  do  not  see  afar  off, 
nor  believe  afar  off.  Heaven  they  look  upon  as  at  a  great  distance, 
and  very  unwilling  they  are  to  go  so  long  upon  trust ;  and,  sensual 
persons  as  they  are,  they  look  for  present  reward  and  present 
wages,  and  will  not  stir  till  they  have  received  it.  And  this  is  the 
reason,  why  the  consideration  of  this  great  and  infinite  glory  affects 
men  no  more,  they  look  for  something  present. 

"Well,  be  it  so.  "Will  God's  work  bring  in  no  present  profit  ?  It 
will ;  and  that,  such  as  you  yourselves  shall  acknowledge  to  be 
great.    And,  therefore, 

2.  Besides  those  set  wages,  that  are  to  be  received  at  the  end  of 
our  lives,  there  are  many  special  gifts,  that  accrue  to  God's  servants  in 
the  performance  of  their  work.  As, 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  507 

(1)  Such  are  assured,  that  God  will  provide  for  them  while  they 
are  doing  his  work. 

He  hath  assured  them  of  the  mercies  and  good  things  of  this 
life  by  promise.  I  do  not  say  of  the  troublesome  abundance  of 
them ;  but  of  the  enjoyment  of  them,  so  far  forth  as  they  are  mer- 
cies and  good  things  :  "  Godliness,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  is  profitable 
unto  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come :"  1  Tim.  iv.  8.  It  hath  the  promise  of  this  life; 
and  that  is  a  large  charter,  by  virtue  whereof  God  feeds  them  and 
clothes  them,  and  provides  sustenance  and  comfortable  enjoyments 
for  all  those  that  work  in  his  service.  And,  therefore,  that  I  may 
note  it  by  the  way,  most  men  greatly  mistake,  that  labor  and  toil 
in  the  world  to  get  riches  and  great  estates :  this  is  not  the  right 
thriving  course :  if  you  would  grow  rich,  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  his  righteousness  :"  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation :" 
labor  for  the  true  riches ;  and  this  will  not  only  increase  and 
improve  your  inward  graces,  but  increase  and  improve  your  out- 
ward mercies  also.  It  is  true,  indeed,  earthworms  may,  by  carking 
and  caring,  by  pinching  and  drudging,  increase  their  heap  of  dirt : 
but,  let  who  will,  for  my  part  I  will  not  nor  cannot,  call  that  man 
a  rich  man,  that  hath  more  curses  than  enjoyments.  "Well,  thus  we 
see  what  great  rewards  God  gives  his  servants :  he  gives  them 
not  only  those  of  another  life,  but  those  of  this  life  so  far  as  they 
are  mercies. 

(2)  As  God  provides  for  his  servants  while  they  are  working, 
so  their  very  work  is  wages  and  reward  enough  for  itself. 

If  God  should  only  give  us  our  labor  for  our  pains,  as  we  use 
to  say,  and  never  bestow  a  penny  more  upon  us  than  what  we  get 
in  his  service,  we  were  even  in  that  sufficiently  rewarded.  It  was, 
certainly,  a  violent  pang  of  distempered  zeal  in  that  person,  that 
carried  fire  in  the  one  hand  and  water  in  the  other ;  and,  being 
demanded  a  reason  of  it,  gave  for  answer,  that  he  would  burn  up 
Paradise  and  quench  hell-fire,  that  so  God  might  be  served  and 
holiness  embraced,  upon  no  other  motives  than  themselves.  This 
was  a  violent  pang,  and  cannot  be  allowed:  this  fire  was  strange 
fire,  and  this  water  was  too  much  muddied  to  be  water  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. But  yet,  certainly,  that  man,  who,  abstracting  from  the 
consideration  of  heaven  and  hell  eternal  rewards  and  punishments, 
would  not  rather  choose  the  works  of  God  and  the  ways  of  holi- 
ness, than  the  works  of  sin  and  the  ways  of  iniquity,  let  that  man 
know  he  never  yet  had  much  acquaintance  with  that  way  and  with 
that  work.   What  says  holy  David,  concerning  the  commandments 


508 


PKACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


of  God  ?  "  In  keeping  of  them  there  is  great  reward  :*'  not  only 
after  keeping  them,  when  those  commands,  that  have  here  been  the 
rule  of  our  holiness  and  obedience,  shall  in  heaven  become  the 
measure  of  our  reward  and  happiness :  but,  "  in"  the  very  "  keep- 
ing of  them,"  while  we  are  observing  and  obeying,  there  is  so 
great  a  reward,  that  we  should  have  no  cause  to  complain  should 
God  bestow  no  more  upon  us,  than  to  suffer  us  to  obey  his  law. 
For, 

[1]  Herein  we  maintain  communion  with  God  and  Christ 
through  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"What  is  communion,  but  a  mutual  intercourse  of  grace  and 
dutv ;  when  grace  received  reflects  back  again  in  the  returns  of 
dutv  ?  Then  is  communion  maintained  between  God  and  the  soul, 
when  we  return  duty  for  grace.  Now  is  this  nothing,  to  enjoy 
fellowship  and  communion  with  the  great  God  of  heaven  and 
earth ;  to  be  admitted  to  him ;  to  walk  and  converse  familiarly 
with  him,  and  to  enjoy  him ;  to  see  him,  who  is  invisible  ;  to  lean 
upon  him,  who  is  almighty  ;  to  enjoy  him,  who  is  infinite  ?  Is  all 
this  nothing  ?  "Will  not  the  souls  of  those,  who  have  by  expe- 
rience tasted  the  sweetness  of  these  things,  cry  out,  "  They  are  so 
excellent  and  transcendent,  that  there  is  but  one  thing  more  desi- 
rable, and  that  is  immediate  enjoyment  ?"  "What  is  heaven  itself 
but  communion  with  God  at  a  nearer  hand  ?  Here  it  is  by  faith , 
there,  by  vision :  here,  by  ordinances ;  there,  by  immediate  in- 
fluences :  here,  it  is  by  duty ;  there,  by  union.  And,  therefore,  if 
the  consideration  of  a  future  heaven  be  not  cogent  and  prevailing 
with  you,  behold  here  is  a  heaven  at  present :  here  is  happiness 
for  your  work,  as  well  as  for  your  reward.  It  was  nobly  spoken 
by  Carriciolus :  "  Cursed,"  says  he,  "  be  that  man,  who  preferreth 
the  whole  world  before  one  hour's  communion  with  Jesus  Christ.'' 
And,  certainly,  they,  who  have  once  tasted  the  sweetness  of  this 
communion,  will  subscribe  to  that  anathema. 

[2]  Usually,  great  peace  and  tranquillity  of  conscience  attend 
and  accompany  this  work  of  salvation;  that  fill  the  soul  with  as 
great  a  calm,  as  the  world  had  the  first  morning  of  its  creation, 
when  there  was  no  wind  or  tempest  to  discompose  it. 

Never  is  the  soul  more  at  rest,  than  when  it  is  most  at  work.  I 
dare  appeal  to  the  experience  of  the  people  of  God,  in  this  case. 
Do  not  your  most  solemn  feasts  come  in  by  your  obedience  ?  Doth 
ever  conscience  look  so  friendly  and  pleasantly  upon  you,  as  when 
it  finds  you  active  in  the  ways  of  God  ?  it  then  wears  not  a 
wrinkle  nor  frown  upon  its  face :  as  sin  ruffles  it,  so  duty  smooths 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN    SALVATION.  509 

it  out  again ;  and  this  causeth  such  peace  and  quietness  in  the  in- 
ward man,  and  yields  more  satisfaction  than  all  the  noise  and 
ruffling  gallantry  and  jollity  in  the  world.  "  Our  rejoicing  is  this, 
the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that,  in  simplicity  and  godly  sin- 
cerity....we  have  had  our  conversation  in  the  world :"  2  Cor.  i.  12. 
So  that,  if  men  care  not  for  the  enjoyment  of  God,  yet  if  they  love 
the  enjoyment  of  themselves,  if  they  would  avoid  discords  and  civil 
wars  in  their  own  breasts,  this  were  enough  to  excite  them  to  this 
pacifying  work,  that  atones  and  reconciles  conscience  unto  them- 
selves. 

[3]  In  this  working  for  salvation,  God  gives  many  evident  tes- 
timonies of  his  special  favor  and  acceptance,  unto  the  souls  of  his 
servants. 

"Thou  meetest  him,"  says  the  prophet,  "that  rejoiceth  and 
worketh  righteousness."  "  Thou  meetest  him  :"  how  ?  not  to  con- 
tend with  him,  as  with  Jacob ;  not  to  slay  him,  as  thou  didst  Ba- 
laam :  but  to  embrace  him ;  to  reveal  and  manifest  thyself  unto 
him.  If  you  have  any  comfortable  evidences  that  God  is  yours, 
in  a  strict  bond  of  an  everlasting  and  unalterable  covenant,  and 
that  you  are  accepted  by  him  in  the  Beloved,  examine  how  you 
attained  to  this  evidence :  was  it  not  through  obedience  and  work- 
ing? This  is  the  way,  whereby  God  manifests  himself  unto  the 
souls  of  his :  and,  should  your  comfortable  persuasions  not  come 
in  thus  by  obedience  and  working,  they  are  but  enthusiastic  and 
groundless  presumptions,  and  not  true  and  divine  assurance.  The 
Apostle,  in  2  Pet.  i.  10,  exhorts  us,  to  make  our  "calling  and 
election  sure:"  but  how  is  that  to  be  done?  It  is  by  giving  "dili- 
gence." What  is  it  men  desire  and  wish  for,  next  to  heaven?  Is  it 
not  assurance  of  it?  Would  you  not  have  the  terrors  and  torments 
of  conscience,  apprehending  and  anticipating  your  own  condemna- 
tion, eased  and  removed  ?  Would  you  not  have  the  unquiet  tossings 
and  fluctuations  of  your  minds,  because  of  the  uncertainty  of  your 
future  state  and  condition,  settled  and  confirmed?  Then  be  per- 
suaded to  work :  believe  it,  this  evidence  is  never  received  in  any 
other  way  than  in  a  way  of  duty  :  God  will  not  hold  his  light  of 
assurance  to  them,  who  will  not  work  the  works  of  obedience. 

[4]  Those,  that  are  diligent  in  working  for  salvation,  many 
times  have  high  spring-tides  of  joy :  joy,  that  is  unspeakable  and 
glorious,  that  rusheth  in  upon  the  soul  and  ravisheth  it  with  a 
sweet  and  potent  delight,  while  it  is  in  ways  of  obedience. 

Now  this,  though  it  be  not  ordinary  with  every  Christian,  yet 
God  sometimes  vouchsafes  it,  especially  to  the  most  laborious  work- 


510 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


ing  Christians;  as  a  cordial  to  revive  and  quicken  them,  that  they 
should  not  faint  and  grow  weary  in  their  work.  He  gives  them, 
many  times,  such  foretastes  of  future  glory,  such  bright  glimpses 
of  himself  passing  before  them,  that  they  scarce  know  wherein 
their  state  differs  from  the  state  of  the  glorified ;  unless  it  be  that 
it  is  shorter  in  the  duration,  lasting  not  so  long  as  theirs. 

Should  you,  then,  be  asked,  as  they  were  in  the  parable,  "  "Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ?"  you  could  not  return  the  same 
answer  as  they  did,  "  because  no  man  hath  hired  us :"  for  God  hath 
hired  you ;  and  that,  at  no  less  a  rate  than  all  these  great  and  glo- 
rious things  that  have  been  propounded  to  you  do  amount  unto: 
a  glorious  heaven ;  a  blessed  work,  that  is  accompanied  with  com- 
munion with  God,  peace  of  conscience,  assurance  of  divine  favor 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  And,  if  all  this  will  not  persuade 
you,  certainly  you  set  a  mighty  price  upon  your  own  sloth.  Only 
let  me  say  this,  beware  that  these  souls  of  yours,  that  you  will  not 
part  with  to  God  for  salvation,  beware  you  do  not  sell  them  to  the 
devil  for  nothing. 

(3)  Consider  your  encouragements  after  your  work  is  done : 
there  is  an  eternal  rest  that  waits  you. 

I  have  already  considered  heaven,  as  a  reward  for  working:  let 
us  now  consider  it,  as  a  rest  after  working.  And  so  the  Apostle 
tells  us,  "  there  remaineth  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God :"  Heb.  iv. 
9  :  and,  in  Eev.  xiv.  13,  we  read,  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die 
in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  for  they  rest 
from  their  labors ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

[1]  They  rest  from  their  labor,  in  working  under  affliction. 

Sometimes,  afflictions  are  spurs  and  incentives ;  and,  sometimes, 
they  are  burdens  and  discouragements,  to  obedience.  But,  when 
we  arrive  at  heaven,  we  shall  no  longer  need  the  spur  to  quicken 
us :  nor  shall  we  any  longer  bear  that  burden  to  oppress  us ;  but 
shall  cast  it  down  at  heaven's  gate,  where  never  sorrow  nor  suffer- 
ing durst  yet  appear.  And, 

[2]  In  heaven  you  shall  rest  from  your  labor,  in  working  under 
desertion. 

Now,  though  you  do  work ;  yet,  it  may  be,  you  apprehend  God 
frowning  upon  you,  and  finding  fault  with  all  that  you  do.  Now, 
it  may  be,  though  God  doth  cause  the  clear  light  of  his  precepts 
and  Spirit  to  shine  before  you,  to  direct  you  what  your  work  is 
that  you  should  do  ;  yet  he  makes  it  dismal  darkness  behind  you, 
and  shuts  up  the  light  of  his  comfort  that  you  cannot  see  what 
work  you  have  done.    And  this  is  your  great  trouble :  you  work 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


511 


and  labor,  and  yet  you  know  not  whether  you  shall  be  accepted : 
"  Obedience  were  easy  and  pleasant  work,"  says  the  soul,  "  if  I 
knew  that  God  did  regard  me :  but,  alas !  I  pray,  and  he  shuts  out 
my  prayer  from  him  :  I  lay  hold  upon  him,  but  he  shakes  me  off 
in  displeasure:  I  obey,  but  he  rejects  all  my  services:  and  this  is 
the  anguish  and  torture  of  my  life."  This,  indeed,  is  matter  of 
great  grief  and  trouble.  But  know,  0  soul,  thou  shalt  not  long 
work  thus  in  the  dark  :  shortly,  thou  shalt  be  above  these  clouds  ; 
and  then  thou  shalt  see,  that  those  prayers,  which  thou  thoughtest 
were  vainly  scattered  and  lost  in  the  air,  are  become  a  cloud  of 
sweet  incense  hovering  before  the  throne  of  God :  and  that  those 
tears,  which  thou  thoughtest  were  dropped  in  vain  upon  the  earth, 
are  all  gathered  up  and  preserved  in  God's  bottle :  and  that  those 
poor  duties  of  thine,  which,  for  their  own  meanness  and  vileness, 
thou  thoughtest  God  would  scorn,  yet,  through  that  worth  that  is 
put  upon  them  by  the  intercession  of  Christ,  are  ranked  in  the 
same  degree  of  acceptance  as  the  most  perfect  services  of  the 
angels  themselves.  Have  but  patience  a  while,  and  continue  work- 
ing, and  thou  shalt  see  a  happy  issue ;  when  the  clouds  of  darkness 
and  desertion,  that  now  lie  upon  thy  spirit,  shall  be  all  scattered 
and  blown  away. 

[3]  You  shall  also  rest  from  your  labor,  in  working  against  the 
continual  workings  of  your  own  corruptions ;  which  shall  then,  at 
once,  both  cease  to  act  and  cease  to  be. 

And  this,  indeed,  is  the  great  thing,  that  makes  it  such  a  blessed 
rest  to  the  people  of  God.  Indeed,  God  cuts  you  out  your  work,  in 
his  commands ;  but  it  is  the  old  man  within  you,  that  makes  it  to 
be  tedious,  irksome,  and  difficult  unto  you.  God  makes  it  not  so, 
but  your  corruption. 

And  this  it  doth,  two  ways : 

By  deadening  your  heart  to  it :  and, 

By  turning  your  heart  against  it. 

Deadness  and  dullness  to  and  averseness  from  the  ways  of  holy 
obedience,  are  the  greatest  cause  of  all  that  toil  and  pains,  that  most 
take  in  the  work  and  service  of  God,  if  ever  they  will  bring  it  to 
a  good  issue. 

Now  both  these  shall  shortly  cease  and  be  removed,  if  you  but 
wait  and  continue  striving  against  them. 

1st.  You  shall  rest  from  all  that  labor,  that  you  take  with  a  dead 
and  heavy  heart  in  the  ways  of  God. 

Now,  you  are  continually  calling  upon  it,  "Awake,  awake,  my 
glory :"  now,  you  are  continually  tugging  it,  to  get  it  a  little  more 


512 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 


forward ;  lifting  it  up,  to  get  it  a  little  higher  towards  God  and 
heaven :  now,  you  stand  in  need  of  continual  quickening  grace,  to 
actuate  and  excite  those  lumps  of  lead,  that  lie  heavy  within  your 
breasts :  and  it  is  the  greatest  disquietude  of  your  lives,  that  you 
find  your  hearts  so  heartless  and  listless  to  what  is  holy  and  spirit- 
ual :  it  is  with  them,  as  with  some  great  bells,  that  you  must  pull 
long  at  the  rope  before  you  can  make  them  sound.  Is  not  this  the 
daily  complaint  of  God's  children,  that  their  hearts  are  dull  and 
heavy,  and  they  cannot  raise  them  ?  And  this  makes  the  ways  of 
obedience,  yea  this  makes  their  very  lives,  become  burdensome. 
Well,  have  but  patience  for  a  while,  and  continue  still  to  struggle 
against  this  sad  indisposition,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  you 
shall  rest  from  this  labor  also.  Though  now  you  are  as  birds, 
whose  bodies  are  too  heavy  for  their  wings ;  when  you  stretch 
them  forth,  and  would  fain  be  soaring  to  heaven,  you  can  only  run 
up  and  down  and  flutter  upon  the  earth :  yet,  shortly,  these  heavy 
and  gross  bodies  shall  fall  off,  and  you  shall  be  all  wing ;  free  from 
all  deadness  and  straitness,  distraction  and  weariness,  in  the  ways 
of  God,  that  now  afflict  you.  Then  shall  your  affections  be  always 
intent,  and  not  languish ;  always  burning,  and  yet  shall  never  waste 
nor  consume.  Every  motion  of  your  soul  shall  then  shoot  itself  to 
God  as  quick  as  the  lightning,  and  yet  constant  as  the  sunbeams. 
And  those,  who  are  now  outstripped  by  weak  and  underling  Chris- 
tians, shall  then  be  able  to  keep  pace  in  their  obedience,  even  with 
the  holy  angels  themselves.    And,  then, 

2dly.  In  heaven,  there  shall  be  a  resting  from  all  that  labor,  that 
the  people  of  God  now  take  in  the  ways  of  holy  obedience ;  through 
the  averseness  of  their  hearts  from  them,  and  the  opposition  of  their 
hearts  against  them. 

There  is  that  contradiction  in  the  carnal  part  against  what  is  holy 
and  spiritual,  that  the  godly  cannot  bring  themselves  to  the  per- 
formance of  it  without  much  strife  and  contention:  "the  flesh 
lusteth  against  the  Spirit :"  and,  when  the  spiritual  part  calleth  for 
holy  thoughts  and  heavenly  affections,  the  corrupt  and  fleshy  part 
sends  forth  noisome  and  fetid  vapors  ;  obstructing  the  good  that 
we  would  do,  and  infecting  that  little  good  that  we  do  perform :  so 
that,  as  if  working  were  not  a  sufficient  employment,  a  Christian 
must  fight  that  he  may  work :  and  this  is  it,  that  makes  working 
for  salvation  so  laborious,  because  we  must  fight  and  work  at  once. 
But,  it  shall  not  be  long,  before  that,  which  hinders,  shall  be  re- 
moved :  and,  then,  as  you  are  not  under  a  sad  necessity  of  offending 
God,  so  also  you  shall  be  under  a  most  blessed  necessity  of  serving 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  513 

God  ;  and  shall  find  no  more  trouble  in  that  service,  than  in  those 
actions  which  you  now  cannot  but  do.  And  thus  shall  you  have 
a  happy  rest  from  all  that  labor  and  pains,  that  your  corruptions 
here  made  you  take.  And,  therefore,  be  encouraged  to  persevere 
in  well-doing :  perfect  the  work  which  you  have  undertaken,  in 
spite  of  all  opposition  from  your  own  corrupt  hearts ;  for,  assure 
yourselves,  this  troublesome  inmate  shall  not  long  disquiet  you. 
I  might  also  add, 

[4]  You  shall  then  rest  from  your  labor,  in  working  against 
Satan's  temptations ;  who  is  now  buffeting  you,  while  you  are  here 
upon  earth  ;  but,  in  heaven,  the  evil  one  shall  not  approach  near  to 
touch  you. 

There,  you  shall  no  more  trouble  yourselves,  to  know  how  to 
distinguish  between  the  injections  of  Satan  and  the  ebullitions  of 
your  own  corruptions ;  for  you  shall  know  neither,  there.  You 
shall  then  stand  no  more  on  your  own  guard,  and  keep  sentinel 
to  your  own  soul ;  nor  conflict  with  any  of  Satan's  temptations : 
but  shall  forever  triumph  in  victories  and  conquests  over  them. 

This  is  that  blessed  rest,  that  you  shall  shortly  possess,  if  you 
will  but  now  work.  And  what  is  it,  that  comforts  the  painful 
laborer,  but  this,  that,  though  his  work  be  hard  and  difficult,  yet 
the  evening  will  soon  shut  in,  and  he  shall  then  betake  himself  to 
quiet  rest  and  repose  ?  What  is  it,  that  comforts  the  weary  traveller, 
but  this  :  every  step  of  his  long  way  brings  him  nearer  to  his  home, 
where  he  shall  enjoy  a  longer  rest?  And  shall  not  the  same  en- 
courage and  support  you,  in  your  way  and  work  ?  What  though 
the  work  be  painful  and  laborious :  yet,  it  will  not  be  long,  before 
you  shall  lie  down  in  the  bed  of  the  grave  ;  and  sweetly  sleep  away 
a  short  night  of  oblivion,  that  is  between  this  and  the  resurrection ; 
and  your  tired  and  weary  souls  shall  then  repose  in  the  bosom  of 
God  himself.  What  though  the  way  be  long  and  tedious  to  the 
flesh  :  yet,  you  are  traveling  to  your  father's  house,  where  you  are 
sure  to  be  welcome ;  and  where  you  shall  enjoy  an  eternity  of  rest 
and  repose ;  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  the  whole  ring  of  glorious  saints,  discoursing  to  them  of  the 
dangers  and  difficulties  that  you  have  passed  through  in  getting  to 
them.  Doth  it  not  sweeten  the  toil  and  pains  that  you  take  in  your 
youth, -to  think  that  thereby  you  are  laying  up  that,  whereupon  you 
may  live  at  ease  hereafter,  and  spare  the  weakness  of  old  age  ?  And 
is  it  not  much  more  rational,  that,  while  you  are  m  this  world,  which 
may  be  called  the  youth  of  eternity,  you  should  lay  up  a  good 
Vol.  II.— 33 


514 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


foundation ;  and  treasure  up  a  large,  rich  stock,  upon  which  you 
might  live  at  ease  forever  ?  "Why  should  you  not  be  as  wise  and 
politic  for  heaven,  as  for  a  little  of  the  perishing  things  of  this 
world  ?  "Will  you  labor  that  you  may  rest  here,  where  your  rest 
shall  certainly  be  disquieted  and  you  shaken  out  of  it  ?  And  will 
you  not  labor  that  you  may  rest  in  heaven,  where  alone  you  can 
enjoy  an  everlasting  rest  ? 

I  know  it  is  that  inveterate  prejudice,  which  men  have  taken  up 
against  the  ways  of  God,  that  they  are  painful  and  laborious,  that 
invalidates  all  reasons  and  arguments  which  we  bring  to  persuade 
them  to  work.  Rest !  that  is  it,  which  they  would  have :  and,  though 
God  tells  them  they  shall  have  an  eternal  rest,  if  they  will  but  work 
awhile ;  and  tells  them,  on  the  other  hand,  that  they  shall  never 
enter  into  rest  if  they  do  not  work,  that  they  shall  never  enjoy  more 
ease  than  what  they  can  find  in  hell  itself  where  their  groans  and 
bellowings  together  with  the  smoke  of  that  bottomless  pit  shall 
ascend  up  forever :  yet,  such  is"  the  madness  of  men's  folly,  that 
neither  the  rest  of  heaven  nor  the  restlessness  of  hell  can  stir  or 
move  them ;  but  they  roll  themselves  up  in  their  own  sloth,  and 
will  hear  nothing,  nor  lay  any  thing  to  heart,  that  may  rouse  or 
awaken  them.  Hath  not  God  often  called  upon  them  hy  his  min- 
isters ;  "  Sinners,  sinners,  awake :  bestir  yourselves :  hell-fire  is 
kindling  about  you :  God  is  ready  to  open  his  mouth,  to  pronounce 
sentence  against  you :  Satan  is  ready  to  lay  hold  of  you,  and' to  drag 
you  to  be  tormented  ?"  One  would  think  such  warnings  as  these  are, 
should  awaken  the  dead  over  which  you  sit  were  they  not  in  their 
final  state :  and  yet,  with  you,  whose  souls  are  yet  in  their  bodies, 
but  know  not  how  soon  they  may  be  in  hell,  who  among  you  are 
moved  with  all  that  hath  been  said  or  can  be  said  of  this  matter  ? 
Kay,  are  you  not  like  sleepy  men'  when  jogged,  ready  to  grow 
pettish  and  to  quarrel  with  us  ?  "  Why  do  you  molest  us  ?  Why 
do  you  envy  us  our  rest  ?  Why  do  you  disturb  our  peace,  and  will 
not  let  us  alone  ?"  Shall  I  say  to  you  now,  as  once  our  Saviour 
said  to  his  disciples  :  Mat.  xxvi.  45  ;  "  Sleep  on,  and  take  your  rest :" 
sleep  on,  and  nod  yourselves  into  destruction :  sleep  on,  and  never 
wake  more  till  the  flames  of  hell  awaken  you  ?  Truly,  we  come 
not  to  disturb  your  rest :  but  we  come  to  inform  and  guide  you  to 
a  better  rest,  than  what  you  can  find  here,  even  an  eternal  rest ;  a 
rest  with  him,  that  is  immortal ;  a  rest  with  him,  who  alone  is  un- 
changeable. And  is  not  this  rest  worth  a  little  pains  and  struggling 
to  obtain?  Do  you  think  you  are  always  to  believe  aud  to  repent 
always  to  obey  and  mortify  your  corruptions  ?    You  cannot  think 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


515 


so,  unless  you  think  you  are  always  to  live  in  this  world.  No :  a 
rest  remains  for  the  people  of  God,  after  a  few  short  days  be  gone. 
It  is  not,  therefore,  your  ease,  that  you  seek,  when  you  will  not 
work:  no:  it  is  rather  your  pain  and  eternal  torment,  which  shall 
certainly  then  be  given  unto  all  slothful  persons,  when  the  indus- 
trious and  painful  Christian,  that  labors  and  works  for  salvation, 
shall  be  admitted  into  the  eternal  rest  after  which  he  is  aspiring, 
and  hath  already  embraced  in  his  hope  and  faith. 

(4)  As,  in  heaven,  there  is  an  eternal  rest ;  so  also,  in  heaven, 
there  is  an  eternal  work  to  be  done. 

And  therefore  you  should  inure  yourselves  to  that  work,  while 
you  are  here  upon  earth.  If  happiness,  according  to  the  philoso- 
pher's notion,  consists  in  activity ;  then  in  heaven,  where  there  is 
the  most  perfect  happiness,  there  must  needs  be  the  most  perfect 
activity.  And,  therefore,  whatever  hath  been  spoken  of  rest  that 
remains,  yet  you  are  not  so  to  conceive  of  it,  as  possibly  some  gross 
enough  are  apt  to  wish  and  fancy  to  themselves,  as  if  in  heaven  the 
blessed  were  inactive  and  enjoyed  there  only  a  long  vacation,  and 
only  stretched  themselves  on  that  flowery  bank,  and  so  void  of 
cares  and  fears  lulled  away  an  eternity  :  no ;  these  are  too  low  and 
brutish  apprehensions  for  the  glory  ofthat  place.  That  rest,  that  is 
there  to  be  expected  and  enjoyed,  is  operative,  working  rest :  it  is 
both  rest  and  exercise,  at  once ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  a  true  paradox, 
though  the  saints  in  heaven  rest  from  their  labors,  yet  they  never 
rest  from  their  working :  continually  are  they  blessing  and  praising 
God ;  ascribing  glory,  and  honor,  and  power  to  him  that  sits  upon 
the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  forevermore :  always  are  they  behold- 
ing, admiring,  and  adoring  God,  and  burning  in  love  to  each  other, 
and  mutually  rejoicing  in  God  and  in  one  another.  And  this  is 
the  work  of  that  eternal  rest ;  a  work  never  to  be  intermitted,  nor 
to  cease. 

And,  therefore,  it  is  worth  our  observing,  that  both  those  places, 
that  do  chiefly  speak  of  the  future  rest  of  the  people  of  God,  do 
also  intimate  a  work  in  that  rest. 

So  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews  tells  us,  "  There  remaineth  a  rest 
for  the  people  of  God :"  Heb.  iv.  9.  The  word  is,  "  There  remaineth 
a  Sabbath  for  the  people  of  God."  Look  how  you  are  to  be  em- 
ployed on  a  Sabbath:  such  shall  be  your  employment  in  your 
eternal  rest.  Is  it  not  your  work  upon  a  Sabbath-day,  to  raise 
your  thoughts  and  affections  to  heaven,  to  fix  and  terminate  them 
upon  God,  to  maintain  communion  with  him,  to  admire  him  in  all 
his  works  both  of  grace  and  providence,  to  stir  up  your  own  hearts, 


516 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


and  to  quicken  the  hearts  of  others  to  praise  and  adore  him  ?  Why 
this  shall  be  the  work  of  your  eternal  Sabbath.  And,  when  you 
are  at  any  time  lifted  up  to  a  more  than  ordinary  spirituality  in 
these  things,  then  may  you  give  some  guess  what  your  work  shall 
be  in  heaven,  and  what  the  frame  of  your  hearts  shall  be  in  your 
eternal  rest. 

And  so  that  other  place,  in  the  Revelation :  "  Blessed  are  the  dead 

which  die  in  the  Lord  for  they  rest  from  their  labors;  and  their 

works  do  follow  them :"  Rev.  xiv.  13 ;  which  may  be  meant,  not 
only  of  the  reward  of  their  works,  that  they  shall  then  receive ; 
but  of  the  works  themselves,  that  here  they  performed  on  earth : 
these  shall  follow  them,  and  enter  into  heaven  with  them  ;  and,  as 
they  were  done  by  them  weakly  and  imperfectly  here,  so  there  the 
very  same  works  shall  be  done  by  them  with  absolute  and  consum- 
mate perfection :  all  those  works,  I  mean,  that,  for  the  matter  and 
substance  of  them,  do  not  imply  a  sinful  state  and  condition. 

Now,  then,  since  you  must  be  employed  in  such  a  work  as  this 
is  to  eternity,  why  do  you  not  accustom  yourselves  to  it  while  you 
are  here?  The  Apostle  writing  to  the  Colossians,  blesseth  God, 
who  had  made  them  "  meet  to  be  made  partakers  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light :"  Col.  i.  12.  "Were  it  a  meet  thing,  that  those, 
who  spend  their  whole  time  in  sin,  should  be  abruptly  snatched  up 
into  heaven,  to  spend  an  eternity  there  in  holiness  ?  And  therefore 
God  accustoms  those,  whom  he  saves  in  an  ordinary  way  and  man- 
ner, to  work  those  works  here  on  earth,  that  they  are  to  be  employed 
in  hereafter  in  heaven.  Here  they  are  apprentices,  as  it  were ;  that 
they  may  learn  the  trade  of  holiness :  that,  when  that  time  comes, 
they  may  become  fit  citizens  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  Here,  God  is 
trying  their  eyes  with  more  qualified  and  allayed  discoveries  of 
himself :  that,  when  they  come  to  view  him  face  to  face,  they  may 
be  able  to  bear  the  exceeding  brightness  of  his  glory.  And,  there- 
fore, though  you  profess  heaven  to  be  your  country,  and  that  you 
are  "  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth ;"  yet,  say  not  with  the 
captive  Jews,  "  How  shall  we  sing  the  song  of  Sion  in  a  strange 
land  ?"  Ps.  cxxxvii.  4.  Yes :  you  must  accustom  yourselves  to  that 
song :  you  must  mold  and  warble  it  here  on  earth  :  that  you  may 
be  perfect  in  it,  when  you  come  to  join  with  saints  and  angels  in 
their  eternal  hallelujahs.  You  must  try  your  eyes,  by  seeing  God; 
and  your  voices,  by  singing  that  song,  which  you  must  continually 
sing  in  heaven.  And,  were  it  only  for  this  disposing  and  fitting 
yourselves  for  the  work  of  heaven,  this  were  motive  enough  to 
persuade  to  begin  it  now. 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION.  517 

(5)  Another  encouraging  consideration,  to  persuade  you  to  work 
out  your  own  salvation,  is  this :  as  your  work  is  great,  so  the 
helps  and  assistances,  that  God  gives  for  the  performance  of  this 
work,  are  many. 

So  that  your  work  is  not  greater  than  your  aids  :  nor  is  it  more 
difficult,  than  they  are  potent.  And,  therefore,  though  you  are 
weak  in  yourselves ;  and  so  weak,  that,  were  you  left  to  your  own 
strength,  you  would  faint  in  the  most  easy  service ;  yea,  the  weight 
but  of  one  holy  thought  would  sink  you,  for  "  we  are  not  sufficient," 
says  the  Apostle,  as  "  of  ourselves  to  think  any"  good  "  thing :"  yet, 
when  we  consider  these  mighty  auxiliaries,  that  are  afforded  and 
promised ;  as  comfort  when  we  droop,  support  when  we  are  weak, 
that  we  shall  rise  when  we  fall,  recruits  when  we  are  worsted, 
omnipotence  to  supply  our  impotence,  all-sufficiency  to  make  up 
our  defects :  when  we  consider  these  things,  then  may  we  trium- 
phantly say,  with  the  Apostle,  "  When  we  are  weak,  then  are  we 
strong :"  and  though  of  ourselves  we  are  nothing,  and  therefore  can 
do  nothing ;  yet,  through  these  mighty  assistances,  we  are  able  to 
do  all  things. 

I  shall  rank  these  auxiliary  forces  into  two  bands.  Some  are 
external :  others  are  internal. 

[1]  External  helps  are  various.    I  shall  only  instance  in  three. 

1st.  You  have  the  exciting  examples  of  others,  who  have  already 
happily  gone  through  this  work. 

You  are  not  commanded  that,  which  never  yet  was  imposed 
upon  any  of  the  sons  of  men ;  nor  that,  which  whoever  undertook, 
he  failed  in  the  performance,  and  sunk  under  the  burden  of  it. 
No :  there  are  hundreds  and  thousands  gone  before  you,  from  whom 
God  required  as  much  as  he  doth  from  you ;  and  these  have  de- 
monstrated, that  the  work  is  possible,  and  the  reward  certain. 
And,  therefore,  as  Israel  followed  the  cloud  for  their  conduct  iDto 
the  land  of  Canaan :  so  may  you  be  led  into  a  land  of  better  pro- 
mise, by  "  a  cloud  of  witnesses,"  of  those,  who  have  already  passed 
through  the  same  faith,  patience,  and  obedience,  wherein  you  are 
to  follow  them. 

It  is  superstition  heightened  to  idolatry,  to  make  use  of  the 
departed  saints,  as  substituted  mediators  and  under-advocates  with 
Christ,  that  Christ  may  be  our  advocate  with  God  the  Father. 
What  their  present  prayers  for  us  are  we  know  not :  but  this  we 
are  certain  of,  their  past  example  ought  to  be  propounded  and 
improved  by  us  for  our  encouragement  in  the  ways  of  holiness  and 
obedience.    Hence  the  Apostle  exhorts  us,  that  we  should  be  dili- 


518 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


gent ;'  not  slothful :  and  lie  grounds  it  upon  this,  because  in  so 
doing,  we  should  be  "followers  of  them,  who,  through  faith  and 
patience,  inherit  the  promises."  In  difficult  and  hazardous  en- 
terprises, every  man  is  apt  to  stand  still  and  see  who  will  lead  the 
way ;  and,  according  to  the  success  of  the  first  attempters,  so  either 
to  be  encouraged  or  dismayed.  Now  what  says  our  Saviour, 
Matt.  xi.  12  ?  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and 
the  violent  take  it  by  force."  You  are  not  the  forlorn  hope :  you  are 
not  the  first  assailants  :  no ;  whole  armies  of  saints  have,  in  former 
ages,  stormed  heaven :  they  have  heretofore  planted  strong  batte- 
ries against  it,  and  made  wide  breaches  in  it:  they  have  heretofore 
entered  and  taken  possession ;  and  still  the  passage  is  as  open  for 
you,  and  the  conquest  as  easy  as  for  them ;  and  you  may  see  them 
beckoning  out  of  heaven  to  you,  and  hear  them  calling  to  you, 
"  Fellow-soldiers,  bend  your  force  hither.  There  is  your  labor : 
here  is  your  rest.  There  are  your  enemies ;  here  are  your  crown 
and  victory.  Believe  it,  there  are  no  more  dangers  for  you  to  pass 
through,  no  more  difficulties  for  you  to  meet  with,  than  what  we 
have  passed  through  ;  yea,  and  passed  with  so  much  safety,  as  that 
not  so  much  as  one  soul  of  us  miscarried,  not  a  soul  left  dead  on 
the  place  :  we  struggled  against  the  same  corruptions,  that  you  do, 
and  overcame  them ;  against  the  same  temptations,  and  baffled 
them  ;  against  the  same  devils,  and  routed  them ;  against  the  same 
flatteries  and  oppositions  of  a  base  world,  and  despised  them. 
Believe  it,  upon  our  experience,  all  these  things  are  but  scare-crows 
set  in  the  ways  of  obedience,  on  purpose  to  affright  you ;  but  there 
is  no  danger  at  all  in  them,  unless  you  fear  them."  This  they  tell 
you,  with  one  consent. 

And,  therefore,  if  examples  are  any  encouragement,  as  indeed 
they  axe  almost  the  greatest ;  if  imitation  hath  any  force  to  obe- 
dience, as  too  often  we  find  it  hath  great  force  to  sin;  why  should 
we  not  hereby  quicken  ourselves?  Why  do  you  not  arise,  and 
press  upon  the  footsteps  of  them,  who  have  gone  before  you,  and 
showed  you  that  the  way  is  both  certain  and  passable  ? 

Are  you  called  to  exercise  self-denial  ?  Abraham  looks  down 
from  heaven  upon  you,  and  tells  you  that  he  was  ready  to  sacrifice 
his  beloved  Isaac.  Are  you  afraid  of  the  scoffs  and  jeers  of  a 
fleering  world  ?  Noah  builded  an  ark :  Moses  relinquished  the 
honors  of  Pharaoh's  court ;  and  met  with  as  many  persecutions  and 
afflictions,  and  underwent  as  many  taunts  and  flouts,  as  you  are  like 
to  do.  Are  you  called  to  lay  down  your  lives  for  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  and  a  good  conscience  ?    Stephen  tells  you  a  storm  of  stones 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  519 

fell  upon  him,  and  broke  open  tlie  prison,  and  set  the  prisoner  free : 
bis  soul  escaped :  it  broke  out  of  the  cage ;  and,  as  a  bird,  took 
wing,  and  flew  to  heaven.  Are  you  assaulted  with  temptations  ? 
St.  Paul  looks  down,  and  tells  you  that  he  had  much  stronger 
temptations  than  you  have,  and  yet  he  got  safe  to  heaven. 

Yea,  our  great  master  and  pattern,  Jesus  Christ,  wrought  out  all 
obedience.  And  what  were  the  motives,  that  put  him  upon  this 
mighty  undertaking  ?  It  was  not  for  his  own  salvation  and  hap- 
piness, but  it  was  for  ours.  Nay,  the  Scripture  goes  yet  lower,  it 
was,  to  leave  "  us  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps :" 
1  Pet.  ii.  21.  Now  shall  Christ  do  all  this,  not  for  himself,  but  for 
us,  and  shall  we  sit  still  and  do  nothing  for  ourselves  ?  Shall  Christ 
take  so  much  pains  to  set  us  an  example,  and  shall  not  we  follow 
that  example ;  we  who  have  so  great  a  happiness  to  work  for,  and 
so  great  a  pattern  to  work  by  ?  Shall  we  be  slothful  in  procuring 
our  own  good,  since  Christ  was  so  laborious  and  expensive,  not  in 
procuring  good  to  himself,  but  in  procuring  good  for  others? 
Methinks,  these  things  should  add  some  spurs  to  our  endeavors ; 
and  excite  us  to  follow  the  examples  of  those,  that  are  gone  before  us : 
yea,  and  to  leave  an  example  unto  them,  that  are  to  come  after  us : 
and,  though  we  do  come  after  the  examples  of  others,  who  are  gone 
before  us :  yet  the  consideration  of  their  examples,  who  have  gone 
through  this  work,  may  excite  us  not  to  come  behind  them  in  any 
good  work. 

2clly.  God  holds  out  to  us  the  light  of  Ms  gospel-truth  and  ordi- 
nances, whereby  to  help  us  in  our  work. 

What  Christ  saith  of  himself  is  applicable  unto  all:  We  "must 
work  the  works  of  God,  while  it  is  day  :  the  night  cometh,  when  no 
man  can  work :"  John  ix.  i.  You  are  not  shut  up  in  darkness  : 
you  are  not  muffled  up  in  the  clouds  of  error  and  ignorance ;  or, 
if  you  are,  it  is  not  because  you  have  not  light  shining  about  you, 
but  because  you  shut  it  out  when  it  is  breaking  in  upon  you.  It  is 
not  a  double  labor,  that  is  put  upon  you ;  first  to  find  out  your 
duty,  and  then  to  perform  it :  no  ;  the  light  shines  about  you :  and, 
unless  you  will  seal  up  your  eyes  against  it,  it  is  impossible  but 
that  it  will  sometimes  flash  in  upon  you,  and  discover  both  what  you 
have  misdone  and  what  you  ought  to  do.  The  Mahometans  have 
a  tradition  among  them,  that  Moses's  law  and  Christ's  gospel  were 
written,  at  first,  with  ink  made  of  pure  light :  this  conceit  of  theirs, 
though  it  be  fond  and  ridiculous,  yet  carries  a  mystic  truth  in  it : 
the  Scripture  is  as  plain  for  matter  of  duty,  as  if  it  had  been  written 
with  a  sunbeam  :  ordinances  are  dispensed  freely  and  powerfully  : 


520 


PRACTICAL   CHRISTIAN  IT  Y, 


so  great  the  throng  of  teachers,  and  such  the  variety  of  gospel 
administrations,  that  men  must  take  almost  as  much  pains  to  keep 
themselves  ignorant  of  their  duty,  as  would  suffice  to  perform  their 
duty.  And  wherefore  think  you  is  all  this  glorious  light  given 
you?  Is  it  not  that  you  may  work  by  it?  Doth  a  master  light- 
up  a  torch  or  candle,  only  that  his  servants  may  play  about  it  ? 
And  wherefore  doth  God  light  up  the  sun  of  truth  in  the  firma- 
ment of  his  Church  ?  Is  it,  only  that  you  should  dally  and  trifle 
with  it  ?  No :  it  shines,  that  you  may  work  by  it.  And,  truly, 
work  by  it  you  do :  but,  alas !  how  many  do  work  the  works  of 
darkness,  by  the  glorious  light  of  truth !  how  many  have  light 
enough,  to  see  that  they  are  notoriously  wicked  and  profane  swearers, 
drunkards,  despisers  of  ordinances,  revilers  at  religion  and  the  pro- 
fessors of  it,  enemies  to  what  is  sober  and  sacred  in  Christianity  I 
This  light  they  have  flashing  in  their  faces,  from  the  clear  evidence 
of  the  word  of  God ;  and  yet,  still,  they  continue  to  work  the  works 
of  darkness.  What  shall  I  say  to  such  as  these  are?  Truly,  I  can 
say  nothing  worse  to  them,  than  what  their  own  consciences  already 
thunder  against  them  ;  for  they  are  self-condemned  persons.  But, 
truly,  this  complaint  may  too  justly  be  taken  up  against  all,  that 
do  not  walk  worthy  of  the  light  vouchsafed  to  them :  their  sins  are 
revealed  clearly :  and  duties  are  revealed  as  clearly,  as  the  Scrip- 
ture can  possibly  express  them  ;  and  yet  they  live  in  a  gross  neglect 
of  them.  Believe  it,  this  light  will  not  always  shine  to  be  gazed 
at  only  :  the  day  is  drawing  to  an  end :  the  night  is  hastening  upon 
us ;  the  darkness  of  the  night  of  death,  and  the  darker  night  of 
judgment :  and,  oh  !  that  then  it  may  not  be  the  condemnation  of 
any  of  us,  "That  light  is  come  into  the  world,"  but  we  "loved 
darkness"  and  the  works  of  darkness  better  "  than  light,  because" 
our  "  deeds  were  evil."  John  iii.  19. 

3dly.  God  hath,  to  this  end,  set  apart  his  ministers,  that  they 
might  be  helpers  to  you  in  this  great  work  of  working  out  your 
salvation. 

And  therefore  they  are  called,  "  Helpers  of  your  faith  and  joy :" 
2  Cor.  i.  2-1,  they  are  said  to  "  watch  for  your  souls,  as  they  that 
must  give  an  account."  Heb.  xiii.  17  :  they  are  said  to  be  co-work- 
ers with  Jesus  Christ:  yea,  they  are  said  to  save  your  souls: 
Jude  23.  Ministers  are  set  in  the  Church,  to  admonish  with  all 
meekness,  to  beseech  with  all  earnestness,  to  rebuke  with  all  au- 
thority. Yea,  and  we  have  done  it :  have  we  not  called  upon  you, 
"  Sinners,  sinners,  why  will  you  die  ?  the  way,  wherein  you  now 
walk,  leads  down  to  the  chambers  of  death  and  destruction :  the 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION. 


521 


wages  of  that  work,  which  you  are  now  doing,  is  shame,  death, 
and  hell."  Have  we  not  thus  often  called  upon  you  ?  yes,  so  often 
have  we  thundered  terrors  in  men's  ears,  that  they  now  disregard 
them  out  of  custom ;  and,  when  we  speak  of  sin,  and  death,  and 
hell,  and  judgment  to  come,  men  think  we  are  fallen  into  a  com- 
mon-place, and  we  must  talk  dreadfully  to  keep  in  our  road :  these 
are  the  apprehensions  which  men  have  of  the  great  and  fearful 
denunciations,  that  are  daily  discharged  in  their  ears  by  the  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel.  And  have  we  not  also  displayed  Jesus  Christ 
in  all  his  excellencies,  so  far  forth  as  his  infinite  excellencies  can 
be  displayed  with  a  few  short-breathed  words  ?  Have  we  not  set 
forth  holiness  in  its  beauty  and  luster ;  and  done  as  much  as  we 
could  do,  to  reconcile  you  to  the  ways  of  obedience,  and  to  remove 
the  unjust  prejudices  that  men  have  taken  up  against  them  ? 
What  could  we  have  done  more  than  we  have  done,  to  inform 
men's  judgments,  to  sanctify  their  consciences,  to  answer  all  their 
doubts,  to  allay  their  fears,  to  supply  them  with  quickening  consi- 
derations to  duty  and  with  deterring  considerations  from  sin  ? 
We  appeal  to  yourselves.  And  yet  we  speak  not  this,  to  ingratiate 
or  to  commend  ourselves :  we  profess  that  we  care  not  much  for 
the  good  opinion  of  any  man  in  the  world,  farther  than  it  may  be 
of  some  advantage  to  do  your  souls  good.  But  do  you  think  God 
expects  not  some  great  thing  from  you  ?  Give  me  leave  to  deal 
truly  and  faithfully  with  you.  If  your  works  do  not,  in  some 
measure,  answer  the  labors  of  God's  servants,  that  have  many 
years  followed  you,  with  line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept, 
here  a  little  and  there  a  little,  still  warning  and  entreating  with 
all  bowels  of  tenderness,  alluring  you  to  pity  your  own  souls,  and 
to  save  yourselves  from  that  wrath  and  vengeance  that  shall 
shortly  overcome  the  disobedient  world ;  they,  who  have  thus 
exhorted  you,  believe  it,  shall,  within  a  while,  be  witnesses  against 
you.  Since,  then,  you  are  daily  called  upon  and  warned  to  flee 
from  wrath  to  come ;  since  you  have  such  clear  convictions  of 
your  duty,  as  a  bribed  conscience  can  hardly  evade ;  since  you 
have  such  abundance  of  examples  of  others,  who  have  gone  before 
you,  and  have  done  what  God  requires  of  you;  why  will  not  you 
be  hereby  persuaded  and  encouraged  to  work  ?  These  things,  you 
must  acknowledge,  are  great  helps  to  further  your  salvation :  and 
believe  it,  they  will  prove  dreadful  aggravations  of  your  condem 
nation,  if  they  do  not  prevail  with  you. 
But  these  are  only  outward  helps. 


522 


PEACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


[2]  There  are  other  helps;  and  they  are  inward,  and  of  far 
greater  force  and  efficacy :  of  which  I  shall  name  two. 

1st.  The  dictates  of  your  own  consciences:  they  are  still  prompt- 
ing and  exciting  you  to  work. 

Conscience  is  God's  deputy  and  vicegerent  in  the  soul,  that  rules 
and  governs  in  his  name  and  by  his  authority.  Of  all  the  facul- 
ties in  man,  this  was  the  least  corrupted  by  his  fall :  though  the 
will  be  wholly  corrupted  and  perverse,  that  it  will  not  obey  the 
commands  of  conscience;  yet  conscience  still  continues  the  per- 
formance of  its  office :  still,  it  informs,  and  urges,  and  threatens, 
and  torments ;  and  thus  may  you  see  it  busily  working,  even  in 
those  that  never  had  the  law  of  God  to  direct  conscience :  "  The 
Gentiles,"  says  the  Apostle  to  the  Eomans,  "  which  have  not  the 
law,  do  by  nature,"  that  is  by  natural  conscience,"  the  things  con- 
tained in  the  Law  their  conscience  bearing  witness,  and  their 

thoughts,  in  the  mean  while  accusing  and  excusing  one  another ;'.' 
Rom.  ii.  14,  15 :  and,  because  they  had  not  the  law,  therefore  con- 
science in  them  was  like  an  officer  walking  in  the  dark,  appre- 
hending the  innocent  and  letting  the  guilty  escape.  But,  yet,  this 
was  from  the  beginning  so  deeply  implanted  in  the  heart  of  man, 
that  something  must  be  done  and  avoided  to  obtain  happiness 
which  could  never  yet  be  obliterated.  Though  our  knowledge  of 
what  is  duty  and  what  is  sin  be  in  a  great  part  defaced ;  yet  this 
knowledge  the  Scripture  doth  abundantly  supply  to  us,  and  give 
conscience  a  perfect  draught  of  all  the  duties  that  God  requires, 
and  bids  it  be  overseer  and  look  that  the  work  be  done.  Now  is 
it  not  a  great  help,  when  you  have  somewhat  within  you,  that 
stands  for  and  takes  part  with  what  is  good,  and  what  is  your 
duty  ?  Conscience  secretly  bids  you  beware  of  such  sins,  that 
will  bring  ruin,  destruction,  and  vengeance  upon  you ;  and  perform 
such  and  such  duties :  "  Pray,  hear,  meditate,  and  be  more  fervent 
and  affectionate  in  all  your  services :  this  is  the  way  that  tends  to 
life  and  happiness."  Thus  conscience  daily  and  hourly  is  follow- 
ing you,  with  counsels  and  chidings ;  and,  with  threatenings,  de- 
nouncing wrath  and  vengeance  against  you :  and,  though  it  speak - 
eth  these  things  with  so  low  a  voice,  that  others,  though  they  lay 
their  ears  to  your  soul,  cannot  hear  it ;  yet  in  your  ears,  it  speaks 
as  loud  as  thunder,  and  no  less  terrible.  It  is  in  vain  to  wound  it : 
it  is  in  vain  to  stop  its  mouth  ;  for  that  will  but  make  it  break  out 
with  the  more  violence  and  outrage :  nothing  can  appease  it,  but 
duty  and  work.  Why  should  you  not,  then,  since  you  have  that 
within  you  that  stands  for  and  prompts  you  to  Avork,  why  should 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION. 


523 


you  not  as  well  follow  and  obey  the  dictates  and  commands  of  your 
consciences  that  prompt  you  to  work  and  duty,  as  obey  the  pro- 
pensities of  your  sensual  part  to  the  contrary  ? 

2dly.  God  himself  helps  us,  by  working  all  ozir  worits  in  us  and  for 
us  ;  by  working  in  us  the  will  to  work,  and  by  working  for  us  the 
work  when  we  have  willed. 

And,  therefore,  while  there  is  no  part  of  our  work  too  hard  for 
God,  there  should  be  no  part  of  it  too  hard  and  difficult  for  us. 
Christ  tells  us  that  his  burden  is  not  heavy ;  yet,  were  it  heavy,  we 
might  well  undergo  it,  since  he  himself  helps  us  to  bear  it.  The 
frequent  experience  of  every  child  of  God  doth  abundantly  confirm 
this.  Did  you  never  begin  a  duty,  with  your  hearts  listless  and 
dead,  with  affections  cold  and  flat,  with  thoughts  very  wandering 
and  distracting ;  so  that,  at  the  very  entrance  of  it,  you  concluded 
you  should  never  make  good  work  of  it,  you  should  never  bring 
the  duty  to  a  good  issue  ?  and,  yet,  have  you  not,  in  the  midst  of 
these  your  distempers,  found  a  mighty  assistance  and  influence 
shining  down  from  heaven  into  your  hearts,  filling  them  with  holy 
and  divine  affections,  transporting  them  beyond  all  that  deadness 
that  did  oppress  them,  enlarging  them  with  sweet  and  heavenly 
enlargements ;  so  that  no  duties  were  ended  with  more  comfort  and 
revivings,  than  those,  that  were  begun  with  such  dead  hearts  and 
cold  affections  ?  Have  you  not  often  found  it  so  ?  And  what  is 
this,  but  a  sensible  feeling  of  God's  working  in  you?  so  that,  in 
the  same  performance,  you  see  your  own  weakness  when  you  are 
left  to  yourselves,  and  you  see  the  power  of  God's  assistance,  when 
he  comes  in  to  help  you ;  and  there  is  no  duty,  but  this  divine 
assistance  may  be  hoped  for  and  expected  by  you  to  enable  you  in 
the  performance  of  it.  Are  you  to  do  ?  God  works  in  you  the 
will  and  the  deed.  Are  you  to  suffer  ?  When  you  pass  through 
the  fire  and  through  the  water,  he  will  be  with  you :  Isa.  xliii.  2. 
"He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles;  and,  in  seven  there  shall  no 
evil  touch  thee :"  Job  v.  19.  Are  you  to  pray  ?  His  "Spirit  maketh 
intercession  for  us  :"  Rom.  viii.  26.  God  doth  not,  as  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  did,  lay  heavy  burdens  upon  others  and  not  touch 
them  with  the  least  of  his  fingers  :  no ;  he  is  pleased  to  become  a 
co-worker  with  you :  he  begins,  he  carries  on,  and  he  also  perfects 
whatever  concerns  your  duty  here,  and  your  happiness  hereafter. 
And  is  not  this  a  mighty  encouragement  to  obedience  ?  Will  you 
any  longer  delay,  since  God  affords  you  such  assistance  as  this  ? 
Why  do  you  not  presently  attempt  this  work?  "But,"  you  will 
say,  "  how  shall  I  know  that  God  will  assist  me  ?"    Put  it  to  the 


524 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


trial.  "Was  it  ever  known,  that  God  failed  any,  that  resolutely  ven- 
tured ?  Dispute  not  his  concurrence  ;  but  believe  ;  and,  by  looking 
for  it  and  depending  upon  it,  you  engage  God  to  help  you.  It  was 
the  consideration  of  the  all-sufficient  assistance  of  God,  that  made 
one  of  the  ancients  cry  out,  Da,  Domine,  quod  jubes  ;  et  jube  quod 
vis :  "  Give,  Lord,  what  thou  commandest ;  and  then  command  what 
thou  wilt." 

(6)  Consider  for  your  encouragement,  that  it  is  not  so  much  the 
absolute  and  legal  perfection  of  the  work,  as  the  perfection  of  the 
worker,  that  is  the  perfection  of  the  heart,  which  is  looked  at  and 
rewarded  by  God. 

And  is  not  this  a  great  encouragement?  There  is  a  twofold 
perfection ;  the  perfection  of  the  work,  and  the  perfection  of  the 
workman:  the  perfection  of  the  work  is,  when  the  work  doth  so 
exactly  and  strictly  answer  the  holy  law  of  God,  that  there  is  no 
irregularity  in  it :  the  perfection  of  the  workman  is  nothing  but 
inward  sincerity,  the  uprightness  of  the  heart  towards  God  ;  which 
may  be,  where  there  are  many  imperfections  and  defects  inter- 
mingled. If  God  should  accept  and  reward  no  work  but  what  is 
absolutely  perfect  in  respect  of  the  law,  this  would  be  such  a  sad- 
dening discouragement,  that  it  would  take  off  the  wheels  of  all 
endeavors ;  for  all  our  obedience  falls  far  short  of  legal  perfection 
in  this  life.  "We  ourselves  are  conscious  of  many  failings  and  im- 
perfections in  our  best  services,  and  God  knows  far  more ;  and, 
since  we  can  do  nothing  without  infirmities,  who  would  venture  to 
do  any  thing,  upon  the  account  of  those  infirmities,  lest  God  should 
cast  back  all  again  as  dung  into  our  faces  ?  No ;  but  we  do  not 
stand  upon  such  terms  as  these  with  our  God :  it  is  not  so  much 
what  our  works  are,  as  what  our  heart  is,  that  God  looks  at  and  will 
reward.  Yet  know,  also,  lest  any  man  should  too  soon  lay  hold  on 
this ;  if  our  hearts  are  perfect  and  sincere,  we  shall  endeavor  to  the 
utmost  of  our  power,  that  our  works  may  be  perfect  according  to 
the  strictness  of  the  law.  I  speak  not  this,  therefore,  to  encourage 
ignorant  sottish  sinners,  who,  though  they  live  in  a  constant  course 
of  sin  and  neglect  of  duty,  yet  soothe  themselves  with  this,  that  God 
knows  their  hearts  are  good,  sincere,  and  upright :  let  me  cut  off 
the  foolish  hopes  of  these  men  in  a  word :  it  is  impossible  that  the 
heart  should  be  sincere,  where  there  is  the  allowance  and  liking  of 
any  one  sin  in  the  life.  But  I  speak  what  I  have  said,  to  those, 
who,  upon  the  sight  and  sense  of  their  many  failings,  of  the  dead- 
ness  and  untowardness  of  their  hearts,  of  their  averseness  and  in- 
disposition, of  their  wanderings  and  formality  in  the  performance 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  525 

of  what  is  holy  and  good,  are  ready  to  be  dejected  and  discouraged, 
and  to  give  over  doing  any  thing,  because  they  can  do  nothing 
well :  let  such  know,  that  though  their  works  have  not  this  legal 
perfection,  yet  if  they  do  proceed  from  a  sincere,  upright,  perfect 
heart,  they  shall  be  accepted  and  rewarded  by  God.  Hezekiah  had 
his  failings,  and  the  prophet  sharply  reproves  him  for  his  pride, 
making  a  glorious  and  boasting  ostentation  of  his  treasure  to  the 
king  of  Babylon ;  yet  he  prays  and  appeals  to  God,  "  Eemember 

now,  0  Lord  how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a 

perfect  heart :"  Isa.  xxxviii.  3.  There  may,  therefore,  be  a  perfect 
heart,  where  there  are  imperfect  works  :  and,  if  you  can  make  this 
plea,  let  me  tell  you,  the  perfection  of  your  hearts  will  swallow  up 
the  imperfections  of  your  works,  so  that  they  shall  never  come  up 
in  remembrance  against  you  before  God. 

(7)  Consider,  for  your  encouragement,  that,  though  your  work 
be  great,  yet  the  success  of  it  is  certain. 

The  greatest  check  to  industry,  is  fear  of  disappointment ;  from 
which  you  have  no  security,  while  you  labor  for  any  thing  besides 
your  own  salvation.  All  worldly  affairs  are  moved  by  such  in- 
visible wires  and  turned  upon  such  small  pins,  that,  if  the  finger  of 
Providence  displace  but  one  of  them,  the  whole  fabric  of  our 
design  is  thereby  disordered  and  our  hopes  defeated:  and  God, 
sometimes,  delights  to  frustrate  men's  attempts  about  worldly  con- 
cernments ;  "  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,"  says  the  prophet, 
"  that  the  people  shall  labor  in  the  very  fire,  and  that  the  people 
shall  weary  themselves  for  very  vanity  ?"  Hab.  ii.  13.  To  "  labor 
in  the  fire"  signifies  two  things  :  first,  great  pains  ;  secondly,  great 
disappointment :  they  work  in  the  midst  of  scorching  flames ;  and, 
what  they  do  produce  with  so  much  anguish,  they  enjoy  not,  but 
it  consumes  between  their  fingers.  When  men  have  weaved  a 
curious  web  of  earthly  contrivances,  and  think  to  wrap  up  them- 
selves therein  and  to  keep  themselves  warm,  God  breathes  secret 
flames  into  it,  that  singe  it :  so  that  it  can  no  more  hold  together, 
than  so  much  tinder.  And  wherefore  doth  God  blast  men's  en- 
deavors ;  but  that,  seeing  the  vanity  of  all  their  labor  under  the 
sun,  how  wavering,  how  uncertain,  and  how  unsuccessful  things  are, 
how  means  run  one  way  and  the  end  another,  they  might  hereby 
be  induced  to  turn  their  labors  into  another  channel,  and  to  work 
for  their  souls  and  for  eternal  happiness  and  salvation ;  that  are 
as  far  above  the  reach  of  disappointment,  as  they  are  far  above  the 
rate  of  earthly  concernments?  "Mine  elect,"  says  God,  "shall  long 
enjoy  the  work  of  their  hands :"  Isa.  lxv.  22  :  they  shall  not  labor 


526  PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 

in  vain.  And  this  is  the  great  argument  urged  by  the  Apostle  upon 
the  Corinthians:  "Be  steadfast,  immoveable,  always  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord?"  And  why  so  industrious  and  constant? 
Knowing  this,  says  he  "that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 
1  Cor.  xv.  58. 

Two  things  there  are,  that  make  a  labor  to  be  in  vain. 

"When  it  doth  not  accomplish  its  end. 

"When  that  end,  which  it  doth  accomplish,  is  not  worth  the  cost 
and  pains. 

Now,  in  neither  of  these  respects,  is  your  labor  in  vain.  For, 

[1]  It  shall  not  fail  to  accomplish  the  end  to  which  it  is  ordained ; 
and  that  is,  eternal  salvation. 

Three  things  there  are,  that  make  men  come  short  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  an  end  propounded. 

When  men  propound  to  themselves  ends,  that  are  in  themselves 
simply  impossible. 

When,  though  the  end  be  possible,  yet  the  means,  that  are  used, 
are  unfit  and  improbable. 

When,  though  the  means  are  rightly  suited  to  the  attainment  of 
the  end,  yet  we  do  not  persevere  in  the  use  of  them. 

Now,  in  none  of  these  ways,  shall  a  laborious  Christian  fail  of 
his  end.  For, 

1st.  The  end,  that  you  work  for,  is  not  in  itself  simply  impossible. 

Should  you  propound  to  yourselves  to  become  angels,  should 
you  strive  to  sublimate  yourselves  into  spiritual  essences,  your 
attempts  herein  were  all  but  vain,  because  it  is  impossible  you 
should  ever  be  refined  into  angels :  but,  if  your  end  be  to  be  like 
angels,  to  be  ecpual  to  angels,  this  is  possible  and  may  be  attained : 

"  When  they  shall  rise  from  the  dead  they  are  as  the  angels 

which  are  in  heaven :"  Mark  xii.  25 ;  which  another  Evangelist 
renders,  they  "  are  equal  unto  the  angels :"  Luke  xx.  36.  If,  in 
this  life,  you  propose  to  yourselves  a  state  of  perfection  and  free- 
dom both  from  sin  and  sorrow,  a  state  of  consummate  bliss  and 
happiness,  this  end  is  impossible :  but,  if  you  make  it  your  end  to 
enjoy  such  a  state  as  this  hereafter,  this  is  attainable  and  labor  may 
achieve  it.  Yea,  aim  at  what  degree  of  glory  you  please,  next 
below  God  and  Christ,  be  it  as  high  as  cherubim  and  seraphim, 
I  cannot  say  that  you  think  of  an  impossibility :  your  labor  may 
raise  you  to  such  a  pitch  and  advance  you  to  such  glory,  as  shall 
dazzle  the  sun  in  its  brightness.  It  is  true,  there  was  once  a  time, 
when  salvation  might  well  be  reckoned  among  those  things  that 
were  impossible ;  and  that  was,  in  that  sad  interval  between  the 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   0  W  N  SALVATION. 


527 


fall  unci  the  promise  of  Christ,  when  all  mankind  lay  in  the  shadow 
and  in  the  valley  of  death;  under  the  breach,  and  yet  under  the 
bond  of  the  covenant  of  works ;  when  it  had,  indeed,  been  in  vain, 
so  much  as  once  to  have  thought  of  happiness,  or  to  have  labored 
for  it.  But,  since  Christ's  undertaking,  we,  who  were  once  "  with- 
out hope,"  have  now  obtained  "good  hope  through  grace:"  the 
partition-wall,  that  then  we  could  neither  climb  over  nor  break 
through,  is  now  taken  away :  the  gate  of  heaven  is  now  set  open ; 
and,  with  striving,  we  may  enter,  for  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
"  hath  abolished  death,  and  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light 
through  the  gospel."  And,  therefore,  though  it  may  seem  an  im- 
possibility to  dejected  and  despairing  souls,  that  ever  such  vile 
wretches  should  receive  so  great  a  dignity ;  that  those,  who  are 
sunk  so  low  in  misery,  should  ever  be  raised  to  happiness ;  that 
those,  who  are  so  laden  with  sin  and  iniquity,  should  ever  feel  the 
weight  of  mercy  and  eternal  glory ;  that  those,  whose  best  works 
deserve  the  lowest  hell,  should,  though  not  for,  yet  upon  the  per- 
formance of  those  works,  obtain  the  highest  heavens :  though  this 
may  seem  to  be  an  impossibility,  yet,  believe  it,  while  you  think 
of  any  glory  lower  than  the  glory  of  the  Godhead,  you  think  of 
nothing  above  a  possibility  and  the  reach  of  industry.  None  of 
you  are  excluded  from  a  possibility  of  being  saved.  The  covenant 
of  grace  runs  in  most  large  and  comprehensive  terms  :  "  Whosoever 
believeth  shall"  obtain  "eternal  life."  The  death  of  Christ  and  his 
blood  is  a  most  sovereign  medicine,  applicable,  not  only  to  all 
maladies,  but  to  all  men,  if  they  will  believe.  Though  it  is  true, 
that  none  shall  be  saved  but  the  elect ;  yet  is  it  true  also,  that  a 
possibility  of  salvation  extends  farther  than  election.  Election 
gives  the  infallibility  of  salvation,  as  reprobation  doth  the  infalli- 
bility of  damnation :  but,  yet,  as  there  is  a  possibility  for  those, 
that  shall  infallibly  be  saved,  to  perish  if  they  do  not  believe ;  so 
is  it  possible  for  those,  that  shall  infallibly  perish,  to  be  saved  if 
they  will  believe. 

The  possibility  of  salvation,  therefore,  stands,  not  upon  election, 
but  upon  two  other  grounds. 

(1st)  The  meritorious  and  all-sufficient  procurement  of  Christ. 

Whereby  he  hath  procured  salvation  for  all  the  world,  and  for 
all  in  the  world,  upon  condition  of  their  faith ;  for  that  must  still 
be  taken  in  :  for,  were  it  not  so,  how  could  we  preach  remission  of 
sins  in  his  name  to  every  creature,  were  not  his  death  applicable  to 
all  ?  Then,  though  some  should  believe,  yet,  for  want  of  a  sacri- 
fice offered  up  and  a  price  paid  down  for  them,  they  should  not 


528 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


be  saved,  though  they  should  believe.  How  then  is  it,  that  we 
seriously  call  all  men  to  repent  and  believe,  that  their  sins  may  be 
pardoned  and  their  souls  saved?  Certainly,  unless  the  death  of 
Chr'st  hath  procured  salvation  for  all  men  upon  condition  of  faith 
and  repentance,  such  calls  would  be  false  in  us,  and  vain  to  them  : 
for  so,  we  should  promise  salvation  upon  believing,  to  those,  to 
whom,  though  they  should  believe,  salvation  should  be  denied, 
because  they  want  a  covenant  made  with  them,  and  a  surety  to 
undertake  for  them.  Therefore,  I  say,  Christ's  procurement  is 
general  so  far,  that  whoever  believes  shall  receive  the  benefit  of 
his  death. 

(2dly)  As  the  death  of  Christ  is  applicable  to  all  for  salvation 
if  they  believe,  so  faith,  that  alone  applies  this  death,  is  attainable 
by  you  all,  if  you  be  not  wanting  to  yourselves. 

None  of  you  are  under  an  impossibility  of  believing ;  and, 
therefore,  not  under  an  impossibility  of  salvation.  Though  it  be 
certain,  that  some  shall  infallibly  persevere  in  infidelity ;  yet  there 
is  no  one,  that  hears  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  and  the  outward  call 
of  God  in  his  word,  but  may  believe  and  obey,  if  he  be  not  want- 
ing to  himself.  Neither  is  this  doctrine  Arminianism ;  nor  is  it 
prejudicial  to  the  efficacious  grace  of  God,  whereby  the  will  is 
powerfully  swayed  to  faith  and  obedience:  for  the  converting 
grace  of  God  is  not  given  to  make  men  capable  to  believe  and  to 
be  converted,  but  it  is  given  to  make  them  actually  believing  and 
actually  converting.  The  most  wicked  man  that  is,  without  the 
converting  grace  of  God,  is  capable  to  be  converted  even  in  his 
state  of  unregeneracy ;  and  converting  grace  gives  not  any  new 
power  to  enable  us  to  be  converted,  but  it  gives  us  an  actual  con- 
version. Some  shall  never  believe,  and  why  ?  not  because  they 
are  under  an  impossibility,  but  because  they  will  not  believe :  it  is 
not  because  they  cannot,  but  because  they  will  not;  unless  we 
would  so  gratify  their  sloth,  as  to  call  their  obstinacy  an  impossi- 
bility. It  is  true  they  are  obstinate,  and  that  obstinacy  can  never 
be  cured  without  efficacious  grace ;  but  yet  that  obstinacy  is  not 
properly  called  an  impossibility. 

Since,  then,  salvation  is  a  thing  possible,  why  do  you  not  labor 
for  it,  that  your  souls  may  be  eternally  happy?  Christ  hath  "the 
key  of  David,"  and  "he  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth,"  and  he 
hath  opened  the  everlasting  gate  to  you  all,  and  bids  you  all  enter 
and  take  possession.  There  stand  no  grim  guards  to  keep  out  you, 
or  you.    You  cannot  complain  that  you  are  excluded  by  a  for- 


IN   WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


529 


cible  decree ;  no,  you  shut  the  doors  upon  yourselves,  and  refuse 
to  enter. 

And  this  is  the  first  reason  why  salvation  is  not  labor  in  vain, 
because  the  end  is  possible  to  be  attained. 

2dly.  There  are  also  right  means  made  known  to  you,  to  obtain 
this  end. 

Jacob,  in  his  dream,  saw  a  ladder  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven : 
certainly,  there  is  a  Jacob's  ladder  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven, 
that  is  more  than  a  dream :  every  round  in  it  is  either  a  grace  or 
a  duty.  It  is  not  hid  from  you,  what  grace  you  must  act,  what 
duties  you  must  perform,  that  you  may  obtain  happiness :  these 
are  direct  and  proper  means  to  it ;  nay,  not  only  means  to  it,  but 
the  initials  and  beginnings  of  it.  The  glimmering  light  of  nature 
could  discover,  that  there  was  a  future  happiness ;  but  it  could 
not  discover  to  us  the  right  means  thither :  it  could  not  direct  us 
to  believe  in  a  crucified  Saviour :  and,  therefore,  to  write  by  this 
dim  light  of  nature  had  been  labor  in  vain.  But,  now,  we  know 
that  the  way  of  salvation  is,  by  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith 
towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  now,  we  know  that  holiness  and 
obedience  do  as  certainly  lead  to  heaven,  as  sin  and  disobedience 
drag  down  to  hell.  And,  therefore,  while  we  continue  believing 
and  working,  is  there  any  fear  ?  nay,  is  there  any  possibility  of 
disappointment  in  our  great  end  ?  It  is  as  impossible,  that  faith 
and  obedience  should  not  lead  unto  glory;  as  it  is,  that  faith 
should,  or  obedience  should  not,  continue  in  glory.  And,  there- 
fore, 0  soul,  be  confident  of  success.  Hast  thou  any  good  evi- 
dences, that  thy  graces  are  genuine  and  true,  though  but  weak ; 
that  thy  duties  are  sincere,  though  but  imperfect ;  and  that  thou 
dost  work  the  works  of  God  with  a  steady  heart,  though  with  a 
trembling  hand  ?  give  this  assurance  one  lift  higher :  and,  as  thou 
art  already  assured  of  the  truth  of  thy  grace,  and  of  the  sincerity 
of  thy  obedience ;  so,  henceforth,  be  as  much  assured  of  thy  future 
glory,  as  if  it  were  no  longer  future,  but  now  actually  in  thy  pre- 
sent possession :  thy  dawning  shall  break  forth  into  a  most  perfect 
day :  the  womb  of  thy  morning  twilight  shall  be  delivered  of  a 
noon-tide  brightness :  thy  spark  shall  become  a  sun :  thy  seed  of 
grace  shall  sprout,  til^it  be  fit  for  transplantation  into  paradise, 
and  there  shall  flower  into  glory. 

"  But,"  may  a  poor  soul  say,  "  though  the  means  that  I  now  use 
to  obtain  salvation  be  right,  to  effect  it,  if  still  persisted  in;  yet  I 
fear,  lest  the  many  corruptions,  temptations,  and  hardships,  that  I 
Vol.  II.— 34 


530  PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 

meet  with,  may  turn  me  off  from  following  my  work,  defeat  me  of 
my  end,  and  make  all  I  have  done  as  so  much  labor  in  vain :  and, 
therefore,  I  could  have  this  confidence  and  assurance  that  }*ou  speak 
of,  did  I  not  fear  this,  that  I  should  desist  in  my  work." 

3dly.  Would  you  have  good  security  against  this?  Then,  in  the 
third  place,  the  laborious  Christian  as  he  useth  right  means,  so  he 
shall  continue  .and  persevere  in  the  use  of  them,  till  he  hath  wrought 
out  his  own  salvation  by  them :  and,  therefore,  he  shall  certainly 
accomplish  his  end  ;  and  his  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain.  ■ 

It  is  true,  if  you  desist  from  working,  all,  that  you  have  hitherto 
done,  will  be  in  vain ;  your  faith,  in  vain ;  your  tears,  in  vain ;  your 
prayers,  in  vain ;  all,  in  vain :  and,  therefore,  this  should  cause  you 
to  work  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest  the  wiles  of  Satan  and  the 
deceitfulness  of  your  own  hearts  should  entice  you  from  your  work 
and  cheat  you  of  your  reward :  "  Let  us  therefore  fear,"  says  the 
Apostle,  "  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any 
of  us  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it."  Heb.  iv.  1.  Yet,  as  this 
may  cause  holy  fear ;  so  it  may  be  matter  of  spiritual  joy  and  re- 
joicing, that,  notwithstanding  the  deadness  of  our  hearts,  the  slack- 
ness of  our  hands,  the  many  avocations  from  without,  the  many 
interruptions  from  within,  yet  none  of  us  shall  forsake  our  work 
till  we  have  brought  it  to  perfection  :  our  obedience  shall  be  crowned 
with  perseverance,  and  our  perseverance  with  glory  and  immor- 
tality :  see,  for  this,  that  of  the  Apostle,  "  We  are  confident  of  this 
very  thing,  that  he,  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will 
perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ :"  Phil.  i.  6. 

Let,  therefore,  the  mouth  of  calumny  be  forever  stopped,  that 
accuseth  this  comfortable  doctrine,  of  the  saints'  perseverance 
through  grace  unto  glory,  of  patronizing  sloth  and  idleness.  Some 
do  fasten  this  viper  upon  it :  Let  Christians  live  as  they  list,  though 
careless  of  good  works,  yea  though  continually  employed  in  evil 
works,  yet,  being  Christians,  they  need  not  fear  that  they  shall  fall 
short  of  glory.  But,  though  we  do  affirm  that  every  true  Christian 
shall  certainly  inherit  heaven  and  glory,  yet  we  shake  off  this  per- 
nicious confidence ;  for  he  is  no  true  Christian,  who  is  not  zealous 
and  careful  of  good  works,  whose  knowledge  of  his  own  estate  doth 
not  provoke  him  to  "walk  worthy  of"  that  "vocation  wherewith 
he  is  called,"  whose  hope  of  heaven  doth  not  enable  him  to  purify 
himself  and  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  What  a  con- 
tradiction is  it  to  say,  we  patronize  sinful  sloth  in  men,  when  we 
tell  them,  if  they  are  true  Christians,  that  they  shall  continue  work- 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUll   OWN   SALVATION.  531 

ing !  Is  it  sloth,  to  continue  working  ?  Or,  do  we  encourage  men 
to  be  idle,  by  assuring  them,  if  they  are  Christians,  they  must  and 
shall  work?  Yet  this  is  the  natural  strain  and  tendency  of  our 
doctrine.  What  greater  encouragement  can  you  have  to  obedience, 
than  this  ?  If  you  will  work,  you  shall  not  fail  of  your  end  ;  be- 
cause the  end  itself  is  possible ;  because  the  means  to  it  are  direct 
and  certain ;  and  because,  if  you  once  begin  to  work,  you  shall 
most  assuredly  persevere  till  you  have  attained  that  end,  even  the 
salvation  of  your  own  souls  ? 

And  this  is  one  reason,  why  your  labor  shall  hot  be  in  vain. 

[2]  Your  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain,  because  this  end  shall  fully 
answer,  yea  infinitely  exceed,  all  that  cost  and  pains  which  you  are 
at  in  procuring  it. 

It  is  not  so,  in  the  things  of  this  world.  As  to  this,  that-  of  the 
Psalmist  holds  true  ;  "  Surely  every  man  walketh  in  a  vain  show : 
surely  they  are  disquieted  in  vain."  Ps.  xxxix.  6,  though  they  do 
attain  their  end :  and  that,  because  that  very  end,  that  they  grasp, 
is  itself  but  vanity.  But,  can  any  man  account  heaven  and  happi- 
ness a  vain  thing  ?  Is  it  not  infinitely  worth  all,  yea  more  than  all, 
that  thou  canst  do  or  suffer  for  it  ?  Certainly,  when  you  come  to 
enjoy  it,  you  will  not  think  it  a  hard  bargain,  that  it  stood  you  in 
so  many  duties  and  difficulties  before  you  came  to  the  possession 
of  it.  No :  if  there  could  be  any  sorrow  in  that  state  of  perfect 
joy,  it  would  be,  not  that  we  have  done  so  much ;  but  that  we  have 
done  no  more :  not  that  we  have  gone  through  so  much  anguish  in 
repentance,  or  that  we  have  sustained  such  great  conflicts  in  self- 
denial  and  mortification ;  but  that  we  waded  no  deeper  in  our  own 
tears,  nor  deeper  in  the  blood  of  our  own  lusts ;  that  we  have  not 
more  vexed  and  crossed  our  carnal  self,  and  taken  more  pains  in 
the  ways  of  God.  Could  there  be  any  sorrow  in  heaven,  this  would 
be  the  cause  of  it.  But,  certainly,  a  great  part  of  our  joy  there, 
will  be  to  reflect  upon  those  duties  and  works  of  obedience,  through 
which,  though  with  much  struggling  and  striving,  we  have  attained 
unto  that  most  blessed  state. 

And  this  is  the  last  argument  or  motive,  that  I  shall  insist  upon : 
work ;  for  your  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain,  you  shall  certainly  ac- 
complish your  end ;  and  this  end  shall  abundantly  recompense  you 
for  all  your  labor  and  pains. 

To  conclude,  then,  this  head.  You  have,  at  large,  seen  what 
can  be  pleaded  on  the  behalf  of  obedience.  What  is  it  now,  that 
you  can  object  against  these  things  ?    Are  they  not  true  ?  Are 


532 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


they  not  cogent  ?  Your  consciences,  I  know,  tell  you  that  they 
are  so.  Why,  then,  do  they  not  prevail  with  you  ?  Why  sit  you 
still,  folding  your  arms  in  your  bosoms  ?  Sirs,  I  have  not  spoken 
to  you  fables  or  mysteries,  that  cannot  be  understood:  but  the 
truth,  in  all  plainness :  and,  if  you  will  not  lay  it  to  heart,  believe 
it  there  is  a  day  coming,  when  you  shall  too  late  know,  that  once 
you  had  a  proffer  of  salvation,  and  you  might  have  been  happy  for 
working  for  it.  But,  alas !  this  is  the  desperate  folly  of  men  :  they 
do  not  prize  salvation,  while  it  is  attainable :  they  never  account 
their  souls  precious,  till  they  are  lost ;  yea,  and  lost,  beyond  all 
hope  of  recovery.  I  cannot  tell  how  these  many  and  weighty 
arguments,  that  have  been  propounded,  may  work  with  you :  God 
and  your  own  consciences  know  :  but  this  I  can  tell,  the  devil  can 
never  bring  such  strong  reasons,  why  you  should  destroy  and  damn 
yourselves,  as  have  now  been  laid  before  you  why  you  should 
work  out  your  own  salvation.  And,  if  they  do  not  prevail  with 
vou,  truly  there  is  nothing  that  you  can  plead  for  yourselves :  you 
cannot  plead,  that  you  could  not  do  these  things ;  that  objection 
hath  been  answered :  you  cannot  plead,  that  there  would  no  profit 
arise  to  you  if  you  did  them ;  for  the  reward  hath  been  abundantly 
discovered  to  you  :  if  you  plead  any  thing,  it  must  be  because  you 
will  not  do  them ;  and  that  is  the  thing,  that  will  condemn  you. 
Therefore,  if  these  things  do  not  prevail  with  you ;  if  you  still 
continue  obstinate,  and,  instead  of  working  the  works  of  God,  you 
work  the  works  of  your  father  the  devil ;  God  acquits  himself ; 
your  blood  lies  not  upon  him :  you  have  been  fairly  warned  and 
told  of  it :  but  your  own  destruction  shall  justly  lie  upon  your 
own  heads. 

V.  And  thus,  having  done  with  the  arguments  to  press  you  to 
this  duty  of  working  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling ;  I  now  come  to  ANSWER  SOME  OBJECTIONS. 

Object,  i.  It  may  possibly  enter  into  the  heart  of  some  desperate 
sinner  or  other  to  say,  "  These  indeed  are  strong  arguments,  that 
have  been  propounded  for  the  enforcement  of  this  duty  of  working 
out  our  salvation,  upon  those  that  expect  salvation ;  but,  for  my 
part,  I  pretend  not  so  high :  let  me  but  now  enjoy  the  sins  that  I 
serve  and  the  pleasures  that  I  pursue ;  and,  for  the  state  of  my  soul 
hereafter,  I  shall  commend  it  to  the  mercy  of  God.  Had  I  true 
grace,  I  might  be  persuaded  to  attempt  this  hard  work,  with  hopes 
of  some  good  success :  but  I  own  myself  to  be  a  sinner,  and  you 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR  OWN  SALVATION.  533 


tell  rne  I  cannot  change  my  own  heart,  and  without  this  change  no 
salvation  can  be  expected ;  why  then  should  I  disquiet  myself  in 
vain,  by  laboring  for  that,  which  I  cannot  accomplish  ?  If  I  must 
perish,  I  will  perish  with  as  much  ease  and  pleasure  as  I  may.  If 
I  must  go  to  hell,  I  may  be  as  soon  carried  down  thither  in  a  flood 
of  sins,  as  with  a  flood  of  tears.  If  God  hath  sentenced  me  to  hell 
hereafter,  why  should  I  sentence  myself  to  a  hell  here  ?  And, 
therefore,  if  salvation  and  happiness  be  such  points,  I  will  give 
them  over,  and  embrace  more  easy  and  obvious  pleasures." 

I  know  there  is  no  pious  heart,  but  shivereth  with  horror  at 
such  language  as  this,  though  it  be  but  presented  to  it ;  and  may, 
and  does,  think  it  rather  the  speech  of  devils,  than  men  that  are 
in  a  way  of  salvation.  It  is  true,  it  is  the  speech  of  devils ;  but  it 
is  the  speech  of  devils,  in  men's  hearts.  But,  what !  shall  we  leave 
these  men  to  such  desperate  resolutions  ?  Shall  we  suffer  them 
thus  to  go  down  flaming  to  hell  ?  Certainly,  religion  hath  reason 
enough  in  it  to  convince  such  as  these,  if  they  will  but  show  them- 
selves to  be  rational  men. 

For,  consider,  thou,  who  wouldst  rather  perish,  than  make  thy 
life  a  trouble  to  thee  by  obedience :  God,  under  thy  disobedience, 
may  make  thy  life  a  trouble,  yea  a  hell  to  thee,  by  his  terrors. 
Thou  thinkest  the  filthy  garments  of  thy  sin  and  pollution  sit 
more  easy  and  loose  about  thee,  than  the  close  garments  of  holi- 
ness and  obedience  will  do  :  nay,  but  God  can  wrap  and  roll  these 
filthy  garments  of  thine  in  brimstone,  and  set  them  on  fire  about 
thine  ears.  Many  men's  consciences,  indeed,  are  like  iron,  that 
hath  lain  for  some  time  out  of  the  fire,  which  you  would  not  sus- 
pect to  be  hot,  till  you  let  some  water  fall  upon  it,  and  then  it 
appears  to  be  so  by  its  noise  and  hissing:  so,  truly,  their  con- 
sciences seem  cold  and  dead,  and  such  as  you  might  handle  at 
your  pleasure ;  but,  when  once  God  lets  fall  some  drops  of  his 
wrath  upon  them,  then  they  hiss,  and  boil,  and  fill  the  soul  with 
smoke  and  smother.  A  hard  heart  is  no  security  against  a 
troubled  conscience.  It  is  with  the  hearts  and  consciences  of 
wicked  men,  as  it  is  with  a  sore  in  the  body ;  which,  it  may  be,  is 
the  hardest  part  in  the  body  and  yet  the  sorest  also  :  the  red  flesh 
about  the  sore  is  hard,  and  yet  full  of  pain  and  anguish :  so  is  it, 
many  times,  with  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  wicked  men ; 
which,  though  they  are  exceeding  hard,  yet  are  full  of  pain  and 
anguish.  "We  read  of  Heman,  that,  whilst  he  suffered  the  terrors 
of  God,  he  was  distracted :  Ps.  lxxxviii.  15.    And,  David  tells  us, 


534 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 


"  The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me  about,  and  the  pains  of  hell 
gat  hold  of  me :"  Ps.  cxvi.  3.  And,  if  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty 
be  thus  sore  and  terrible  upon  these  holy  men,  whose  hearts  were 
sound  towards  God ;  how  fretting  and  galling  will  it  be  upon  the 
ulcerated  consciences  of  sinners !  No  man  hath  his  present  con- 
tentment and  delight  in  his  own  power,  no  more  than  he  hath  his 
own  conscience  in  his  own  power;  which  will  speak,  yea  and 
speak  terrible  things  too,  when  the  sinner  hath  done  all  he  can  to 
stifle  it.  Nay,  let  every  sinner  speak :  How  is  it  with  you,  after 
the  madness  and  rage  of  your  sin  are  over;  are  you  not  then 
haunted  with  direful  thoughts  of  horror  and  amazement,  that  are, 
as  it  were,  gnawing  and  devouring  your  hearts  ?  And  are  these 
they,  who  are  content  to  buy  ease  and  quietness  at  so  dear  a  rate, 
as  the  loss  of  their  precious  and  immortal  souls ;  and  to  be  eter- 
nally tormented  hereafter,  besides  their  present  pain  and  anguish 
after  the  commission  of  sin  now,  which  if  they  feel  not  always  yet 
frequently  they  do  ?  But,  if  God  should  give  them  up  to  such 
hardness  of  heart,  as  to  become  altogether  insensible  and  stupid 
while  they  continue  in  this  world ;  yet  what  will  this  avail  them  ? 
Will  they  not  purchase  their  ease  and  pleasure  very  dearly ;  to 
>  lose  their  souls  forever  hereafter,  and  to  suffer  the  pains  of  hell 
eternally  ?  The  devil  hath  put  a  horrid  cheat  upon  these  men : 
for  they  do  not  change  their  troubles  and  sorrows,  but  only  the 
time  of  them  :  and,  for  a  little  fancied  sensual  ease  and  pleasure  in 
this  world,  (which  it  may  be  they  may  enjoy,  and  it  may  be  not ; 
for,  possibly,  God  may  be  so  provoked  by  them,  that  he  may  sud- 
denly cut  them  off  in  their  sins :  but,  if  not,  it  is  but  for  a  very 
little  time  that  the  pleasures  of  their  sins  and  lusts  will  last,  and 
then)  an  eternity  of  pain  and  torment  shall  be  their  portion. 
Sinners,  be  not  therefore  deceived :  suffer  not  the  devil  to  abuse 
you ;  and  to  impose  his  drudgery  upon  you,  under  the  pretence 
of  ease  and  quietness.  If,  therefore,  it  be  only  present  content- 
ment and  satisfaction,  that  you  seek ;  if  you  think  that  you  shall 
perish,  but  yet  you  would  perish  the  easiest  way ;  that  is  not, 
believe  it,  by  giving  up  yourselves  to  a  way  and  course  of  sin,  but 
in  a  way  of  duty  and  laborious  working :  in  that  only,  can  you 
find  present  contentment ;  and  in  that  possibly,  you  may  find  eter- 
nal happiness. 

Object,  ii.  "  But,"  may  some  say,  "  the  works  of  God  would  be 
more  pleasing  to  us,  if  we  could  but  work  them.  But,  first,  we 
have  no  working  principle :  we  are  in  a  state  of  nature,  and  Avith- 


IN   WORKING  OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  535 

out  grace ;  so  that  we  cannot  work.  And,  secondly,  we  cannot 
implant  this  grace  in  ourselves." 

To  this  I  answer :  Though  you  neither  have  grace,  nor  can  work 
grace  in  yourselves,  yet  you  can  do  much,  yea  very  much,  in  order 
to  salvation,  by  the  mere  strength  of  nature  and  the  liberty  of  your 
own  will.  This  is  a  consideration,  that  needs  to  be  frequently 
pressed  upon  the  consciences  of  wicked  men :  they  often  hear  unto 
what  a  state  of  weakness  sin  Lath  reduced  them,  and  that  without 
grace  they  can  do  nothing  that  is  pleasing  unto  God  or  advantage- 
ous to  themselves ;  and,  by  this,  they  are  put  out  of  conceit  of 
setting  upon  the  work  of  God,  and  leave  the  salvation  of  their 
souls  at  all  adventures. 

Consider,  therefore,  Sinners,  how  much  you  may  do  toward  your 
own  salvation,  from  your  own  nature  and  free-will.    And,  here, 

1.  The  vilest  sinner,  even  by  the  power  of  nature  and  his  own  free- 
icill,  may  attain  to  the  highest  degree  and  pitch  of  preparation,  that  is 
usually  wrought  in  the  heart  antecedently  to  or  before  true  grace. 

Such  are  legal  conviction  "and  contrition,  a  sad  sight  of  sin,  and 
a  deep  sorrow  for  it,  together  with  strong  resolutions  and  purposes 
against  it,  with  strong  desires  after  grace  and  holiness,  and  the  like. 
And  the  reason  of  this  is,  because  all  these  things  are  short  of 
grace :  and,  whatever  is  short  of  true  grace,  falls  within  the  com- 
pass of  nature  and  free-will,  which  is  common  unto  all  men ;  which, 
though  it  be  indeed  wounded  and  maimed,  yet  may  make  shift  to 
go  so  far  as  this  comes  to.  True  grace  is  only  the  creation  of  the 
power  of  God,  and  not  the  production  of  nature  or  free-will :  where- 
fore, after  all  this  preparation  is  wrought,  a  sinner  can  no  more  work 
grace  in  himself,  than  he  could  before ;  yet  he  is  now  nearer  to 
grace,  and  in  a  greater  probability  of  it  than  he  was  before.  And 
there  is  none  but  may  go  thus  far,  if  they  will  but  improve  that 
power  and  ability  that  they  have. 

2.  There  is  no  duty  in  religion,  but  the  power  of  nature  may  carry 
a  man  out  to  the  external  performance  thereof,  and  that  with  affection 
and  enlargement  also. 

Ahab  humbles  himself.  Herod  heard  John  Baptist  gladly.  And 
so,  sinners  can  pray,  hear,  read,  meditate,  and  discourse  of  the 
things  of  God  :  others  have  done' so,  formerly  ;  and,  therefore,  they 
may  and  can  do  so,  now.  Indeed,  heretofore,  there  were  peculiar 
gifts  bestowed  upon  wicked  persons,  immediately  from  God ;  as 
Balaam  was  made  to  prophesy  of  Christ,  and  the  like:  Numb, 
xxiv.  17.    But  these  are  now  ceased :  and  all  unregenerate  persons 


536 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


now,  Lave  the  same  power  and  faculties  in  them,  one  as  well  as 
another ;  and  may  be  able  to  do,  one  as  much  as  another,  in  the 
performance  of  spiritual  duties,  if  they  themselves  will. 

3.  There  is  no  wicked  man  whatever,  but  may,  by  the  mere  power  of 
nature,  restrain  himself  from  the  commission  of  sin. 

I  speak  not  of  sins,  collectively  taken ;  for  no  man  can  so  say 
his  heart  or  life  is  clean  and  pure :  but  he  may  keep  out  of  notori- 
ous and  scandalous  sins.  There  is  no  sinner,  that  hath  given  him- 
self up  to  his  lusts,  but  may,  if  he  will,  for  the  future  live  so 
inoffensively,  that  neither  the  world  nor  his  own  conscience  may 
have  much  to  accuse  him  of,  besides  common  infirmities.  Mark 
the  reason  of  this :  because  wicked  men  commonly  make  choice  of 
sin :  this  sin  they  will  live  in,  and  that  sin  they  will  not  live  in  : 
the  drunkard  is  not  covetous,  and  the  covetous  man  is  not  a  drunk- 
ard ;  and  so  I  may  say  of  other  sins.  Now  it  is  from  the  power  of 
nature,  that  wicked  men  refrain  from  the  commission  of  any  one 
sin  ;  and  not  from  the  power  of  grace  :  and,  therefore,  if  one  sinner 
hath  power  to  keep  from  this  sin,  and  another  sinner  hath  power 
to  keep  from  the  commission  of  another,  and  a  third  from  a  third 
sin,  then  every  sinner  may,  by  the  power  of  nature,  keep  from  all 
those  sins  that  any  of  those  sinners  do  keep  themselves  from ; 
because  there  is  the  same  power  in  each  sinner,  to  lay  the  same 
restraint  upon  this  or  that  sin,  that  others  keep  from. 

4.  Titer e  is  no  man,  how  great  a  sinner  soever,  but,  if  he  will,  he 
may  with  constancy,  yea  to  the  end  and  period  of  his  life,  continue  thus 
in  the  performance  of  duties  and  in  avoiding  sins,  by  the  power  of 
nature  only. 

For,  if  it  be  possible  that  men  should  do  it  at  any  time,  then  it 
is  possible  for  them  to  do  it  continually.  No  more  power  is  re- 
quired to  enable  them  this  day,  than  was  required  the  day  past  ; 
nor  no  more  power  is  required  for  the  day  to  come,  than  was  for 
this  day  now  present :  therefore,  having  strength  to  avoid  them 
one  time,  they  might  also  avoid  them  another  time ;  yea,  and  con- 
tinually persevere  in  so  doing,  if  they  would  keep  a  daily  constant 
watch  against  them. 

5.  There  is  no  man,  but,  through  this  perseverance  and  continuance, 
may  attain  to  habitualness  ;  and,  thereby,  to  a  facility  and  easiness,  in 
the  performance  of  duties,  and  in  the  avoiding  of  sins. 

When  men  are  accustomed  to  a  road  and  round  of  duties,  it  is  a 
trouble  to  them  to  omit  them  :  so,  if  men  did  but  set  themselves  to 
their  utmost  to  perform  duties  in  a  more  hearty  and  cordial  man- 
ner, those  duties  would  become  easy  to  them ;  and,  if  men  would 


IN  "WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  537 

but  engage  themselves  perseveringly  to  Oppose  their  corruptions, 
this  would  bring  them  to  that  pass,  that  it  would  be  their  delight 
to  keep  from  sin  and  to  perform  duty.  And  to  all  this  the  power 
of  nature  would  bring  them. 

Now,  Sinners,  you  see  what  a  large  tenure  you  have.  You  are 
not  staked  down  fast,  that  you  can  do  nothing :  no ;  it  is  much, 
yea  very  much,  that  you  may  do  in  order  to  your  salvation. 

But  here,  some  may  possibly  say,  "  "We  hope  that  these  words 
are  not  true  :"  for  they  would  not  be  able  to  do  so  much  as  all  this 
comes  to,  because  they  are  willing  to  do  nothing  at  all.  But,  let 
such  know,  that  that,  which  will  condemn  them  at  the  last  day,  will 
be,  that  they  have  not  done  what  they  might  have  done,  in  per- 
forming duties  and  in  opposing  sins,  and  therefore  they  willfully 
fall  short  of  happiness  and  salvation. 

Object,  iii.  "But,"  may  some  say,  "if  we  should  put  forth  to 
our  utmost  the  power  of  nature,  what  would  that  avail  us  ?  "We 
cannot  thereby  work  grace  in  ourselves ;  and,  without  grace,  no 
salvation  is  to  be  had." 

To  this  I  answer :  Consider,  you  do  not  know  but,  whilst  you  are 
thus  doing  what  you  can,  God  may  come  in  and  by  his  grace  enable 
you  to  do  what  you  cannot  do.  God  is  not  wont  to  be  wanting,  in 
this  particular,  unto  any.  He  is  found  of  those,  that  seek  him  not ; 
and,  much  more,  will  he  be  found  of  those,  that  seek  him  and  in- 
quire after  him,  though  it  be  but  by  the  weak  endeavors  of  nature. 

Object,  iv.  "  But,"  may  some  say,  "  hath  God  obliged  himself 
to  convert  and  save  those,  that  do  to  the  utmost  that  which  nature 
enables  them  to  do,  in  desiring  salvation  and  in  seeking  to  ob- 
tain it  ?" 

To  this  I  answer :  God  hath  not  bound  himself,  but  usually  he 
doth  so.  God  is  neither  bound  to  give  grace,  upon  the  endeavors 
of  nature ;  neither  is  he  wont  to  deny  it.  Can  you  say,  that  ever 
you  knew  or  heard  of  any  careful,  conscientious,  industrious  soul, 
that  diligently  and  conscientiously  exercised  itself  in  performing 
duties  and  in  avoiding  sins,  that  was  not  at  last  truly  converted  and 
eternally  saved  ?    And  why  then  should  you  doubt  or  think  that 


533 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


you  shall  be  the  first  ?  Cast  yourself,  therefore,  upon  God  ;  trusting 
to  his  rich  and  free  grace ;  doing  the  utmost  of  your  endeavors. 

However,  suppose  the  worst,  that  thou  art  never  converted  nor 
saved,  which  supposition  is  very  dreadful  and  terrible ;  and,  if  thou 
art  careful  and  conscientious  to  improve  thy  abilities  to  the  utmost, 
it  is  altogether  improbable;  but,  suppose  the  worst: 

1.  Thou  livest  here,  tlien,  more  according  to  the  rule  of  nature  and 
reason,  than  others  do. 

For,  when  others  wallow  in  sin,  thou  showest  thyself  to  be  more 
like  a  rational  man :  thou  art  sensible  thou  hast  a  soul  of  more 
worth,  than  to  be  lost  for  want  of  care  and  diligence.    And,  then, 

2.  Thy  pains  and  punishments,  hereafter,  shall  be  greatly  mitigated. 

Possibly,  thou  mayest  slight  this :  because,  at  best,  it  is  damna- 
tion :  yea,  but  consider,  there  are  several  degrees  of  torments  in 
hell.  Now  thy  workings  and  endeavors  may  free  thee  from  many 
degrees  of  torment ;  and,  therefore,  they  free  thee  from  many  hells : 
and  is  not  this  worth  thy  labor  ?  Kay,  and  not  only  so,  but  it  is 
very  probable  that  you  may  altogether  escape  those  torments,  if 
you  be  conscientious  in  doing  your  utmost  endeavors. 

VI.  And  now,  methinks,  every  one,  that  hath  but  reason  to  judge 
and  a  soul  to  save,  must  needs  see  so  much  strength  and  force  in 
the  arguments  that  have  been  propounded,  that  the  next  question 
should  be,  "  What  must  we  do,  to  work  the  works  of  God  ?"  John 
vi.  28.  In  every  trade  aud  profession,  there  is  some  kind  of  mys- 
tery, that  gives  to  them,  that  have  attained  to  it,  a  quicker  dispatch 
in  their  business  than  other  men  have.  And  so  is  it  in  the  work 
and  profession  of  a  Christian  :  there  is  an  art  and  mystery  ;  and  he, 
that  is  master  of  this,  shall  make  good  dispatch  in  his  great  work. 

And,  possibly,  we  may  have  some  insight  into  it  by  these  fol- 
lowing DIRECTIONS. 

Direction"  i.  If  you  would  work  out  your  own  salvation,  then 

DIGEST  AND  DISPOSE  YOUR  WORK  INTO  A  RIGHT  ORDER  AND 
METHOD. 

"Want  of  method  breeds  confusion ;  and  makes  that  a  tumult  and 
a  heap  of  business,  that  would  otherwise  become  a  trade  in  Chris- 
tianity. One  attainment  makes  way  for  and  opens  into  another: 
and,  to  attempt  any  thing  in  Christianity  by  leaps  and  jumps  as  it 
were,  is  fruitless,  unprofitable,  and  vain.  No  wise  man  will  try  to 
mount  the  highest  round  of  a  ladder  at  the  first  step.    But,  yet, 


IN  WORKING  OUT  OUR   OWN   SALVATION.  539 

many  such  preposterous  endeavors  are  found  among  men,  in  the 
working  out  of  their  salvation.  In  respect  of  doctrinals,  St.  Paul 
tells  us,  some  built  "  hay  and  stubble"  upon  a  foundation  of  gold : 
1  Cor.  iii.  12.  But,  in  resjDect  of  practicals,  it  is  frequent,  that  many 
men  endeavor  to  build  gold  upon  a  foundation  of  hay  and  stubble. 
These  men's  buildings  will  soon  totter,  fall,  and  come  to  nothing 
but  ruin,  shame,  and  disappointment.  Now  the  right  disposal  of 
your  great  work  lies  thus :  first,  you  are  to  work  from  nature  to 
grace ;  and,  then,  from  grace  unto  the  holy  and  spiritual  perform- 
ance of  duty,  by  which  grace  is  much  confirmed  and  strengthened ; 
and  so,  continuing  in  duty,  to  arrive  at  assurance ;  and,  from  this, 
the  next  step  is  salvation :  from  nature  to  grace,  and  from  grace  to 
duty.  See  this  method  laid  down  by  the  Apostle :  Heb.  xii.  28 ; 
"  Let  us,"  says  he,  "  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  ac- 
ceptably, with  reverence  and  godly  fear :"  this  is  the  ladder  of 
heaven,  whose  bottom  step  is  below  grace  in  nature,  and  whose 
utmost  step  is  above  it  in  absolute  perfection  and  glory :  first,  there 
must  be  grace  ;  before  any  duty  can  be  performed  acceptably  unto 
God.  But,  most  men  pervert  and  disturb  this  method.  And  the 
ordinary  way  of  disturbance  is  this :  they  are  frequent  in  duties ; 
but  they  perform  them  not,  either  for  grace  or  from  grace ;  neither 
that  they  may  attain  grace  by  them,  nor  that  they  may  exercise 
grace  in  them :  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  these  men  think  and 
hope  to  work  out  salvation  by  such  duties  as  these ;  making  a  leap 
from  duties  to  salvation ;  neglecting  to  obtain  that  grace,  that  can 
make  their  duties  acceptable  and  saving :  and,  hence  it  is,  that 
they  make  no  quicker  dispatch  and  riddance  in  their  great  work. 

Now  such  attempts  as  these  are 

Discouraging  and  disheartening.  And, 

They  are  vain  and  fruitless. 

1.  They  are  very  discouraging. 

Duties  never  flow  freely  from  the  soul,  where  grace  is  not  like 
a  continual  fountain  to  supply  it.  Job,  speaking  of  the  hypocrite, 
asks  this  question,  "Will  he  delight  himself  in  God?  will  he 
always  call  upon  him  ?"  Job  xxvii.  10.  No :  he  will  not :  it  is  not 
possible  that  he  should  do  so :  though,  for  a  time,  he  may  drive  at 
a  high  rate,  praying  both  with  fervency  and  affection  ;  yet  will  he 
soon  decay  and  faint,  because  he  hath  no  life  of  grace  to  carry  him 
through  duties  :  but  he  finds  them  to  flow  stubbornly  from  him  ; 
and,  therefore,  through  weariness  and  discontent,  at  last  he  gives 
them  over.  The  good  works  of  graceless  persons  may  be  as  flou- 
rishing as  if  indeed  they  were  true  saints ;  but  they  have  not  a 


540 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


root  to  supply  them :  the  root  of  the  matter,  as  Job  speaks,  is  not 
in  them  :  and,  therefore,  the}'  are  soon  nipped  and  fade  away.  It 
is  simply  impossible,  that  a  person,  "without  the  life  and  power  of 
grace,  should  persevere  in  a  cordial,  affectionate  performance  of 
good  works :  interest,  credit,  respect,  and  natural  conscience,  are 
wheels  too  weak  for  so  great  a  burden :  it  is  grace  only,  that  can 
overbalance  all  outward  discouragements ;  yea,  and  which  is  more, 
that  alone  can  remove  all  inward  also  ;  this  can  make  obedience 
sweet  to  a  child  of  God,  which  to  a  wicked  man  must  needs  be 
irksome ;  and  that,  because  he  hath  no  relish  therein.  Mat.  xvi.  23. 
"  Thou  savorest  not  the  things  that  are  of  God :"  this  may  be  much 
more  said  of  graceless  persons,  because  they  have  not  salt  in  them, 
for  so  grace  is  called,  (Col.  iv.  6,)  that  should  make  holy  and  hea- 
venly things  to  be  savory  to  them.  "What  a  torment  is  it,  to  be 
still  chewing  an  unsavory  prayer  and  an  unsavory  meditation !  to 
hear  and  speak  those  words,  that  their  ears  cannot  relish!  "Must 
I  always,"  says  the  sinner,  "offer  this  force  to  myself?  Must  I 
still  strain  and  pump  for  tears  and  sighs  ?  "Were  holiness  as  easy 
to  me  as  it  is  to  some,  no  life  would  I  choose  sooner  than  that :  but 
I  am  straitened  and  pinched  up,  and  all  good  things  come  out  of 
me  like  the  evil  spirit,  which  rends  and  tears  me,  and  is  a  torture 
and  anguish  to  my  heart  and  bowels."  And  it  is  so,  because,  in 
the  performance  of  them,  there  is  a  neglect  of  that  grace,  that 
should  make  duties  become  easy :  and,  therefore,  such  a  one  will 
shortly  give  over  duties  themselves,  which  he  finds  to  be  so  trou- 
blesome :  yea,  and  will  also  give  over  all  hopes  of  attaining  any 
good  at  all  by  them. 

2.  Such  works  are  also,  as  to  the  obtaining  of  the  last  and  main 
end,  vain  and  fruitless-:  and  that,  upon  two  accounts. 

(1)  Because  the  acting  of  grace  is  the  life  and  spirit  of  all  our 
works  ;  without  which,  they  are  all  but  carcasses  and  dead  things, 
and  only  equivocally"  called  good  works,  even  as  the  picture  of  a 
man  may  be  called  a  man. 

"We  are,"  says  the  Apostle,  "his  workmanship;  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  As,  after  the  first  creation,  God 
took  a  survey  of  all  the  works  of  his  hands,  and  pronounced  them 
all  very  good :  so  there  is  no  work  of  ours,  that  God  will  pro- 
nounce to  be  a  good  work,  but  what  is  the  effect  of  his  creating 
power;  that  is,  the  product  of  his  second  creation:  "created," 
says  the  Apostle,  "  unto  good  works :"  Eph.  ii.  10.  Good  works 
are  no  otherwise  necessary  to  salvation,  but  as  they  are  the  exer- 
cises of  grace,  by  which  we  express  the  life  and  likeness  of  God. 


IN  WORKING   OUT    OUR    OWN   SALVATION.  541 

IIow  should  grace  be  seen  and  known  but  by  works  ?  First,  God 
imprinted  his  own  image  upon  our  souls,  in  regeneration ;  and 
stamped  us  feature  for  feature,  grace  for  grace,  and  glory  for 
glory ;  for  because  this  is  hid  and  concealed,  therefore  are  we 
to  copy  forth  this  image  in  a  holy  conversation,  and  to  express 
every  grace  in  some  duty  or  work  of  obedience.  As  those,  that 
we  call  falling  stars,  dart  from  heaven,  and  draw  after  them  long 
trains  of  light;  so  God  would  have  us  to  shoot  up  to  heaven,  but 
yet  to  leave  a  train  of  light  behind  us :  our  graces  must  shine  always : 
we  must  go  on  in  good  works.  And  those  good  works  are  of  no  value 
or  account  with  God,  of  which  grace  is  not  the  end  or  principle. 
What  says  the  Apostle  ?    "  Though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed 

the  poor  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing :"  1  Cor. 

xiii.  3.  Can  a  man  bestow  all  his  goods  upon  the  poor,  and  not  be 
charitable  ?  Indeed,  the  word  that  we  translate  charity,  might,  to 
avoid  some  mistakes,  better  have  been  translated  love ;  but,  how- 
ever, we  must  take  charity  for  a  disposition  to  relieve  the  wants  and 
necessities  of  others  with  respect  of  love  to  God  and  his  image : 
if  this  good  work  be  not  from  grace,  through  a  principle  of  love  to 
God  and  obedience  to  his  command,  it  is  but  the  empty  shell  and 
husk  of  a  good  work,  and  it  avails  a  man  nothing.  Yea,  further : 
if,  after  this,  "  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity, 
it  profiteth  me  nothing :"  if  my  soul  burn  not  as  clear  and  bright 
in  love,  as  my  body  in  the  flames,  it  availeth  me  nothing :  I  burn 
only  what  was  dead  before  ;  and  offer  a  carcase,  instead  of  a  sacri- 
fice. There  is  no  work  or  duty,  how  specious  soever,  that  is  of 
any  profit  to  the  soul,  if  that  work  or  duty  hath  not  the  life  and 
power  of  some  grace  or  other  expressed  in  it. 

This,  then,  is  the  first  ground,  why  works  without  grace  are 
fruitless :  because  they  are  empty  and  lifeless.  Grace  is  the  life 
and  spirit  of  good  works. 

(2)  All  works  and  duties  whatever,  without  grace,  leave  the 
heart  in  the  same  estate  of  sin,  and  therefore  the  person  in  the  same 
estate  of  wrath  and  condemnation,  as  before.  For, 

[1]  All  of  them  are  not  a  sufficient  expiation  for  the  guilt  of  any 
one  sin. 

Should  such  men  pray  and  sigh,  till  their  breath  were  turned 
into  a  cloud,  and  covered  the  face  of  the  whole  sky ;  should  they 
weep,  till  they  drowned  themselves  in  their  own  tears  :  yet,  if  all 
this  could  be  supposed  to  be  only  the  remorse  of  nature,  and  not 
true  and  godly  sorrow,  they  would  still  be  under  the  same  state  of 
condemnation  as  the  most  seared  sinner  in  the  world.   The  prophet 


542 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


Micah  tells  of  some,  that  bid  very  high  for  pardon  and  forgiveness, 
as  if  they  were  resolved  to  carry  it  at  any  rate  whatever  :  "Where- 
with," say  they,  "shall  we  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  ourselves 
before  the  most-high  God  ?  Shall  we  come  before  him  with  burnt- 
offerings,  and  with  calves  of  a  year  old?  AVill  the  Lord  be  pleased 
with  thousands  of  rams,  and  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ? 
Shall  we  give  our  first-born  for  our  transgression,  the  fruit  of  our 
bodies  for  the  sin  of  our  souls  ?"  Micah  vi.  6,  7.  What  high  rates 
are  here  bidden,  and  yet  all  this  falls  short !  There  is  but  one 
grace,  and  that  is  faith,  that  can  give  us  a  right  and  title  to  that 
righteousness  which  shall  be  a  sufficient  expiation  and  atonement 
for  all  our  sins. 

[2]  All  attainments  and  attempts,  all  endeavors  and  duties,  with- 
out grace,  can  never  mortify  and  subdue  the  power  and  dominion 
of  any  one  lust  or  corruption. 

Men  may  divert,  and  chain,  and  restrain  their  corruptions ;  and 
hedge  in  their  lusts,  so  that  they  shall  not  break  forth  into  any 
outrageous  wickedness :  but,  yet,  without  grace,  they  can  never 
subdue  them  ;  because  it  is  grace  alone,  that  can  lay  the  axe  to  the 
root  of  this  evil  tree. 

Notwithstanding,  then,  all  that  hath  been  said  concerning  the 
power  of  nature,  what  men  may  do  thereby  and  how  far  they  may 
go:  yet  here  you  see  what  impotence  there  is  in  nature,  without 
grace  ;  and  what  it  cannot  reach  to  perform. 

But,  this  is  not  spoken,  that,  hereby,  any  should  be  discouraged 
from  working ;  and,  because  some  doubt  of  the  truth  of  their  graces, 
that  therefore  they  should  desist  from  a  course  of  holiness  and 
obedience :  this  were  plainly  to  thwart  the  whole  design  of  this 
subject.  No :  all,  that  hath  been  said,  is,  to  persuade  men  not  to 
rest  satisfied  in  any  work  of  obedience  or  religion,  in  which  some 
grace  is  not  breathed  or  exercised ;  nor  to  look  upon  them  at  all  as 
inductive  to  salvation,  as  in  themselves,  but  as  in  reference  to  true 
grace. 

How  many  poor  souls  are  there,  who,  because  they  run  on  in  a 
round  of  duties,  because  they  do  something  that  they  call  good 
works,  think  that  salvation  is  as  surely  their  own,  as  if  all  the 
promises  in  the  Scripture  were  sealed  and  delivered  to  them  by 
God  himself !  And  yet,  poor  creatures !  they  never  examine  or 
regard  from  what  principle  this  their  obedience  flows :  whether 
from  a  principle  of  grace;  or  from  the  old  corrupt  principle  of 
nature,  new  vamped  from  some  common  operations  of  the  Spirit. 
Believe  it,  this  is  not  that  obedience,  that  God  requires,  nor  that 


IN  WORKING  OUT   OUR  OWN  SALVATION.  543 

he  will  accept :  an  inward  groan,  if  breathed  by  grace,  is  of  more 
account  with  God,  and  will  be  more  available  to  the  soul,  than  the 
most  pompous  and  specious  services  of  unregenerate  men.  What 
is  it  to  God,  when  you  offer  not  only  the  blind  and  the  lame,  but 
the  dead  also  ?  Is  it  not  rather  an  abomination,  than  obedience  ? 
The  Apostle  tells  us,  "  Without  works,  faith  is  dead  :"  James  ii.  20 ; 
and  it  is  as  true,  on  the  other  side  also,  that  works,  without  faith 
and  other  graces  of  the  Spirit,  are  not  only  dead,  but  rotten  and 
noisome.  Every  duty,  which  men  perform  in  a  graceless  state  and 
condition,  God  must  needs  loathe,  and  them  for  it ;  the  "prayer"  of 
the  wicked  is  an  "abomination"  unto  the  Lord:  Prov.  xxviii.  9; 
it  is  as  hateful  unto  God,  as  vapors,  that  ascend  out  of  tombs  from 
putrefied  bodies,  are  unto  us. 

What,  then !  must  such  persons  give  up  themselves  to  sin  there- 
fore ?  God  forbid  !  No,  rather  let  such  think  thus  :  "  If  our  duties 
and  our  righteousness  be  so  loathsome,  what  are  our  sins  and  ini- 
quities ?"  Though  every  sinner  be  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins," 
yet  is  it  less  offensive  to  have  a  dead  carcass  embalmed  than  to 
have  it  lie  open.  Still,  therefore,  continue  working ;  but,  in  your 
,  working,  first  aim  to  obtain  grace,  before  you  aim  at  obtaining 
heaven  and  salvation :  let  it,  at  no  time,  content  you,  that  such  and 
such  duties  you  have  performed ;  but  look  what  grace  you  have 
acted  in  them :  what  is  there  of  God  breathing  in  this  prayer,  that 
I  now  put  up?  How  am  I  in  hearing,  in  meditation,  in  discoursing 
of  the  things  of  God  ?  Is  my  heart  holy  and  spiritual  ?  Are  my 
affections  pure  and  fervent  ?  Are  my  graces  active  and  vigorous  ? 
And,  are  they  vigorous  in  this  work  of  obedience  ?  Else,  to  per- 
form duties;  and  to  neglect  grace  that  alone  can  enable  us  to  perform 
duties  acceptably,  is  only  to  go  to  hell  a  little  more  cleanly. 

Direction  ii.  If  you  would  work  out  your  own  salvation,  as  you 
must  look  to  the  actings  of  grace  as  well  as  to  the  performance  of 
duties;  so  you  must  labor  to  grow  and  increase  in  those 

GRACES,  THAT  ARE  MOST  ACTIVE  AND  WORKING. 

And  they  are  two,  the  grace  of  faith,  and  the  grace  of  love 

To  grow  strong  in  these  graces,  is  the  most  compendious  way  for 

a  Christian  to  dispatch  his  great  work.    I  may  call  them  the  two 

hands  of  a  Christian :  and  he,  that  is  most  active  in  these,  works 

out  his  salvation  "  with  both  hands  earnestly." 

1.  Tlie  actings  of  faith  are  of  mighty  advantage  to  the  working  out 

of  our  salvation. 


54A 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


Two  senses  there  are,  in  which  salvation  may  be  said  to  be 
wrought  out. 

In  title  :  in  actual  possession  and  enjoyment. 

Now  faith  is  a  working  out  of  the  one,  and  a  compendious  fur- 
therance towards  the  working  out  of  the  other. 

(1)  Upon  our  believing,  salvation  is  already  wrought  out  for  us, 
in  right  and  title. 

"  He,  that  believeth,  shall  be  saved :"  here  is  the  title.  The  great 
work  is  then  done  and  finished,  when  once  faith  is  wrought.  And, 
therefore,  when  the  Jews  came  to  inquire  of  our  Saviour,  how  they 
should  do  to  "work  the  works  of  God  :"  John  vi.  28,  29,  our  Lord 
tells  them,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him,  whom 
he  hath  sent."  Nay,  further,  as  a  faith  of  adherence  or  acceptance 
gives  a  right  and  title  to  salvation ;  so  a  faith  of  full  assurance  is 
this  salvation  itself:  for,  "Faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen  :"  Heb.  xi.  1 :  in  its  justifying 
act,  it  gives  a  title  to  salvation :  in  its  assuring  act,  it  gives  the  sub- 
stance of  the  thing  itself:  for  it  is  much  at  one  to  a  strong  faith,  to 
believe  heaven,  and  to  enjoy  it. 

(2)  Faith  cloth  compendiously  further  and  promote  the  working 
out  of  our  salvation,  in  actual  possession. 

And  that,  because  faith  is  that  grace,  which  draweth  all  that 
ability  and  strength  from  Christ,  whereby  a  Christian  is  enabled  to 
work.  Faith  is  not  only  a  grace  of  itself,  but  it  is  steward  and  pur- 
veyor for  all  other  graces ;  and  its  office  is  to  bring  in  provision 
for  them,  while  they  are  working :  and,  therefore,  as  a  man's  faith 
grows  either  stronger  or  weaker,  so  his  work  goes  on  more  or  less 
vigorously.  When  other  graces  are  in  want,  and  cry  "Give,  give;" 
then  faith  betakes  itself  to  Christ,  and  saith,  "  Lord,  such  a  grace 
stands  in  need  of  so  much  strength  to  support  it ;  and  such  a 
grace  stands  in  need  of  so  much  support  to  act  it :  and  I  have 
nothing  to  give  it  myself;  and  therefore  I  come  to  fetch  supplies 
from  thee."  And,  certainly,  this  faith,  that  comes  thus  empty- 
handed  unto  Christ,  never  goes  away  empty-handed  from  Christ. 
What  is  it  of  which  you  compiain  ?  Is  it,  that  the  work  stands 
at  a  stay,  and  you  cannot  make  it  go  forward  ?  Is  it,  that  temp- 
tations are  strong  and  violent;  that  duties  are  hard,  irksome, 
and  difficult  ?  Why  set  faith  on  work  to  go  to  Christ,  and  there 
you  may  be  sure  to  have  supply ;  because  faith  is  an  omnipotent 
grace  :  "  All  things  are  possible  to  him,  that  believeth  :"  and  that, 
because  all  things  are  possible  to  that  God  and  to  that  Christ,  on 
whom  faith  is  acted.    There  is  no  grace,  nor  no  supply,  nor  mercy 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR  OWN  SALVATION. 


545 


laid  up  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  it  is  all  in  the  hands  of  a 
believer's  faith ;  and  he  may  take  from  thence  whatsoever  he  needs, 
to  supply  the  present  wants  and  necessities  of  his  soul. 

2.  Another  working  grace  is  the  fervent  actings  of  love. 

Love  is  the  great  wheel  of  the  soul,  that  sets  all  the  rest  a 
moving;  and  makes  it  like  "the  chariots  of  Ammi-nadib,"  Cant, 
vi.  12,  to  run  swiftly  towards  its  desired  object.  There  is  a  mutual 
dependence  between  faith  and  love,  in  their  working :  love  depends 
upon  faith  to  strengthen  it,  and  faith  depends  again  upon  love  to 
act  it.  As  we  love  not  that,  which  we  do  not  know :  and  our 
knowledge  of  God  and  of  the  things  of  eternity  is  by  faith,  not  by 
vision :  so  those  things,  which  we  do  know  and  which  we  do 
believe,  yet  if  we  love  them  not  we  shall  never  endeavor  after 
them.  The  Apostle  therefore  tells  us,  that  "faith  worketh  by  love." 

There  is  a  threefold  spiritual  love  required  to  expedite  our  great 
work. 

A  transcendent  love  of  God. 
A  regular  love  of  ourselves. 

-  A  complacent  love  for  and  delight  in  our  work  itself. 

Now  when  the  affections  go  out  after  these  objects  of  love,  this 
will  much  facilitate  our  great  work. 

(1)  The  love  of  God  is  a  great  help  to  our  duty. 

Our  Saviour  therefore  urgeth  obedience,  upon  this  very  account : 
"  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments :"  John  xiv.  15.  And, 
says  the  Apostle,  "  This  is  the  love  of  God,"  that  is,  this  is  a  cer- 
tain sign,  or  it  is  the  constant  effect  of  our  love  to  God,  "  that  we 
keep  his  commandments :  and  his  commandments  are  not  griev- 
ous :"  1  John  v.  3.  They  are  not  grievous,  because  they  are  His 
commandments,  who  is  the  love  and  joy  of  our  souls. 

Divine  love  always  conforms  itself  to  divine  precepts:  and  tnat, 
for  two  reasons : 

[1]  Because  this  grace,  as  it  desires  the  beatific  union  to  God  in 
glory,  hereafter ;  for  love  is  the  desire  of  union :  so,  now,  it  causes 
an  unspeakable  union  of  will,  and  a  supernatural  sympathy  of 
affection,  betwixt  God  and  the  soul. 

Which  union  cannot  be  a  union  of  equality  or  entity,  as  is  in 
the  Persons  of  the  Blessed  Trinity :  and,  therefore,  it  is  a  union 
of  subordination  of  a  Christian's  will  to  the  will  of  God.  Now 
what  is  this  will  of  God  ?  The  Apostle  tell  us :  "  This  is  the  will 
of  God,  even  your  sanctification :"  1  Thes.  iv.  3.  And  the  same 
Apostle  tell  us,  in  another  place,  "  We  are  his  workmanship, 
created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before 
Vol.  II.— 35 


546 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them :"  Eph.  ii.  10.    And  is 

this  God's  will,  and  shall  it  not  be  our  work?  Hath  God  ordained 
that  we  should  walk  therein,  and  shall  we  be  averse  from  or  sloth- 
ful thereunto  ?  How  can  we  pretend  that  we  love  God,  while  we 
neglect  the  only  thing  which  he  requires  from  us,  holiness  and 
obeilience  ?  God  wills  our  holiness,  because  there  is  no  better 
thing  that  he  can  will,  next  uuto  himself :  the  image  of  God,  next 
to  himself,  is  the  most  excellent  and  chief  good.  Every  thing,  the 
nearer  it  approacheth  unto  God,  the  more  desirable  it  becomes  in 
itself:  now  that,  which  conies  most  near  unto  God,  and  advances 
the  soul  in  some  resemblance  and  similitude  to  him,  is  holiness 
and  endeavors  after  obedience  ;  whereby  we  become  conformable 
unto  God,  and  attain  some  faint  shadows  and  essays  of  the  divine 
perfections.  The  soul  wills  in  order  unto  God's  will.  God  wills 
holiness,  because  it  is  most  desirable :  and  we  must  will  our  own 
holiness ;  because,  if  we  love  God  as  we  pretend  to  do,  our  wills 
must  be  conformable  to  his  holy  will. 

[2]  Love  to  God  is  a  help  to  duty,  because  it  is  in  and  by  duty, 
that  we  enjoy  the  presence  of  God,  and  have  communion  and  fel- 
lowship with  him. 

These  are  the  lattices,  through  which  God  appears  to  the  long- 
ing soul :  and,  though  he  many  times  vouchsafes  but  half  smiles 
and  little  glances ;  yet,  in  these  reserved  communications,  the  soul 
finds  so  much  sweetness,  as  engageth  it  to  a  constant  performance 
of  duties  all  its  days.  "Here,"  says  the  soul,  "God  was  wont  to 
walk  in  his  sanctuary :  here,  have  I  heard  his  voice :  here,  have  I 
seen  his  face :  his  Spirit  hath  here  breathed  upon  me :  his  conso- 
lations have  here  refreshed  me :  and,  therefore,  here  will  I  wait 
upon  him  as  long  as  I  live."  "I  remember  well,"  says  the  soul, 
"  when,  in  prayer  and  meditation,  my  heart  hath  been  filled  by 
him,  poured  out  to  him,  and  accepted  with  him.  I  remember 
when  he  filled  me  first  with  sighs,  and  then  with  songs ;  and  both 
alike  unutterable ;  and,  therefore,  I  will  keep  to  the  performance 
of  these  duties,  waiting  for  the  further  discoveries  and  manifesta- 
tions of  my  God  unto  me." 

(2)  As  love  to  God,  so  a  regular  self-love  will  much  help  and 
further  our  obedience  and  duty. 

And  then  is  self-love  truly  regular,  when  men  love  their  own 
souls,  as  God  loves  them.  Now  God's  love  to  the  souls  of  men 
is  such,  that,  though  he  wills  "  all  men  to  be  saved,"  yet  he  wills 
that  none  shall  be  saved,  but  "through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit 
and  belief  of  the  truth:"  and,  whilst  we  love  ourselves,  if  we  ob- 


IN  WORKING   OUT  OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


5i7 


serve  the  same  method  and  order,  this  self-love  is  always  com- 
mendable and  necessary.  Desires  after  eternal  happiness  and  salva- 
tion are  natural  to  that  soul,  that  is  truly  conscious  of  its  own 
immortality  ;  and  of  its  eternal,  unalterable  state  and  condition : 
and,  when  these  desires  are  directed  to  future  happiness  through 
present  holiness,  then  are  they  regular  and  become  gracious.  We 
are  not  so  straitly  limited  by  God's  sovereignty  over  us,  but,  while 
we  fix  one  eye  upon  our  work,  we  may  fix  the  other  on  our  reward. 
God  is  not  so  strict  in  his  prerogative  over  us,  as  to  require  service 
from  us,  from  what  we  have  already  received  from  him :  he  is  not 
as  a  cruel  lord  and  master  to  say,  "  Obey  me,  though  afterwards  you 
perish :  see  to  it,  that  you  love  and  glorify  me,  though  I  eternally 
punish  you :"  though,  considering  that  infinite  distance  we  stand 
at  from  God,  we  could  object  nothing  against  the  equity  of  his  pro- 
ceedings. No,  but  God  hath  so  graciously  twisted  his  glory  and 
our  duty  together,  that,  while  we  promote  the  one,  we  do  also  pro- 
mote the  other ;  and,  while  we  work  for  God,  we  do  but  work  for 
ourselves.  Now  are  there  any,  that  need  to  be  persuaded  to  love 
themselves  ?  Is  it  not  the  great  and  general  sin,  that  all  men  love 
and  seek  themselves?  And  do  not  men,  by  becoming  self  lovers, 
become  self-destroyers?  They  do:  but  it  is  because  they  seek 
themselves  out  of  God's  way,  that  they  lose  themselves  forever. 
Religion  and  holiness  are  not  such  severe  things,  as  to  exclude  self- 
love  :  nay,  right  self-love  is  that,  which  is  nowhere  to  be  found 
separate  from  true  grace.  Ministers  call  upon  men  to  exercise  self- 
denial  and  self-abhorrence ;  and  this  the  foolish  world  mistake,  as 
if  they  exhorted  them  to  divorce  themselves  from  themselves,  to 
lay  aside  all  respect  and  consideration  of  self,  and  to  offer  violence 
to  the  most  common  principles  of  self-preservation:  no;  would  to 
God  we  all  sought  ourselves  more  earnestly  and  constantly  than 
we  do,  and  that  we  all  knew  wherein  our  greatest  interest  and  con- 
cernment did  lie !  then  should  we  not  leave  our  great  work  undone  ; 
nor  gratify  the  sloth  of  our  corrupt  humors,  and  the  sinful  propen- 
sities of  our  carnal  part ;  nor  should  we  think  what  we  do  for  sin 
and  Satan  we  do  for  ourselves :  no ;  all  this  is  to  hate  ourselves : 
and  wicked  men,  at  the  last  day,  shall  know,  that  they  have  been 
their  own  most  bitter  and  most  implacable  enemies;  that  they 
would  not  be  content  with  any  thing  less,  than  their  own  eternal 
ruin.  A  true  Christian  is  the  only  selfish  man  in  the  world :  all 
others  are  not  self-lovers,  but  self-destroyers.  What  shall  I  say 
more  than  this  ?  The  Apostle  asks,  did  ever  any  man  hate  his 
own  flesh  ?    Did  ever  any  man  delight  to  gash  and  burn,  to  rack 


548 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


and  torture  himself?  Truly  I  may  ask  the  quite  contrary :  do 
almost  any  love  their  own  spirits,  their  spiritual  part,  their  souls? 
This,  they  wound  and  gash,  by  many  a  bloody  sin :  this,  they  burn 
and  sear,  by  hardness  and  impenitence :  this,  they  go  about  to  tor- 
ture and  torment  in  hell  forever.  O,  therefore,  be  persuaded,  at 
length  to  take  pity  on  yourselves :  considering,  that  you  are  but 
destroying,  while  you  think  you  are  embracing  yourselves ;  and, 
that  that  will  be  found  but  self-murder  at  last,  which  you  now  call 
self-love. 

(3)  A  complacent  love  to  and  delight  in  your  work,  is  a  great 
furtherance  of  it. 

A  wicked  man  serves  God  grudgingly :  he  murmurs  at  duties, 
and  looks  upon  them  only  as  tasks  and  burdens ;  thinking  every 
thing  which  he  doth  for  God  too  much,  too  heavy  and  weighty : 
the  commands  of  God  are  all  of  them  hard  sayings  and  grievous 
impositions,  that  he  cannot  bear.  He  could  believe  Christ  sooner 
in  any  thing,  than  when  he  tells  him,  "  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  my 
burden  is  light:"  Mat.  xi.  30:  here  he  cannot  believe  Christ. 
"  Thus  much  time,"  saith  the  slothful  sinner,  "  must  I  spend  in 
prayer:  and  there  must  I  humble  myself  to  God,  whom  I  hate; 
and  confess  before  him  those  sins,  that  1  love ;  and  beg  that  grace, 
that  I  have  slighted.  So  much  time,  must  I  spend  in  reading  the 
law,  that  I  never  mean  to  observe ;  perusing  over  only  the  sen- 
tence of  my  condemnation.  And,  so  often,  must  I  fix  and  dwell 
upon  holy  and  spiritual  thoughts  ;  which  never,  at  any  time,  darted 
into  or  passed  intransiently,  but  they  did  discompose  me,  and  leave 
a  damp  and  sadness  upon  my  spirit  behind  them."  And,  therefore, 
because  there  is  not  a  holy  complacency  and  delight  in  the  service 
of  God,  all  such  men's  endeavors  are  both  faint,  inconstant,  and 
languishing  while  they  are  about  them,  and  seldom  do  they  resume 
them  again.  But  a  true  Christian  works  with  abundance  of  delight 
and  cheerfulness  in  the  service  of  God :  in  every  duty,  his  soul  is 
filled  full  of  holy  affections,  by  which  it  soars  to  heaven :  duties 
are  meat  and  drink  to  him,  spiritual  manna,  in  which  he  takes 
more  satisfaction  and  contentment  than  wicked  men  do  in  their 
sins ;  and  therefore  he  performs  these  duties  so  earnestly,  because 
he  doth  it  with  complacency :  all  that  he  repines  at,  is,  that  natural 
necessity,  sinful  weakness  and  infirmities  and  worldly  employments, 
do  purloin  so  much  of  his  time  from  this  great  work.  Now  when 
once  the  heart  is  brought  to  such  a  frame  and  temper  as  this,  thus 
to  delight  in  obedience  and  in  the  work  and  service  of  God,  then 
will  this  working  for  salvation  go  on  with  power. 


IN  WORKING   OUT   OUR   OWN  SALVATION. 


549 


Direction  iii.  Another  direction  is  that  in  the  text :  WORK  for 

SALVATION  WITH  FEAR  AND  TREMBLING. 

A  trembling  hand  best  performs  a  Christian's  work. 

Now  this  fear  is  not  a  fear  of  distrust  or  despondency;  for  that 
is  so  contrary  to  this  duty  of  working  for  salvation,  as  that  it 
stupefies  and  benumbs  all  endeavors,  and  is  a  great  enemy  to  the 
performance  of  this  duty.  But, 

1.  It  is  a  fear  of  solicitude  and  carefulness  ;  as  it  stands  opposed 
to  carnal  security,  and  that  presumption,  that  is  the  common  and 
ordinary  destruction  of  most  men. 

This  holy  fear  is  the  best  preservative  of  true  grace.  The 
Apostle  therefore  tells  us,  "  Thou  standest  by  faith  :  be  not  high- 
minded,  but  fear :"  implying,  that  they  would  not  stand  long, 
though  they  stood  by  faith,  unless  they  were  upheld  with  godly 
fear ;  and  the  reason  is,  because  it  is  the  property  of  fear  to  foresee 
and  forecast  dangers,  and  to  put  the  soul  in  a  posture  of  defence 
and  security  before  they  approach.  For,  as  the  wise  man  tells  us, 
the  "prudent  man  foreseeth  the  evil,  and  hideth  himself:  but  the 
simple  pass  on,  and  are  punished :"  Prov.  xxii.  3.  They  are  rash 
and  confident  in  their  undertakings,  and.  so  they  pass  on  and  are 
punished.  Fear  makes  a  Christian  circumspect  and  thoughtful, 
how  he  may  keep  from  miscarriages  in  the  performance  of  his 
great  work.  "If  God  call  me  to  such  a  duty,  how  shall  I  perform 
it?  If,  to  bear  such  a  cross  and  affliction,  how  shall  I  glorify 
him  under  it?  If,  to  conflict  with  such  temptations,  how  shall 
I  resist  and  overcome  them?  Yea,  how  shall  I  do  to  break 
through  all  difficulties,  duties,  and  oppositions,  that  I,  who  am  but 
a  weak  and  feeble  Christian,  may  meet  withal  ?  And  how  shall  I 
do  to  bear  up  ?"  And,  thus,  pondering  what  may  be  his  duty, 
and  forecasting  what  duties  God  may  call  him  unto,  he  is  enabled 
to  do  what  was  his  duty  at  present,  and  what  also  may  by  provi- 
dence hereafter  become  his  duty.  Nothing  overtakes  such  a  man, 
unexpected ;  nor  doth  any  thing  surprise  him,  unprovided  for  it. 
And  thus  a  careful  fear  enables  him  in  the  performance  of  his 
great  work. 

2.  A  fear  of  humility  and  holy  reverence  of  God,  conduceth  much 
to  the  working  out  of  our  salvation  :  and  that,  in  three  particulars. 

(1)  It  much  helps  us  in  our  great  work,  to  fear  God  as  our  Lord 
and  Master,  that  sees  and  overlooks  all  our  works  ;  observing  both 
what  we  do,  and  how  we  do  it  also. 

That  servant  must  be  desperately  bold,  that  will  dare  to  be  idle, 
or  slight  and  perfunctory  in  his  work,  while  his  master's  eye  is 


550 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY, 


upon  him.  Christians  should  consider  God's  eye  is  always  upon 
them  ;  in  praying,  in  hearing,  and  in  every  duty  that  tbey  perform  ; 
yea,  in  every  action  of  their  whole  lives.  And,  if  the  eye  of  a 
master,  that  is  but  a  fellow-creature,  nay  but  a  fellow-servant,  can 
have  such  awe  and  influence  upon  his  servant  as  to  make  him 
careful  how  be  works  and  what  he  works,  and  to  make  him  diligent 
in  his  work  ;  should  not  the  consideration  of  God's  eye  being  upon 
us,  who  stands  at  an  infinite  distance  from  us,  much  more  cause  a 
holy  fear  and  diligence  in  us,  in  doing  what  our  Lord  and  Master 
commands  us  ? 

(2)  Fear  God  also,  as  Him,  from  whom  you  have  all  your  power 
.  and  ability  to  work. 

Fear  him,  lest  at  any  time,  through  any  neglect  or  miscarriage 
of  yours,  He  should  be  provoked  to  suspend  his  influence  and 
withdraw  his  grace  from  you,  and  to  leave  you  to  your  own  weak- 
ness and  impotence,  upon  whose  influence  all  your  obedience  doth 

depend.    This  is  the  Apostle's  argument  in  the  text :  "  "Work  

with  fear  for  God  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do."  Holy 

diligence  in  obedience  cannot  be  more  strongly  enforced  on  an  in- 
genuous spirit,  than  by  considering  that  all  that  strength  and 
ability,  which  we  have  to  work,  is  received  from  God  ;  and  there- 
fore should  be  improved  for  God,  lest,  for  our  sloth,  he  deprive  us 
of  that  of  which  we  make  no  use. 

(3)  In  working,  fear  God  also,  as  Him,  that  will  be  the  judge  and 
rewarder  of  your  works  forever. 

You  perform  them  unto  Him,  who  is  to  pass  sentence  upon  them, 
and  upon  you  for  them  :  and  will  you  then  dare  to  do  them  sloth- 
fully  and  negligently  ?  God  will  try  every  man's  work  with  fire, 
and  will  call  every  action  to  a  severe  and  strict  account.  Every 
man's  work  shall  be  seen  through  and  through :  and  then  it  shall 
be  known,  who  hath  wrought  the  works  of  God,  and  who  hath  ful- 
filled the  will  of  Satan;  and  the  final  doom  and  irreversible  sen- 
tence shall  then  be  pronounced  according  to  men's  works.  God 
"will,"  says  the  Apostle,  "render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
works :  To  them,  who,  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing,  seek 

for  glory  and  immortality,"  to  them  he  will  render  "  eternal  life : 

But  unto  them,  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness,"  he  will  render  unto  them  "  indignation  and 

wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  that  doeth  evil :" 

Eom.  ii.  6-9.  "Would  you  but  thus  fear  God  as  an  upright  and 
impartial  judge,  that  will  render  unto  every  one  according  to  his 
works,  how  would  this  prevail  with  you,  so  to  work,  that,  at  last, 


IN  WORKING  OUT   OUR  OWN   SALVATION.  551 

you  might  be  found  of  God  in  well  doing,  and  receive  the  blessed 
reward  and  sentence  of  the  diligent  and  faithful  servant,  to  enter 
into  your  Master's  joy. 

Direction  iv.  If  you  would  work  for  salvation  successfully, 

then  WORK  SPEEDILY,  WITHOUT  DELAY ;  AND  CONSTANTLY,  WITH- 
OUT CESSATION. 

1.  Work  speedily,  without  delay. 

Delays,  in  all  affairs,  are  dangerous ;  but,  in  soul  affairs,  usually 
they  are  damnable.  For, 

(1)  The  longer  you  procrastinate  and  delay,  the  greater  and 
more  difficult  will  your  work  be  at  last. 

Corruption  will  be  grown  more  tough:  ill  humors  will  be 
grown  more  stubborn :  your  heart  will  be  more  hardened :  your 
affections,  being  more  habituated,  will  be  more  firmly  engaged  to 
sin :  the  devil  will  plead  right  to  you,  by  prescription ;  and  it  is 
hard  keeping  an  enemy  out,  that  hath  had  long  possession. 

(2)  Consider  what  a  desperate  folly  it  is,  to  put  off  your  work 
till  to-morrow :  you  are  not  sure  that  you  shall  live  to  see  another 
Jay. 

And  oh !  what  hazards  do  those  men  run,  whose  hopes  of  heaven 
lepend  upon  no  better  foundation,  than  their  hopes  of  life ;  and 
whose  eternal  salvation  is  subject  to  as  many  casualties  and  acci- 
dents, as  are  their  present  beings  in  this  world.  Man's  breath  is 
m  his  nostrils :  and,  yet,  how  do  men  suffer  their  souls  and  their 
everlasting  happiness  to  depend  upon  nothing  surer  than  their 
oreath  ;  that  breath  that  every  moment  goes  forth  from  them,  and 
they  know  not  whether  ever  it  shall  return  to  them  again! 

But,  suppose  your  life  and  days  should  continue ;  and  you 
should  reach  unto  that  time,  whereof  you  have  boasted,  and 
wherein  you  have  promised  to  mind  the  concernments  of  your 
soul's  eternal  happiness  ;  yet,  consider, 

(3)  The  grace  of  God  is  not  at  your  disposal. 
And  then,  either, 

[1]  The  outward  call  may  cease,  or  it  may  grow  more  faint  and 
tow  You  may  not  be  so  daily  importuned  and  solicited  for  hea- 
ven, as  now  you  are.  Ordinances  and  opportunities  may  cease ; 
or  you,  for  your  contempt,  may  be  given  over  to  contempt  and 
neglect  of  them. 

[2]  The  inward  dictates  of  your  own  consciences  and  the  mo- 
tions of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  cease.  Conscience  may  be  bribed  to 
silence :  and  the  Holy  Ghost  may  be  commissioned  to  depart  after 


552 


PRACTICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 


this  present  opportunity ;  arid  never  more  may  you  have  his 
breathings  and  movings  upon  your  hearts,  if  pou  do  not  now 
listen  to  them. 

[3]  If  inward  motions  do  continue,  are  you  sure,  after  this  mo- 
ment's refusal,  that  you  shall  obtain  that  grace  from  God,  that  may 
make  you  willing  to  close  with  those  motions  ?  Leave  not,  there- 
fore, the  eternal  salvation  of  your  precious  and  immortal  souls  at 

such  hazards  and  delays.    "  Now  is  the  accepted  time  now  is  the 

day  of  salvation:  To-day,  therefore,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  even 
while  it  is  called  To-day,  harden  not  your  hearts :"  for  this  is  the 
only  time  and  season  for  working. 

2.  As  you  must  work  speedily,  without  delay ;  so  you  must 
work  constantly,  without  cessation  or  intermission. 

To  stand  still,  is  to  backslide ;  and  to  cease  working,  is  to  undo 
and  unravel  what  you  have  wrought.  You  are  not  like  men,  that 
row  in  a  still  water ;  who,  though  they  slack  their  course,  yet  find 
themselves  in  the  same  station ;  but  you  are  to  go  against  tide  and 
stream ;  the  tide  of  your  own  corruptions,  and  the  stream  of  other 
men's  actions  and  examples.  And  the  least  intermission  here 
will  be  to  your  loss :  hereby  you  will  be  carried  far  down  the 
tide  ;  yea,  and  much  pains  and  labor  will  scarce  suffice  to  regain 
what  a  little  sloth  hath  lost. 

The  Lord  make  what  hath  been  spoken  profitable.  Amen. 


THE 


ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION, 

A  POWERFUL  MOTIVE 

TO   SERVE  GOD  WITH  FEAR. 

Wherefore  we  receiving  a  kingdom  which  cannot  he  moved,  let  us  have 
grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly 
fear :  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire.    Heb.  xii.  28,  29. 


INTRODUCTION. 

This  text  contains  in  it  a  doctrine,  a  use,  and  a  motive. 
The  doctrine  is,  "  We"  have  received  "  a  kingdom  which  cannot 
be  moved." 

The  use  or  inference  from  thence  is  this :  Therefore,  "  Let  us 
serve  God." 

And  the  motive,  to  enforce  this  exhortation,  is  in  these  words, 
"for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." 

First.  In  the  first  part,  which  is  the  thesis  or  position,  "  We"  have 
received  "  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved,"  we  must  know, 
there  is  twofold  kingdom  :  a  kingdom  of  grace,  set  up  in  the  heart 
of  a  saint,  where  Christ  alone  reigns  as  sole  monarch  and  sove- 
reign ;  and  a  kingdom  of  glory,  prepared  for  us  in  the  highest 
heavens,  where  we  shall  reign  as  kings  with  Christ  forever. 

If  we  take  it  in  the  former  sense,  for  the  kingdom  of  grace,  so 
the  Apostle  saith,  we  have  a  kingdom,  that  is,  we  have  it  already 
in  possession.  Christ  hath  established  his  dominion  over  every  be- 
liever :  and,  though  he  sits  personally  upon  his  throne  in  heaven ; 
yet  he  rules  in  us  by  the  vicegerency  and  deputation  of  his  Spirit 
that  received  commission  from  him,  and  also  by  the  law  of  his 
word  energized  by  him. 

If  we  understand  it  in  the  latter  sense,  for  the  kingdom  of  glory, 
which  seems  most  congruous  to  the  design  of  the  Apostle,  so  also, 
we  have  a  kingdom,  and  that  in  a  fourfold  sense. 

By  grace,  giving  us.  the  earnest  of  it. 

By  faith,  realizing  it. 

By  hope,  embracing  it.  And, 

By  the  promises,  assuring  of  it. 

First.  We  have  a  kingdom  of  glory,  in  the  earnest  and  first- 
fruits  of  it. 

553 


554 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


The  comforts  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  very  often,  in  Scrip- 
ture, called  "  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance :"  so  you  have  it  in 
2  Cor.  i.  22,  and  in  Eph.  i.  14.  An  earnest,  you  know,  is  always 
part  of  the  bargain :  so  God,  to  assure  us  that  he  is  in  earnest  when 
he  promiseth  heaven  and  glory  to  us,  hath  already  given  us  part 
of  it  in  the  graces  of  his  Spirit.  Grace  and  glory  are  one  and  the 
same  thing,  in  a  different  type,  in  a  small  and  a  capital  letter : 
here,  we  have  heaven  in  the  germ  and  commencement ;  hereafter, 
we  shall  have  it  in  consummate  perfection :  glory  lies  hidden  and 
contained  in  grace,  as  the  beauty  of  a  flower  lies  undeveloped 
in  the  seed.  Therefore  the  Psalmist  saith,  Ps.  xcvii.  11 :  "  Light  is 
sown  for  the  righteous :"  that  is,  the  light  of  joy  and  of  a  future 
life  are  in  the  graces  of  God's  children  as  in  their  seed,  and  they 
shall  certainly  bud  and  sprout  forth  into  perfect  happiness. 

Secondly.  We  have  a  kingdom  of  glory,  because  faith  realizeth 
things  future,  and  giveth  an  existence  and  being  to  things  that  are 
not. 

This  is  that  grace,  to  which  nothing  is  past  nor  nothing  future. 
It  contracts  all  things  into  present  time,  and  makes  all  actually 
existent.  It  draws  things,  that  are  at  a  great  distance  from  it,  near 
to  itself:  and  thus  the  Galatians'  faith  represented  the  death  of 
Christ  so  visibly  to  them,  that  the  Apostle  told  them,  he  was 
"  crucified  among"  them  :  Gal.  iii  1.  It  dives  down  into  the  gulf 
of  future  times,  and  bringeth  up  things  that  as  yet  are  not.  It  is 
much  the  same  to  a  strong  faith,  to  have  heaven,  or  to  believe  it : 
this  grace  makes  heaven  as  really  present,  as  if  it  were  already  in 
possession :  and  therefore  it  is  called,  in  Heb.  xi.  1 ;  "  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen,  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for ;"  it  is  the 
very  being  of  things  hoped  for ;  the  being  of  those  things,  that  as 
yet  have  no  being. 

Thirdly.  "We  have  a  kingdom  of  glory,  as  in  the  view  of  faith, 
so  also  in  the  embraces  of  hope. 

And  therefore  hope  is  called,  the  "  anchor  of  the  soul  which 

entereth  into  that  within  the  veil :"  Heb.  vi.  19,  that  is,  into  heaven : 
it  lays  hold  on  all  that  glory,  that  is  there  laid  up  and  kept  in 
reversion  for  us.  Hope  is,  in  itself,  a  solid  and  substantial  pos- 
session ;  for  it  stirs  up  the  same  affections,  it  excites  the  same  joy, 
delight,  and  complacency,  as  fruition  itself  doth.  It  is  the  taster 
of  all  our  comforts:  and,  if  they  be  but  temporal,  it  not  only 
tastes  them,  but  sometimes  quite  devours  them  ;  and  leaves  us  in 
suspense,  whether  it  be  not  better  to  be  expectants  than  enjoyers. 
Heavenly  hope  gives  the  same  real  contentment  and  satisfaction : 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE  GOD. 


555 


it  antedates  our- glory;  and  puts  us  into  the  possession  of  our  in- 
heritance, whilst  we  are  yet  in  our  nonage :  only  it  doth  not  spend 
and  devour  its  object,  beforehand,  as  early  hope  doth. 

Fourthly.  We  have  a  kingdom  of  glory,  because  God  hath 
assured  to  us  the  possession  of  it  by  his  immutable  word  of 
promise. 

And  therefore  it  is  called  "  eternal  life,  which  God,  that  cannot 
lie,  promised  before  the  world  began  :"  Tit.  i.  2.  God's  word  is  as 
good  security,  as  actual  possession.  It  is  this  word,  that  gives  us 
right  and  title  to  it ;  and  this  right  we  may  well  call  ours.  Hence 
we  have  it,  and  it  is  observable,  Mark  xvi.  16.  "He,  that  believeth 

 shall  be  saved :"  here  is  assurance  of  salvation,  for  the  future. 

But,  in  John  iii.  18,  it  is,  "He,  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned 
already."  Unbelievers  are  no  more  actually  condemned,  than  be- 
lievers are  actually  saved :  only,  what  God  promiseth,  or  what  God 
threateneth,  it  is  all  one  whether  he  saith  it  is  done  or  it  shall  be 
done ;  for  damnation  is  as  sure  to  the  one,  and  salvation  as  certain 
to  the  other,  as  if  they  were  already  in  their  final  estate.  So,  then 
we  have  a  kingdom :  that  is,  God,  who  cannot  lie,  hath  promised 
it ;  and  his  promise  is  as  much  as  actual  possession  itself. 

This  kingdom  is  described  to  us,  in  the  text,  to  be  immovable. 
It  is  not  like  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  that  are  all  subject  to 
earthquakes  and  commotions ;  but  we  have  "  a  kingdom,  which 
cannot  be  moved."  And,  if  we  understand  this  of  the  kingdom 
of  grace  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  then  the  sense  is,  it  can  never 
be  so  moved  as  to  be  utterly  removed :  though  it  be  shaken  and 
battered,  yet  "  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 
seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his ;"  as  the  Apostle 
speaks,  2  Tim.  ii.  19 :  indeed,  as  earthquakes  are  caused  by  some 
gases  confined  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  so  is  there  enough  in 
us  to  cause  shakings  and  earthquakes  :  there  .are  those  corrupt  and 
sinful  vapors  of  lusts,  that  are  still  working  and  heaving  in  our 
breasts ;  that,  were  not  God's  truth,  wisdom,  and  power  all  engaged 
to  keep  and  preserve  us,  we  should  be  soon  moved  from  our  stand- 
ing and  overthrown.  If  we  understand  by  it  the  kingdom  of 
glory,  that  is  certainly  immovable :  We  have  "  a  kingdom  which 
cannot  be  moved :"  there,  we  shall  be  free  from  the  temptations  of 
Satan,  from  the  infirmities  and  corruptions  of  the  flesh,  from  the 
mutability  and  fickleness  of  our  own  wills ;  and  shall  have  a  blessed 
necessity  imposed  upon  us,  to  be  forever  holy,  and  to  be  forever 
happy. 

Secondly,  From  the  thesis,  the  Apostle  proceeds  to  draw  a  prac- 


556 


THE    ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION. 


tical  inference :  wherein  we  may  observe,  both,  what  he  exhorts  U9 
to  do,  and  how  we  ought  to  do  it. 

The  matter  of  the  duty,  to  which  he  exhorts  us,  is,  "  Let  us  have 
grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God." 

The  manner  how  we  ought  to  serve  God  is  set  down  in  one 

word,  and  that  is  acceptably :  "  Let  us  serve  God  acceptably :" 

which  that  we  may  do,  he  directs  us  to  the  means ;  and  that  is,  in 
all  our  serving  God  let  us  address  ourselves  to  him,  "  with  reve- 
rence and  godly  fear :"  let  us  serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence 
and  godly  fear. 

I  shall  only  as  I  pass  along,  take  a  taste  of  this  part  of  the  text, 
before  I  fix  upon  what  I  principally  intend.  The  word  here  trans- 
lated reverence  signifies  shamefacedness  or  bashfulness ;  such,  as  is 
commendable  in  inferiors,  while  they  are  in  the  presence  of  their 
superiors.  And  it  applies  in  it  two  things  :  first,  consciousness  of 
our  own  vileness  and  unworthiness  :  secondly,  an  overawing  sense 
of  another's  excellency.  For  modesty,  or  reverence,  consists  in 
these  two  things ;  in  humble  thoughts  of  ourselves,  and  in  a  high 
esteem  of  others.  Unto  this  the  Apostle  exhorts  us  in  the  text,  by 
the  word  reverence.  Whence  observe  this :  that  a  due  sense  of  our 
own  vileness  and  of  God's  glorious  majesty,  is  an  excellent  quali- 
fication in  all  our  services  to  make  them  acceptable.  Let  us 
"serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear." 

Thirdly.  You  have,  in  the  text,  the  motive,  whereby  the  Apos- 
tle enforceth  this  exhortation  :  "  For  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." 

These  words  are  cited  out  of  Deut.  iv.  24,  where  Moses,  to  bring 
the  Israelites  from  idolatry,  represents  God  to  them  as  "  a  jealous 
God  and  a  consuming  fire."  And  here  the  Apostle  makes  use  of 
them,  to  compose  men  into  a  holy  awe  and  reverence  of  God  in 
serving  him.    "Whence  observe, 

First.  That  an  irreverent  and  fearless  worship  of  the  true  God, 
provokes  him  and  deserves  his  consuming  wrath,  as  well  as  the 
idolatrous  worship  of  a  false  god. 

Moses  makes  use  of  the  same  words,  to  deter  the  Israelites  from 
idolatry  and  worshiping  a  false  god,  as  the  Apostle  makes  use  of, 
to  excite  us  to  a  reverence  and  worshiping  of  the  true  God. 

Secondly.  Whereas  it  is  said,  that  "  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire ;" 
observe,  That  our  peculiar  interest  in  God  is  no  encouragement  to 
cast  off  our  most  awful  fear  of  God.  Though  he  hath  laid  down  his 
enmity  against  us,  yet  he  hath  not  laid  down  his  sovereignty  and 
majesty  over  us.  Indeed,  these  two  expressions,  "our  God,"  and 
"  a  consuming  fire,"  at  first  blush  and  glance  seem  to  look  strangely 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


557 


and  wistly  one  upon  another :  but  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  excellently 
tempered  them.  He  is  "  our  God :"  this  corrects  that  despairing 
fear,  that  otherwise  would  seize  upon  us,  from  the  consideration  of 
God  as  a  consuming  fire.  And  he  is  "  a  consuming  fire "  also : 
this  corrects  that  presumptuous  irreverence  unto  which  the  con- 
sideration of  our  interest  in  God,  without  such  correction,  might 
possibly  embolden  us. 

I.  You  see  now,  from  the  explication  of  these  words,  what  an 
excellent  copious  portion  of  Scripture  I  have  unfolded  unto  you, 
wherein  indeed  is  contained  the  true  art  and  method  of  serving 
God  acceptably.  It  is  the  fear  of  God,  that  quickens  us  to  serve 
him  :  and  this  fear  of  God  is  pressed  upon  us  and  wrought  in  us, 
by  two  strong  principles :  we  have  "  a  kingdom :"  and,  what  is 
strange  too  for  those  that  have  a  kingdom  of  God,  "  our  God  is  a 
consuming  fire,"  and  therefore  let  us  fear  him. 

Now  this  is  such  a  principle,  that  carnal  men  are  not  apt  to 
apprehend  it.  They  say,  "  If  we  have  '  a  kingdom,  that  cannot  be 
removed,'  why  then  should  we  fear  ?  And  if  '  God'  be  such  '  a 
sonsuming  fire,'  why  should  we  ever  expect  that  kingdom,  since 
we  are  but  as  stubble  ?"  But  our  Apostle  hath  well  conjoined 
them  together :  and,  from  that  conjunction,  I  shall  raise  and  prose- 
cute this  one  PROPOSITION. 

That,  even  those,  who  stand  highest  in  the  love  and 
FAVOR  OP  God,  and  have  the  fullest  assurance  thereof, 

AND  OF  THEIR  INTEREST  IN  HIM  AS  THEIR  GOD,  OUGHT,  NOTWITH- 
STANDING, TO  FEAR  HIM  AS  A  SIN-REVENGING  GOD  AND  A  CON- 
SUMING FIRE. 

In  prosecuting  this  proposition,  I  shall  show  you  how  consistent 
the  grace  of  fear  is  with  other  graces  of  the  Spirit :  that  it  is  no 
impediment  to  full  assurance,  love  of  God,  a  spirit  of  adoption, 
holy  rejoicing,  nor  holy  boldness. 

i.  In  showing  you  that  the  grace  of  fear  is  no  impediment  to  full 
assurance,  I  shall  consider, 

"What  fear  of  God  it  is,  with  which  a  believer  should  always 
overawe  his  heart. 

Upon  what  .grounds  and  considerations  he  is  thus  to  do.  "What 
there  is  in  a  reconciled  God,  that  may  be  a  ground  and  motive  to 
overawe  our  hearts  with  a  fear  of  his  majesty. 


553 


THE  ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


1.  What  fear  of  God  it  is,  with  which  a  believer  should  overawe  his 
heart. 

Fear,  in  general,  is  described  to  be  a  passion  or  an  affection  of 
the  mind,  arising  from  tbe  apprehension  of  some  great  evil  with 
difficulty  avoidable. 

And,  as  it  is  observed  by  some,  it  usually  carries  in  it  three 
things. 

A  doubtfulness  or  uncertainty  of  the  event,  what  it  may  prove : 
and  this  is  always  a  torment  to  the  mind. 

A  terror,  that  ariseth  from  the  greatness  of  the  evil  apprehended 
and  feared. 

A  careful  flight  and  aversion  from  it. 

(1)  There  is,  in  fear,  a  doubtfulness  and  uncertainty  of  the  event. 

And  this  is  a  torment,  when  a  man  is  racked  in  suspense  and 
doubt  what  to  expect ;  whether  or  no  the  vengeance  of  God  will 
not  fall  heavy  upon  him ;  whether  or  no  he  be  not  fuel  on  which 
this  consuming  fire  will  forever  prey.  Now  this  is  not  that  fear, 
which  the  Apostle,  in  this  text,  exhorts  us  to  serve  God  withal : 
no,  to  "  serve  God  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,"  is  not  to  serve 
him  with  a  doubtful,  anxious,  and  solicitous  fear  of  what  the  event 
may  prove :  nay,  such  a  fear  as  this,  is  inconsistent  Avith  actual 
assurance ;  and  those,  who  are  perplexed  with  it,  cannot  say  we 
have  a  kingdom,  and  cannot  fear  their  God  as  a  consuming  fire 
There  may  be  a  genuine,  awful  fear  of  God  as  "  a  consuming  fire 
where  there  is  not  the  least  doubt  remaining  concerning  our  final 
state  ;  where  the  soul  is  fully  assured,  that  God  will  be  to  him  not 
a  fire  to  consume  him,  but  a  sun  to  cherish  him  forever.  I  will 
give  you  one  or  two  remarkable  scriptures  to  this  purpose.  In 
Heb.  iv.  1  ;  "  Let  us  fear  lest,  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering 
into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it :"  here  the 
Apostle  quickens  them  to  the  exercise  of-  holiness,  from  the  fear  of 
falling  short  of  heaven :  yea,  though  they  had  assurance  by  God's 
promise  of  it;  "lest,  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  his 
rest,"  yet  you  should  fall  short  of  it.  And  so  the  Apostle  triumphs 

in  his  assurance,  2  Cor.  v.  1 ;  "  We  know  that  we  have  a  house  

eternal  in  the  heavens :"  and  yet,  in  verse  11,  he  quickens  himself 
to  the  discharge  of  his  ministerial  office,  from  the  fear  of  God's 
wrath ;  "  knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men :"  though 
he  was  assured  of  glory,  yet  he  quickens  himself  to  the  discharge 
of  his  ministerial  function,  by  the  fear  of  God's  wrath.  So  that  it 
is  evident  there  may  be  a  fear  of  God's  wrath  exciting  unto  duty ; 
where  yet  there  is  a  full  assurance,  beyond  all  doubting  and  hesi- 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


553 


tation,  of  escaping  wrath.  So  that  this  is  not  that  fear,  unto  which 
the  Apostle  excites  them  who  have  assurance. 

(2)  There  is,  in  fear,  a  terror:  a  shivering  in  the  soul,  upon  the 
apprehension  of  the  greatness  of  the  evil  feared,  but  avoided  too : 
and  this  is  consistent  with  full  assurance. 

Thus  the  terror  of  past  dangers  sometimes  causeth  as  much 
terror,  as  if  we  were  again  to  encounter  them.  So,  when  be- 
lievers look  back  upon  that  wrath  and  fiery  indignation,  that  they 
have  narrowly  escaped  ;  upon  that  lake  of  brimstone,  that  boils  and 
burns  behind  them,  wherein  thousands  of  others  are  forever  swal- 
lowed up ;  this  cannot  but  affect  them  with  a  holy  horror  and  fear 
of  God's  wrath  against  sinners,  though  they  have  full  assurance  of 
his  love. 

(3)  There  is  also,  in  fear,  a  flight  and  aversion  from  the  evil  feared: 
and  this,  also,  is  consistent  with  full  assurance. 

Noah  had  full  assurance  from  the  promise  of  God,  for  his  pre- 
servation from  the  deluge ;  and  yet  it  is  said,  that  Noah,  being 
"  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark."  Full  assurance  of  escape  from 
evil  is  far  from  hindering,  as  some  calumniate  it,  the  use  of  means 
to  prevent  that  evil :  yea,  the  assurance,  that  we  have  to  escape  hell 
and  wrath,  is  of  the  greatest  and  most  effectual  influence,  to  make 
us  careful  to  use  those  means  whereby  we  may  escape  it.    See  this 

in  2  Cor.  vii.  1 ;  "  Having  these  promises  let  us  cleanse  ourselves 

from  all  filthiness  both  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in 
the  fear  of  God:"  so,  in  Tit.  ii.  11-13;  "The  grace  of  God,  that 

bringeth  salvation"  teacheth  us  to  deny  "  ungodliness  and  worldly 

lusts  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing 

of.....our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :"  so,  in  1  John  iii.  3  ;  "  Every  man,  that 
hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  himself  even  as  He  is  pure." 

Thus  you  see  what  fear  it  is,  to  which  the  Apostle  exhorts 
believers,  who  have  a  kingdom :  not  a  fear  of  perplexing  doubt- 
fulness, but  such  as  is  consistent  with  their  full  assurance:  that  is, 
so  to  fear  the  wrath  of  God,  as  to  have  their  hearts  affected  with 
terror  at  the  greatness  and  insupportableness  of  that  wrath,  though 
they  have  escaped  it ;  and  to  fear  so,  as  to  avoid  all  sin,  and  all 
that  exposeth  to  that  wrath.  In  these  two  senses,  they,  who  are 
assured  that  God  is  their  God,  ought  to  fear  him  as  "  a  consuming 
fire." 

2.  Let  us  now  see  upon  what  grounds  and  considerations  a  believer, 
who  is  assured  of  God's  love  and  favor  to  him,  should  yet  fear  him. 
(1)  As  a  consuming  fire. 


660 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


[1]  The  consideration  of  that  mighty  and  dreadful  power,  that 
God  puts  forth  in  the  punishing  and  afflicting  the  damned,  may 
strike  fear  into  the  hearts  of  those,  that  are  fully  assured  of  God's 
love  and  favor  to  them. 

Such  a  fear  as  this,  the  holy  angels  themselves  have :  though 
they  are  secured  by  Christ  in  that  blessed  state  and  condition  that 
they  enjoy ;  yet,  to  see  God  stripping  and  making  bare  his  arm, 
to  lay  on  weighty  strokes  of  everlasting  vengeance  upon  their 
fellow  angels  that  are  fallen,  makes  them  tremble  and  stand  aston- 
ished at  tbe  almighty  power  of  God:  and  this  keeps  them  at  a  due 
distance,  in  their  thoughts  and  apprehensions  of  his  dreadful  ma- 
jesty. And  should  it  not  much  more  make  us  to  tremble  with  an 
awful  respect  of  the  power  of  God,  to  consider  how  he  crushes 
and  breaks  the  damned  in  hell,  by  his  own  almighty  arm  stretched 
out,  in  the  full  power  of  his  wrath,  to  their  everlasting  destruc- 
tion ?  It  is  from  this  power  of  God,  that  Christ  himself  enforceth 
the  fear  of  God  :  Mat.  x.  28.  "  Fear  him,  which  is  able  to  destroy 
both  soul  and  body  in  hell :"  though  God  should  assure  you,  that 
he  would  never  destroy  you  in  hell ;  yet,  because  he  is  able  to  do 
it,  therefore  you  should  fear  him. 

[2]  This  fear  may  arise  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  God, 
who  are  most  assured  of  his  love,  from  the  consideration  of  the 
wrath  and  dreadful  severity  of  God,  as  well  as  of  his  power. 

If  a  father  corrects  his  slave  in  his  wrath,  this  will  cause  fear 
and  dread  in  the  son,  though  he  knows  that  wrath  shall  never  fall 
upon  him :  so,  a  child  of  God,  who  is  assured  of  the  tender  love 
and  favor  of  God  to  himself,  yet,  when  he  sadly  considers  that 
wrath  and  indignation  that  is  in  God  against  the  damned ;  when 
he  sees  his  heavenly  Father  angry,  though  it  be  not  against  him ; 
this  must  needs  strike  a  reverential  fear  and  awe  into  his  soul. 
Now  this  reverential  fear  will  remain  forever :  "  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  endureth  forever."  Yea,  when  the  children  of  God  shall  be 
made  forever  happy  in  heaven,  yet  this  fear  shall  be  then  in- 
creased, and  not  at  all  diminished :  the  more  they  see  of  the  power 
of  the  wrath  and  severity  of  God  executed  upon  the  damned,  the 
more  they  fear  and  reverence  this  powerful,  this  sin-revenging  God. 
And  this  kind  of  fear  is  no  prejudice  to  their  full  assurance  and 
joy,  nor  shall  it  be  prejudicial  to  their  complete  and  perfect  hap- 
piness in  heaven. 

[3]  The  consideration  of  the  desert  of  sin,  should  cause  a  holy 
fear  of  God,  even  in  those,  that  are  fully  assured  of  his  love. 

When  a  child  of  God  looks  upon  sin,  and  sees  what  wrath  and 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE    GOD.  561 

torment  he  hath  deserved  by  it,  though  he  be  assured  by  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit  of  God  that  he  is  pardoned ;  yet  it  cannot  but 
fright  him  to  consider,  that  he  should  deserve  so  great  condemna- 
tion :  as  a  malefactor,  though  he  be  pardoned,  yet  if  he  be  present 
at  the  execution  of  his  fellow  offenders,  must  needs  be  struck  with 
fear  and  horror,  that  he  should  be  guilty  of  the  same  crimes,  for 
which  they  are  to  suffer  such  sharp  and  cruel  punishments.  What 
the  thief  on  the  cross  said  unto  his  fellow  thief,  "  Dost  not  thou 
fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemnation  ?"  the  same 
may  I  say  to  believers :  Do  not  you  fear  God,  seeing  you  deserve, 
at  least  to  be  in  the  same  condemnation  with  those  wretches,  that 
lie  howling  in  hell  ? 

[4]  Another  ground  of  fear  is,  that  it  is  in  itself  possible,  that 
all  this  wrath  should  be  your  portion  forever ;  even  yours,  who 
are  most  assured  of  glory. 

And  is  not  this  just  cause  of  fear ;  if  not  of  expectation,  yet  at 
least  of  terror  ?  Indeed,  as  God  hath  been  graciously  pleased  to 
bind  himself  in  a  covenant  of  grace  and  mercy  to  you,  so  it  is  im- 
possible that  this  wrath  should  fall  upon  you ;  but,  yet,  such  a  sup- 
position as  this  is  enough  to  cause  fear  in  the  most  assured  heart ; 
to  think,  that,  if  God  had  not  engaged  himself  by  promise  to  de- 
liver him  from  that  wrath,  what  then  would  have  been  his  condition 
to  all  eternity  ?  "Would  not  such  thoughts  as  these  make  you  trem- 
ble ?  Suppose  a  man  were  fast  chained  to  the  top  of  some  high  rock, 
hanging  over  a  bottomless  gulf;  though  he  knew  and  was  assured 
that  he  should  not  fall  into  it,  being  immovably  fastened  there ; 
yet,  when  he  looks  down  that  deep  and  dangerous  precipice,  and  sees 
the  gulf  foaming  and  raging  under  him,  will  not  a  cold  fear  thrill 
through  his  heart  to  think,  "O!  if  I  were  not  here  fastened  by  a 
strong  chain  to  this  immovable  rock,  what  would  become  of  me? 
Even  so,  Believers,  you  that  are  most  assured  to  escape  hell,  this 
is  your  condition :  you  are  fastened  to  the  Rock  of  Ages  by  the 
unchangeable  promise  of  God,  that  will  ever  hold  you  fast ;  but 
yet,  every  time  that  you  look  down  into  the  bottomless  gulf  that 
is  under  you,  where  thousands  are  swallowed  up  to  all  eternity, 
doth  not  such  a  thought  as  this  is  fright  you,  "  0 !  if  I  were  not 
fastened  to  this  immovable  rock ;  if  God  had  not  made  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  with  me,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure ;  I  should 
also  have  been  swallowed  up  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  have 
gone  down  quick  into  hell  ?"  Alas !  we  are  all  of  us  held  over  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  hands  of  God :  some,  he  holds  in 
the  left-hand  of  his  common  providence ;  and  others,  he  holds  in 
Vol.  II.— 36 


562 


THE    ASSURANCE    OF  -SALVATION, 


the  right-hand  of  his  special  grace :  those,  whom  he  holds  only  in 
the  hands  of  his  providence,  he  lets  fall  and  drop,  one  after  another, 
into  hell,  where  they  are  swallowed  up  and  lost  eternally :  those, 
that  he  holds  in  the  hands  of  his  grace,  it  is  true  it  is  impossible 
upon  that  supposition,  that  ever  they  should  fall  into  hell ;  yet, 
when  they  think,  "  0  !  if  we  were  not  upheld  !"  yea,  how  possible 
it  was  that  they  should  not  have  been  upheld ;  this  apprehension 
must  needs  strike  them  with  fear  and  terror :  though  not  with  a 
perplexing  doubtfulness,  concerning  the  safety  of  their  condition ; 
yet  with  a  doubtful  apprehension  of  the  possibility  of  what  would 
have  been  their  condition,  if  God  had  held  them  over  hell  only,  by 
the  hand  of  his  common  providence. 

[5]  Though  you  are  assured  that  you  shall  escape  this  eternal 
death,  yet  it  will  be  a  narrow  escape :  and  that  may  cause  fear. 

It  will  be  an  escape  with  very  much  labor  and  difficulty.  Though 
you  are  held  in  the  hands  of  God,  yet  he  leads  you  along  to  heaven 
by  the  gates  of  hell :  and  this  is  sufficient  to  cause  fear.  Our  way 
to  heaven  is  so  strait,  the  rubs  in  it  so  many,  our  falls  by  them  so 
frequent,  our  enemies  so  potent :  that,  though  our  assurance  may 
make  us  not  to  fear  but  that,  in  the  end,  we  shall  escape  hell ;  yet 
it  will  be  high  presumption  for  us,  not  to  fear  how  we  may  escape 
it.  The  Apostle  brings  in  the  salvation  of  the  elect  themselves 
with  a  scarcely :  1  Pet.  iv.  18 ;  "If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved." 
Now  this  scarcely  doth  not  imply  that  there  is  any  uncertainty  in 
the  end,  but  only  the  great  difficulty  in  the  means  of  obtaining  it. 
So,  then,  the  end  is  certain ;  that  is,  a  believer's  salvation  from 
hell :  and  that  is  just  cause  of  rejoicing.  But  the  means  are  very 
difficult  and  laborious :  and  that  is  just  cause  of  fear. 

Briefly,  then,  to  apply  it,  in  one  word.  Though  you  are  assured, 
through  faith,  of  the  pardon  of  your  sins,  yet  tremble  at  the 
thought  of  that  wrath  and  hell,  that  you  have  escaped.  It  is  ob- 
served, that  those  are  the  fixed  stars,  that  tremble  most.  So 
Christians,  who  are  fixed  immovably  in  the  unchangeable  love  of 
God,  as  stars  fixed  to  the  heavens  in  their  orbs :  yet  they  are  most 
of  all  in  trepidation  and  trembling,  when  they  reflect  upon  them- 
selves ;  and  think,  that,  instead  of  being  stars  in  heaven,  they 
might  have  been  firebrands  in  hell.  Those,  to  me,  are  suspicious 
professors,  that  make  a  great  blaze  with  their  joys,  in  the  appre- 
hensions of  their  right  to  heaven;  but  never  tremble,  under  the 
apprehensions  of  their  deserts  of  hell. 

(2)  Having  showed  you  upon  what  account  God  is  to  be  feared 


A  STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


563 


as  lie  is  "  a  consuming  fire,"  in  the  next  place  I  shall  show  you 
what  there  is  in  the  consideration  of  God,  as  "  our  God,11  that  may 
enforce  a  holy  awe  and  fear  of  him. 

And,  indeed  if  ever  it  were  necessary  to  press  men  to  a  due  fear 
and  awe  of  God,  it  is  so  now :  since,  on  the  one  hand,  the  open 
profaneness  of  ungodly  men,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  pert 
sauciness  of  some  notional  professors  who  are  apt  to  think  that 
communion  with  God  consists  in  a  familiar  rudeness,  do  plainly 
testify  to  all  the  world,  that  there  is  little  fear  or  reverence  of  him 
in  their  hearts.  And  now,  whilst  I  am  showing  what  reason  there 
is,  that  God's  dearest  children  should  fear  him  as  a  reconciled 
Father,  let  wicked  men,  in  the  mean  while,  sadly  consider  with 
themselves,  what  great  cause  then  they  have  to  fear  him,  who  is 
their  sworn  enemy  :  if  God's  smiles  are  tempered  with  that  majesty 
that  makes  them  awful ;  surely  his  frowns  then  must  needs  carry 
in  them  an  astonishing  terror,  that  makes  them  insupportable.  We 
may  observe  how  unexpectedly,  sometimes,  from  the  goodness  and 
mercy  of  God,  that  is,  the  sweetest  and  most  natural  attractive  of 
love,  the  Scripture  draws  an  inference  to  fear  God :  Ps.  cxxx.  -i ; 
"There  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared  :"  not 
only  a  sin-revenging,  but  a  sin-pardoning  God,  is  here  set  before  us 
as  the  object  of  our  fear :  these  two  sister-graces,  fear  and  love,  are 
nourished  in  the  soul  by  the  same  attribute,  God's  pardoning 
mercy :  the  great  sinner  in  the  gospel  is  said  to  love  much,  be- 
cause much  was  forgiven  her  ;  and,  here,  much  fear,  as  well  as 
much  love,  is  the  result  and  issue  of  God's  pardoning  grace.  And 
so  you  have  it,  in  Hos.  iii.  5 ;  "  They  shall  fear  the  Lord  and  his 
goodness."  And,  in  Exod.  xv.  11,  Moses,  describing  the  most 
glorious  attributes  of  God,  tells  us,  that  he  is  "glorious  in  holiness, 
fearful  in  praises :"  even  then,  when  we  are  to  praise  God  for  his 
mercy ;  yet  are  we  to  fear  him,  as  being  fearful  in  praises.  And, 

therefore,  Nehemiah,  praying  to  God,  says,  "  0  Lord  the  great 

and  the  terrible  God."  "Wherein  ?  Is  it  in  overwhelming  kins;- 
doms ;  in  bringing  upon  them  decreed  destruction  ?  Is  it  in  the 
fierce  execution  of  his  wrath  against  sinners  ?    No  ;  says  he,  "  0 

Lord  the  terrible  God,  that  keepeth  covenant  and  mercy  for  them 

that  love  him  ;"  Neh.  i.  5 ;  ix.  32. 

Let  us  now  consider  what  there  is  in  the  mercy  and  favor  of 
God,  as  he  is  a  reconciled  God  unto  us  and  in  covenant  with  us, 
that  may  justly  render  him  the  object  of  our  fear. 

[1]  The  consideration  of  that  dreadful  way  and  method,  that 


564 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


God  took  to  manifest  his  mercy  towards  us,  is  sufficient  to  affect 
our  hearts  with  fear,  though  we  stand  fully  possessed  of  his  favor. 

In  Gen.  xxviii.,  when  God  had  made  many  gracious  promises  all 
along  that  chapter  unto  Jacob,  of  blessing  him,  of  keeping  him  in 
all  his  ways,  and  of  multiplying  his  seed  as  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
you  would  think  this  was  no  terrible  thing :  and  yet,  because  God 
reveals  this  mercy  to  him  in  an  awful  and  amazing  manner,  a  gap 
is  opened  in  heaven,  a  bright  ladder  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven ; 
God  on  the  top  of  it,  angels  on  every  round  of  it :  though  the 
message  was  joyful,  yet  the  strange  kind  of  delivering  of  the 
message  makes  Jacob  cry  out,  "  How  dreadful  is  this  place !  this  is 
none  other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven :" 
Gen.  xxviii.  17.  The  very  gate  of  heaven  becomes  dreadful,  when 
it  is  represented  in  such  a  majestic  manner. 

But,  the  way,  that  God  took  for  his  mercy  to  arrive  at  us,  is  much 
more  dreadful,  than  any  such  dream  or  vision ;  and,  therefore,  we 
should  be  the  more  deeply  affected  with  fear  and  trembling,  even 
then  when  God  speaks  peace  and  pardon  to  us :  for,  if  we  consider 
either  the  terms  upon  which  he  is  become  ours,  or  the  way  by 
which  he  disco vereth  himself  to  be  ours,  both  of  them  are  full  of 
dread  and  terror. 

1st.  It  cannot  but  strike  our  hearts  with  fear,  to  reflect  upon 
those  dreadful  terms,  upon  which  God  is  contented  to  be  induced 
to  become  our  God. 

His  mercy  towards  us  is  procured  upon  terms  of  infinite  justice 
and  severity.  Divine  vengeance  arrests  our  surety,  and  exacts 
from  him  the  utmost  satisfaction.  That  curse,  that  would  forever 
have  blasted  and  withered  the  souls  of  all  mankind,  seizeth  upon 
Christ  in  all  its  malignity.  That  wrath,  some  few  drops  of  which 
scald  the  damned  in  hell,  was  given  him  to  drink  off  in  a  full  and 
overflowing  cup :  He  did  bear  "  the  chastisement  of  our  peace," 
and  by  "  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  Nor  would  God,  upon  lower 
terms,  have  consented  to  a  reconciliation  between  wretched  man 
and  himself,  than  the  precious  blood  of  his  only  Son.  As  of  old, 
friendship  between  two  persons  was  wont  to  be  attested  and  sealed 
by  a  sacrifice,  as  we  find  it  both  among  heathen  authors  and  also 
in  Scripture ;  an  instance  of  which  we  have  of  Laban,  in  Gen. 
xxxi.  54,  where  Laban  and  Jacob,  returning  to  amity,  make  a  rati 
fication  of  it  by  a  sacrifice:  so,  the  atonement,  that  God  made 
between  us  and  himself,  is  solemnized  by  a  sacrifice,  even  the 
sacrifice  of  his  own  Son,  "as  of  a  Lamb  without  spot"  or  blemish. 
In  this  blood,  the  treaty  between  God  and  man  stands  ratified  and 


A  STRONG   MOTIVE  TO  SERVE   GOD.  5G5 

confirmed.  0  dreadful  mercy,  that  clasps  and  embraces  us  about 
with  arms  dyed  red  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ!  But,  is  not  this 
ground  enough,  to  cause  a  holy  fear  of  God  to  seize  upon  every 
soul,  that  shall  but  seriously  consider  this  sad  tragedy  of  pardoning 
grace  ?  If  a  king  resolve  to  forgive  a  malefactor,  upon  no  other 
terms  than  a  pardon  writ  with  the  last  drop  of  the  heart-blood  of 
his  dearest  friend,  who  is  there,  that  is  so  hardened,  that  will  not 
tremble  at  such  a  mercy  as  this  is,  though  it  save  him  ?  So  is  the 
case  between  God  and  us :  the  contents  of  the  pardon  are  joyful, 
but  it  is  written  all  with  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  reeking  warm 
from  his  very  heart ;  and  who  then  would  not  fear  even  a  forgiving 
God? 

2dly.  Consider  the  way  and  method,  that  God  takes  with  us 
when  he  becomes  our  God ;  and  that  is  most  dreadful,  and  must 
needs  make  the  most  confirmed  heart  to  shake  with  fear  and 
trembling. 

Indeed  God  deals  not  with  us  in  such  rigor,  as  he  dealt  with 
Jesus  Christ  his  Son :  but  yet,  usually,  when  he  becomes  our  God, 
when  he  enters  upon  us  as  his  possession ;  first,  he  shakes  all  the 
foundations  of  our  hearts,  breathes  in  flames  of  fire  into  our  very 
marrow,  cramps  our  consciences  and  unjoints  our  souls.  0,  the 
tempests  and  storms  of  wrath,  that  God  pours  into  a  wounded  con- 
science, when  it  is  under  searching  convictions !  O,  the  smart  and 
anguish  of  a  wounded  spirit,  when  God,  instead  of  balm,  shall  only 
chafe  it  with  brimstone !  And  yet  this  is  the  common  method, 
that  God  useth  to  prepare  souls  for  himself:  he  seems  to  arm  him- 
self in  all  his  terrors  against  them,  singling  them  out  to  the  conflict ; 
and,  when  they  give  up  themselves  for  lost,  lying  gasping  for  hope, 
scarcely  at  length  are  administered  some  few  reviving  comforts. 
It  is  with  these,  as  it  was  with  the  children  of  Israel  upon  Sinai : 
first,  they  were  astonished  with  a  confused  noise  of  thunder,  the 
air  full  of  lightning,  the  mountains  all  on  a  flame,  and  the  earth 
trembling  under  them,  before  they  heard  that  comfortable  voice,  in 
Exod.  xx.  2  :  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God :"  so  is  it  with  convinced 
sinners :  God  dischargeth  his  threatonings  against  them,  that  speak 
more  dreadfully  to  them  than  a  voice  of  thunder  :  he  speaks  to 
them  out  of  the  midst  of  flames,  and  every  word  scorcheth  up 
their  hearts ;  and,  when  they  stand  trembling  and  despairing,  once 
at  length  they  hear  those  reviving  words,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God."  What  hearts  are  there  now,  that  such  a  dreadful  mercy 
as  this  would  not  overawe  ?  Those  discoveries  of  God's  love,  that 
break  in  upon  the  soul  in  the  midst  of  a  doleful  and  gloomy  night 


566 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


of  despair  and  despondency,  work  naturally  a  sweet  kind  of  terror 
and  a  shivering  joy. 

[2]  Though  God  be  our  God ;  yet  to  consider,  that  it  is  possible 
to  lose  his  favor  and  the  sense  of  it,  is  enough  to  affect  the  heart 
with  a  holy  fear,  even  of  a  reconciled  God. 

It  is  true,  God's  original  and  fountain-love  can  never  be  dried 
up  :  "Whom  he  loves,  he  loves  "  unto  the  end  :"  John  xiii.  1.  And 
"my  loving-kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him:"  Ps. 
lxxxix.  33.  Yet,  the  streams  of  this  fountain-love  may  be  very 
much  obstructed  from  flowing  freely  down  upon  us :  though  we 
shall  never  again  be  children  of  wrath,  yet  we  may  be  children 
under  wrath.  Every  presumptuous  sin,  which  we  commit,  raiseth 
God's  displeasure  against  us:  he  is  angry  with  us,  upon  every 
more  notorious  and  known  sin,  which  we  commit :  and  since,  then, 
we  are  in  danger  every  day  of  falling  into  gross  and  foul  sins,  and 
are  kept  only  by  his  almighty  and  free  grace  from  the  worst,  what 
cause  have  we  to  fear,  lest  we  forfeit  his  favor  and  turn  his  dis- 
pleasure against  us !  Yea,  again,  though  we  should  be  preserved 
from  sin  and  continue  in  his  love,  yet  we  cannot  assure  ourselves 
that  we  shall  continue  in  the  sense  and  comfortable  apprehension 
of  it ;  comfort  is  most  arbitrary,  and  at  God's  free  disposal ; 
neither  hath  he  engaged  himself  to  bestow  it  upon  any  by  any 
absolute  promise :  though  now  his  lamp  shines  clearly  upon  thy 
tabernacle,  and  thou  rejoicest  in  his  smiles ;  yet  how  quickly  may 
he  wrap  thee  up  in  a  dark  night  of  desertion,  and  turn  all  thy  songs 
into  mourning  I  Thou,  therefore,  that  art  now  assured  that  God  is 
thy  God,  fear  lest  ere  long  thou  mayest  not  think  him  to  be  so : 
certain  thou  art  he  is  so  now;  yet,  before  it  be  long,  possibly, 
through  thy  miscarriage,  thou  mayest  not  think  him  to  be  so:  and 
it  is  all  one,  as  to  comfort  or  discomfort,  whether  God  be  thy  God 
or  not,  if  thou  dost  not  apprehend  him  to  be  so,  and  therefore  fear 
him. 

[3]  Every  frown  and  stroke  toucheth  to  the  quick,  that  cometh 
from  a  reconciled  God  and  a  loving  Father ;  and,  therefore,  the 
rather  fear,  because  he  is  thy  God. 

Every  little  blow  from  a  father  strikes  deeper  and  causeth  more 
smart,  than  greater  blows  from  other  persons:  others  strike  the 
body ;  but,  when  a  loving  father  strikes,  he  wounds  the  heart.  So 
is  it  here :  the  nearness  of  the  relation  between  God  and  us,  puts 
an  anguish  and  sting  into  every  correction.  As  the  Psalmist  speaks 
in  his  own  case,  Ps.  lv.  12,  13 :  "  It  was  not  an  enemy,  that  re- 
proached me  neither  was  it  he,  that  hated  me  then  could  I  have 


A   STRONG  MOTIVE   TO   SERVE   GOD.  567 

borne  it  But  it  was  thou,  a  man,  mine  equal,  my  guide,  and 

mine  acquaintance."  These  are  sad  accents.  And  so  is  it  here : 
the  blows  of  a  sin-revenging  God  may  indeed  break  the  back ; 
but  the  blows  of  a  gracious  and  reconciled  Father  break  the  heart. 
Fear,  therefore,  lest,  through  some  miscarriage  of  thine  (and  of  such 
miscarriages  thou  art  every  day  guilty)  thou  shouldest  provoke 
thy  God  to  lay  some  heavy  stroke  upon  thee;  which  will  be  the 
more  smart,  from  the  aggravation  that  provoked  love  puts  upon  it. 

And  thus  you  see  now,  in  these  three  particulars,  what  ground 
there  is  from  the  consideration  of  God  as  our  God,  to  enforce  a 
holy  fear  of  his  divine  majesty  upon  our  hearts.  He  is  our  God ; 
therefore  fear  him,  because  the  way  that  he  became  ours  is  most 
dreadful :  he  is  our  God,  as  yet ;  fear  lest  we  may  not  apprehend 
him  so  long:  he  is  our  God:  therefore  fear  him,  because  every 
stroke  and  frown  from  a  God  in  covenant  comes  with  an  aggravated 
smart  and  sting. 

ii.  Now  this  holy  fear,  as  it  is  no  enemy  to  full  assurance,  as  I 
have  showed  you,  so  neither,  is  IT  any  way  prejudicial  to  A 

MOST  ARDENT  LOVE  OF  GOD. 

Filial  love  and  filial  fear  are  twins:  but  not  such  as  Jacob  and 
Esau,  that  strive  to  supplant  one  another.  The  pure  flame  of 
divine  and  heavenly  love  is  like  other  flames :  the  higher  it 
mounts,  the  more  it  vibrates  and  trembles. 

Indeed  St.  John  tells  us,  1  John  iv.  18,  that  "  perfect  love  cast- 
eth  out  fear."  It  should  seem  then,  that  all  fear  of  God  is  swal- 
lowed up  in  those  hearts,  that  are  once  brought  into  a  holy  love. 
But  the  Apostle  doth  very  well  explain  himself,  in  the  reason  that 
he  gives  of  this  assertion,  in  the  next  words :  "perfect  love  casteth 
out  fear,  because  fear  hath  torment." 

Hence,  therefore,  we  may  distinguish  a  twofold  fear  of  God. 

The  one  is  tormenting ;  causing  unquiet  rollings  and  commotions 
in  the  heart,  in  a  sad  suspense  of  what  our  future  and  eternal  state 
may  prove:  and  this  is  slavish.  Now  this  fear  perfect  love  casts 
out  and  expels:  for  where  divine  love  is  perfected  in  the  soul, 
there  are  no  more  such  suspenses,  hesitations,  and  doubtings,  what 
will  become  of  it  to  eternity.  Now  by  -perfect  love  may  be  meant, 
either  that  state  of  perfection,  to  which  we  shall  attain  in  glory, 
where  our  whole  work  to  all  eternity  shall  be  to  love  and  please 
God ;  or,  else,  that  perfection,  that  consists  in  its  sincerity  in  this 
life.  If  we  take  it  for  that  perfection  of  love,  that  shall  forever 
burn  in  our  hearts  when  we  ourselves  shall  be  made  perfect  j  so> 


568 


THE    ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION, 


it  is  certain  that  it  "will  cast  out  all  tormenting  fears :  for,  certainly, 
if,  in  heaven,  hope  itself  shall  be  abolished,  much  more  shall  fear 
be  abolished ;  for,  there,  every  saint  shall  have  much  more  than  a 
full  assurance,  even  a  full  fruition  of  glory,  and  they  shall  know 
themselves  to  be  forever  confirmed  in  that  blessed  state  which  shall 
prevent  all  doubts  and  fears.  If  we  understand  it  of  that  perfec- 
tion of  love,  that  we  may  attain  to  in  this  life,  so  also  the  strong 
and  vigorous  actings  of  love  to  God  cast  out  all  tormenting  fears : 
it  is  not  possible,  that  that  soul,  which  actually  loves  God  with  a 
vigorous  and  most  ardent  affection,  should,  at  the  same  time,  be 
racked  with  distracting  fears  of  hell  and  damnation ;  for  it  is  the 
sense  of  God's  love  unto  the  soul,  that  draws  from  it  reciprocal 
love  again  unto  God :  "We  love  him,"  says  the  Apostle,  "because 
he  first  loved  us :"  that  is,  as  strong  as  our  apprehensions  are  of 
God's  love  to  us,  so  strong  will  our  love  be  in  its  returns  to  God 
again  :  water  riseth  naturally  as  high  as  it  springs  ;  wherefore,  the 
assurance  of  God's  love,  being  the  spring  from  whence  our  love 
flows,  such  as  is  our  love,  such  will  be  our  assurance  also  :  if  then 
our  love  be  strong  in  its  actings,  it  must  needs  cast  out  fear :  be- 
cause it  flows  from  that  assurance,  with  which  tormenting  fear  is 
utterly  inconsistent. 

But  there  is  another  kind  of  fear,  that  is  not  tormenting :  and 
that  is  an  awful  frame  of  heart,  struck  with  reverential  apprehen- 
sions of  God's  infinite  majesty,  and  our  own  vileness  and  unwor- 
thiness :  and  this,  perfect  love  doth  not  cast  out ;  but  it  perfects  this 
awful,  sedate,  calm  fear  of  God.  The  angels  and  the  glorified 
saints  in  heaven,  whose  love  is  so  perfect,  that  it  can  neither  admit 
of  an  increase  nor  abatement,  yet  stand  in  awe  and  fear  of  the  ter- 
rible majesty  of  the  great  God :  the  same  infinite  excellencies  of 
the  divine  nature,  that  attract  their  love,  do  also  excite  their  fear. 
See  how  the  prophet  makes  this  an  argument  to  fear  God:  Jer.  x. 
7.  ""Who  would  not  fear  thee,  O  King  of  nations?"  for,  said  he, 
in  all  the  earth  "  there  is  none  like  unto  thee :"  one  would  rather 
think  that  God's  unparalleled  excellencies  and  perfections  should 
be  a  motive  to  love :  "  Who  would  not  love  tbee,  0  King  of  saints, 
since  there  is  none  in  all  the  earth  like  thee?"  yea,  but  filial  fear 
and  filial  love  are  of  so  near  a  kind  and  cognation,  that  they  may 
well  be  enforced  by  one  and  the  same  argument.  This  is  the  ex- 
cellence of  divine  love :  it  is  an  attractive  of  love,  and  it  is  an 
excitement  unto  fear. 

"Well,  then,  though  we  have  no  chilling  fear  of  a  hot  and 
scorching  hell ;  yet  let  us  have  an  awful,  reverential  fear  of  the 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE  GOD. 


5G9 


glorious  God,  whose  excellencies  are  such  as  cannot  be  matched, 
nor  scarcely  imi  table  by  any  in  heaven  or  in  earth. 

iii.  The  fear  of  God  is  not  contrary  to  that  free  spirit  of 

ADOPTION,  WHICH  WE  RECEIVE  IN  OUR  FIRST  CONVERSION. 

It  may,  perhaps,  seem  to  some,  that  the  Apostle  opposeth  them 
in  Eom.  viii.  15.  "  Ye  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  bondage 

again  to  fear;  but  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  you  cry  Abba, 

Father." 

To  this  I  answer :  That,  by  "  the  Spirit  of  bondage"  here,  the 
Apostle  means  the  legal  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  conviction, 
that  is  preparatory  to  conversion :  which  work,  usually,  is  ac- 
companied with  dreadful  terrors,  apprehending  God  not  as  a 
reconciled  Father,  but  as  an  incensed  and  severe  judge.  Now, 
says  the  Apostle,  "ye  have  not  received"  this  "Spirit  of  bondage 
again"  thus  "  to  fear :"  this  is  not  that  fear,  that  the  consideration 
of  God,  as  your  God  and  reconciled  Father,  excited  in  you :  this  is 
not  that  fear,  unto  which  the  Apostle  exhorts  Christians ;  but  an 
awful,  reverential  fear  of  God,  whereby  we  should  stand  in  awe 
of  his  dread  majesty,  so  as  to  be  preserved  from  whatever  may  be 
an  offence  to  his  purity.  And  if,  in  any  night  of  desertion,  it  should 
happen  that  the  hearts  of  true  believers  should  be  overwhelmed 
with  dismal  fears,  apprehending  God  as  enraged  and  incensed 
against  them,  standing  in  doubt  of  the  goodness  of  their  spiritual 
condition ;  if  this  seize  upon  them  after  they  have  had  "  the  Spirit 
of  adoption"  let  them  know  that  this  fear  is  not  from  a  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  them :  they  have  not  received  "  the  Spirit  of  bond- 
age" again  so  to  fear :  it  is  not  a  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  excite 
in  them  doubts  and  fears  of  their  spiritual  condition,  after  they 
have  once  had  assurance  of  the  goodness  thereof;  but  it  ariseth 
either  from  some  ignorance,  or  from  some  sin  that  they  have  com- 
mitted, that  interposeth  between  them  and  the  clear  sight  of  the 
discoveries  of  God's  love. 

Now  for  the  better  understanding  of  this  place,  because  I  judge 
it  pertinent  to  my  present  purpose,  I  shall  open  it  to  you  somewhat 
largely  in  these  following  particulars. 

1.  Hie  preparatory  work  of  conversion  is  usually  carried  on  in  the 
soul  by  legal  fears  and  terrors. 

I  call  that  a  legal  fear,  that  is  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  dread- 
threatenings  and  denunciations  of  the  law.  The  law,  if  we  take  it 
in  its  native  rigor,  without  the  merciful  qualification  of  gospel- 
grace,  thundered  out  niching  but  curses,  wrath,  and  vengeance 


570  THE   ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION, 

against  every  transgressor  of  it ;  representing  God  armed  also  with 
Lis  almighty  power  to  destroy  them.  This  is  that  glass,  that  showed 
them  their  old  sins  in  most  ugly  shapes :  now  they  see  them  stare 
ghastly  upon  their  consciences,  that  before  allured  them  :  the  scene 
is  quite  changed,  and  there  are  nothing  but  dreadful  apjDaritions  of 
death  and  hell  fleeting  now  before  them ;  and  God  brandishing  his 
flaming  sword  over  them,  ready  to  rive  their  hearts  asunder.  They, 
who  lately  were  secure  and  fearless,  now  stand  quaking  under  the 
fearful  expectations  of  that  fiery  wrath  and  indignation,  that  they 
neither  have  hope  to  escape,  nor  yet  have  strength  or  patience  to 
endure.  This  is  that  legal  fear,  which  the  curse  and  threatenings 
of  the  law,  when  set  home  in  their  full  acrimony,  work  in  the  hearts 
of  convinced  sinners. 

2.  This  legal  fear  is  slavish,  and  engenders  bondage. 

There  is  a  bondage,  under  the  reigning  power  of  sin ;  and  there 
is  a  bondage,  under  the  terrifying  power  of  sin.  The  former  makes 
a  man  a  slave  unto  the  devil,  and  the  latter  makes  a  man  a  slave 
unto  God.  And  such  slaves,  are  all  convinced  sinners,  that  have 
not  yet  arrived  to  the  free  and  filial  "  Spirit  of  adoption ;"  but  are 
kept  in  bondage  under  the  wrath  of  God,  and  manacled  in  the 
fetters  of  their  own  fears.  So  saith  the  Apostle :  Heb.  ii.  15  ;  to 
"  deliver  them,  who,  through  fear  of  death,"  and  of  hell  that  fol- 
lows after  it,  "were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 

3.  This  slavish  fear  is  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
though  it  be  slavish. 

For  it  is  his  office,  to  convince,  as  well  as  to  comfort ;  and  to  cast 
down  by  the  terrors  of  the  law,  as  well  as  to  raise  up  by  the 
promises  of  the  gospel:  John  xvi.  8;  "He  will  reprove  the  world 
of  sin;"  and  therefore  it  is  said  in  this  place,  Kom."viii.  15;  "Ye 
have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ;"  implying, 
that  those  terrors,  that  seize  upon  the  conscience,  are  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost :  we  bring  ourselves  into  bondage,  under  sin ;  and 
he  brings  us  into  bondage,  under  fear.  If  therefore,  at  any  time, 
thou,  who  art  a  secure  sinner,  art  suddenly  surprised  with  fearful 
and  trembling  thoughts  concerning  thy  present  state  of  sin  and  thy 
future  state  of  wrath,  beware  thou  listen  not  to  any  that  would 
persuade  thee  it  is  nothing  but  a  fit  of  melancholy,  or  a  temptation 
of  Satan  to  drive  thee  to  despair;  but  know  assuredly,  that  thy 
conscience  is  now  under  the  hand  of  the  Holy  Ghost  himself:  he 
raiseth  those  tempests  of  fear  in  thee :  and,  as  usually  it  is  fatal 
to  divert  and  hush  them,  so  is  it  no  less  than  ignorant  blasphemy, 
to  impute  his  works  to  melancholy,  or  to  the  temptations  of  Satan. 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


571 


4.  When  the  soul  is  prepared  for  the  work  of  grace  by  the  work  of 
conviction,  when  it  is  prepared  for  comfort  by  the  work  of  humiliation, 
the  same  Spirit,  that  was  before  a  Spirit  of  bondage,  becomes  now  a 
Spirit  of  adoption. 

That  is,  the  Holy  Ghost  persuades  and  assures  us  of  the  love 
and  favor  of  God ;  and  enables  us,  through  divine  light  beaming 
in  upon  our  consciences,  to  behold  him  as  a  gracious  and  a  recon- 
ciled Father,  whom  before  we  trembled  at  as  a  stern  and  terrible 
judge.  The  same  wind,  that,  in  a  raging  storm,  tosseth  the  sea  to 
and  fro  in  restless  heaps,  in  a  calm  doth  only  gently  move  and  fan 
it  with  pleasing  ripples.  So  is  it  here.  That  Spirit  of  God,  that, 
in  conviction,  raiseth  a  tempest  in  the  conscience,  afterwards  breathes 
forth  a  sweet  calm  of  peace  and  comfort  upon  it :  the  same  Spirit, 
that,  before,  was  a  "  Spirit  of  bondage,"  when  the  soul  is  sufficiently 
thereby  prepared  for  grace,  becomes  a  "  Spirit  of  adoption."  This 
is  that  "  Spirit  of  adoption,"  that  is  here  spoken  of:  and  it  is  called 
so,  because  it  witnesseth  with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God  by  adoption.  God  hath  but  one  Son  by  eternal  generation, 
and  that  is  Jesus  Christ ;  called,  therefore,  "  the  only -begotten  of  the 
Father :"  John  i.  14.  He  hath  many  sons  by  creation ;  even  all 
mankind  :  so  Adam  is  called  "  the  son  of  God  :"  Luke  iii.  38.  He 
hath  many  sons  also  by  adoption ;  even  all,  that  are  effectually 
called  according  to  the  purpose  of  his  grace ;  all,  that  are  sanc- 
tified, who  are  of  strangers  made  "heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs 
with  Jesus  Christ"  himself,  who  is  the  natural  son  of  God;  Rom. 
viii.  17.  Now  because  it  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  testify 
to  us  this  our  great  privilege,  that  we  are  enrolled  in  the  family  of 
heaven  and  become  the  children  of  God,  therefore  he  is  called 
"  the  Spirit  of  adoption ;"  that  is,  the  Spirit,  that  witnesseth  to  us 
our  adoption. 

5.  To  whom  the  Spirit  hath  once  been  a  Spirit  of  adoption,  it  never 
more  becomes  to  them  a  Spirit  of  bondage  and  fear. 

That  is,  it  never  again  proclaims  war,  after  it  hath  spoken  peace: 
it  never  represents  God  as  an  enraged  enemy,  after  it  hath  repre- 
sented him  as  a  reconciled  Father.  It  is  true,  the  Spirit  of  God 
always  keeps  up  his  convincing  office  in  the  soul  of  the  most 
assured  saint :  it  convinceth  him  of  sin,  and  of  wrath  due  to  him 
for  sin.  There  is  a  twofold  conviction :  there  is  a  conviction  of 
the  evil  of  particular  actions,  and  there  is  a  conviction  of  the  evil 
of  our  state  and  condition ;  now,  though  upon  particular  miscar- 
riages of  God's  children,  the  Holy  Ghost  secretly  smiteth  their 
consciences,  showing  them  the  guilt  and  evil  of  their  sins,  thereby 


572  THE    ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION. 


bringing  them  to  repentance  and  a  godly  sorrow ;  yet  the  Holy 
Ghost  never  again  testifieth  unto  them,  that  they  are  in  a  graceless, 
unregenerate,  and  sinful  estate  and  condition,  and  in  a  state  of 
wrath  and  condemnation :  it  brings  them  to  a  deep  humiliation,  by 
convincing  them  of  the  evil  of  their  actions ;  but  it  never  brings 
them  into  legal  terrors,  by  convincing  them  of  a  sinful  state. 
Neither,  indeed,  can  it  be  so :  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  a  Spirit  of 
truth  ;  and,  to  witness  that  we  are  yet  children  of  wrath,  who  are 
indeed  the  adopted  children  of  God,  this  were  a  false  testimony, 
and  therefore  utterly  abhorred  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  is  a  Spirit 
of  truth.  Doth  the  same  fountain  send  forth  sweet  water  and 
bitter  ?  Doth  there  proceed  from  one  and  the  same  mouth,  bless- 
ings and  curses?  Certainly,  the  same  Spirit,  that  hath  once 
pronounced  us  to  be  in  the  love  and  favor  of  God,  never  after  pro- 
nounceth  us  to  be  cursed,  and  under  the  wrath  of  God. 

But  you  will  say,  "  Have  not  the  best  of  God's  children  some- 
times concluded  themselves  to  be  reprobated  and  cast  away  ?  Have 
they  not  lain  under  sad  and  fearful  apprehensions  of  God's 
wrath?  Have  not  some  of  them,  who  formerly  walked  in  the 
light  of  God's  countenance  and  nourished  in  their  assurance,  yet 
afterwards  been  so  dejected,  that  they  would  not  entertain  any 
comfort,  or  hopes  of  mercy  and  salvation  ?" 

To  this  I  answer  :  It  is  true,  it  may  indeed  so  happen,  that  those 
saints,  whose  joys  and  comforts  are  at  one  time  fresh  and  verdant, 
at  another  time  wither  and  drop  off;  so  that  they  look  upon  them- 
selves as  rotten  trees,  destined  to  make  fuel  for  hell.  Whence 
proceeds  this  ?  It  is  not  from  the  Spirit  of  God :  but,  as  carnal 
men  are  apt  to  mistake  the  first  work  of  conviction  ior  melancholy 
or  for  temptation,  so  this  really  proceeds  from  one  of  these  two 
causes.  "When  the  children  of  God,  after  full  assurance,  come 
again  not  only  to  entertain  doubts  of  their  condition,  but  also  to 
despair  of  themselves,  looking  on  themselves  as  persons  that  God 
hath  singled  out  to  destruction :  this  proceeds  not  from  the  Holy 
Ghost,  but  from  melancholy  or  temptation.  Sometimes,  natural 
melancholy  obstructs  the  sense  of  divine  comfort :  as  it  is  in  clear 
water,  when  it  is  still  and  transparent  the  sun  shines  to  the  very 
bottom,  but  if  you  stir  the  mud,  presently  it  grows  so  thick  that 
no  light  can  pierce  into  it ;  so  it  is  with  the  children  of  God,  though 
their  apprehensions  of  God's  love  be  as  clear  and  transparent 
sometimes  as  the  very  air  that  the  angels  and  glorified  saints 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE  GOD. 


573 


breathe  in,  in  heaven,  yet,  if  once  the  muddy  humor  of  melancholy 
stirs,  they  become  dark,  so  that  no  light  or  ray  of  comfort  can 
break  in  to  the  deserted  soul.  And  then,  sometimes,  the  devil 
causeth  these  tragedies  by  his  temptations,  that  so,  if  it  were  possi- 
ble, he  might  drive  them  to  despair :  he  hates  their  graces,  he 
envies  their  comforts:  and  therefore  he  would  persuade  them  that 
all  their  former  joys  were  but  delusions,  proud  dreams  and  pre- 
sumptuous fancies,  and  that  they  are  still  "  in  the  gall  of  bitterness, 
and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity ;"  and,  by  such  suggestions  as  these, 
when  he  cannot  hinder  the  work  of  grace,  he  strives  what  he  can 
to  hinder  the  sense  of  comfort.  If,  therefore,  those,  that  have  once 
rejoiced  under  the  comfortable  persuasions  of  God's  love  to  them, 
the  Holy  Ghost  witnessing  himself  to  them  to  be  a  "  Spirit  of 
adoption"  by  being  in  them  a  Spirit  of  sanctification,  now  find 
themselves  under  the  bondage  of  legal  fears  and  terrors  and  slavish 
dejections,  looking  upon  themselves  as  under  the  revenging  wrath 
of  God  and  as  persons  devoted  to  destruction ;  let  them  know,  that, 
such  fears  proceed  not  from  the  convictions  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
who  hath  been  a  "  Spirit  of  adoption,"  but  from  the  delusions  of 
Satan:  for  those,  that  once  receive  "the  Spirit  of  adoption,"  never 
receive  "the  Spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ;"  that  is,  to  fear  with  a 
slavish,  tormenting  fear. 

6.  A  reverential,  filial  fear  of  God,  may  and  ought  to  possess  our 
souls,  while  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  is  a  Spirit  of  adoption,  is,  by  the 
clearest  evidences,  actually  witnessing  our  son-ship  to  us. 

Let  men  boast  what  they  will  of  their  high  gospel  attainments, 
yet  certainly  they  have  not  the  genuine  disposition  of  God's  chil- 
dren, whose  love  to  him  is  not  mingled  with  fear,  and  whose  fear 
of  him  is  not  increased  by  their  love.  Love !  it  is  the  gage  and 
measure  of  all  our  affections :  and,  according  to  the  proportion  of 
our  love  to  God,  such  will  be  our  fear ;  that  is,  the  more  we  love 
God,  the  more  we  shall  fear  his  displeasure  and  the  loss  of  his 
favor.  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  pretend  love  to  God  as  our  Father, 
unless  we  fear  him  also  as  our  Lord  and  Master.  Christ  was  his 
"  only-begotten  Son,"  and  certainly  had  much  more  clear  assurance 
of  the  love  and  favor  of  God,  than  any  adopted  sons  can  possibly 
have ;  yet  the  Scripture  ascribes  a  holy,  awful,  reverential  fear  of 
God  even  unto  him  :  Heb.  v.  7.  "  "When  he  had  offered  up  prayers 

 with  strong  crying  and  tears  and  was  heard  in  that  he  feared:" 

it  may  be  rendered,  he  was  "  heard  because  of  his  godly  fear."  So, 

in  Isa.  xi.  2.  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him  the 

spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord :"  speaking  of 


571  THE    ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION, 

Christ.  If  therefore  he  feared  God,  who  was  himself  to  be  feared 
as  God,  equal  to  him  and  his  Eternal  Son,  how  much  more  ought 
we  to  fear  the  great  God,  who  are,  as  it  were,  but  upstarts  in  the 
family  of  heaven !  we,  wretched  and  forlorn  outcasts,  that  were  but 
lately  raked  out  of  the  dunghill ;  and,  by  mere  pity,  taken  up  into 
the  bosom  of  God,  and  nurtured  as  his  children! 

iv.  An  awful  fear  of  God  is  no  impediment  to  a  holy  re- 
joicing. 

Indeed  slavish  fear  damps  all  true  joy.  Those,  that  fear  and 
expect  the  revengings  of  God,  cannot  have  any  true  joy.  They 
may  have  a  kind  of  mad  jollity,  that  spends  itself  in  noise  and 
tumults :  they  may  roar  out  songs  of  mirth,  only  to  drown  the 
loud  roarings  of  their  own  consciences.  Suck  as  these  are  like 
new  liquor,  that  works  over  into  foam  and  froth,  when  the  bottom 
is  thick  and  troubled :  so,  in  this  false  joy,  the  countenance  runs 
over  with  laughter,  when  yet  the  heart  is  brimful  of  the  wrath  of 
God.  Of  such  the  wise  man  speaks,  Prov.  xiv.  13;  "Even  in 
laushter  the  heart  is  sorrowful." 

But  a  filial  fear  of  God  puts  no  check  at  all  upon  our  holy  re- 
joicing in  him.  Spiritual  joy  is  not  of  that  flashy  nature  ;  but  it 
is  a  sober  and  a  severe  grace :  it  is  joy,  mixed  with  fear.  And, 
because  of  the  mixture  of  these  two  together,  the  fear  of  God  with 
joy  in  the  Lord,  therefore  we  find  these  two  are  promiscuously 
ascribed  each  to  other.  So,  in  Isa.  lx.  5.  Their  hearts  "shall  fear 
and  be  enlarged :"  you  know  it  is  the  property  of  joy  to  extend 
and  enlarge  the  heart :  fear  contracts  and  draws  it  together ;  but 
here,  fear  is  said  to  dilate  the  heart,  to  denote  to  us,  that  a  Chris- 
tian's fear  is  always  conjoined  and  mingled  together  with  his  joy. 
And  so,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  said,  Ps.  ii.  11.  "Serve  the  Lord 
with  fear,  and  rejoice  with,  trembling :"  fear,  with  trembling,  is 
more  proper  and  natural ;  but,  because  of  the  mixture  of  these  two 
graces  in  the  heart  of  a  Christian,  therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  thus 
expresses  it,  "  Rejoice  with  trembling for  great  joys,  as  well  as 
great  fears,  cause  a  kind  of  trembling  and  fluttering  in  the  heart : 
as  it  was  with  the  two  women,  whom  the  angels  assured  of  Christ's 
resurrection,  Mat.  xxviii.  8.  "  They  departed  quickly  from  the  se- 
pulcher  with  fear  and  great  joy ;"  so  is  it  with  those  Christians, 
who,  by  the  eye  of  faith  looking  upon  the  death  and  into  the  se- 
pulcher  of  Jesus  Christ,  are  assured  that  he  is  risen  for  their  justi- 
fication, cannot  but  have  their  hearts  filled  with  a  quaking  and  a 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE  GOD.  575 

fearful  joy.  Even  a  Christian's  strong  praises  are  breathed  out 
with  a  shaking  and  a  trembling  voice. 

v.  Godly  fear  lays  no  check  upon  our  holy  freedom  and 

BOLDNESS  WITH  GOD. 

God  hath  established  a  throne  of  grace,  whereon  he  sits ;  and 
unto  which  he  invites  his  people  to  approach,  with  a  becoming 
confidence:  Heb.  iv.  16:  "Let  us  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of 
grace."  As  that  emperor  counted  his  clemency  disparaged  when 
any  delivered  a  petition  to  him  with  a  shaking  hand,  as  though  he 
doubted  of  his  favor:  so  God  loves,  when  we  make  our  addresses 
to  him,  that  we  should  do  it  with  a  full  assurance  of  faith ;  nothing 
doubting  of  acceptance  with  him,  and  of  an  answer  from  him.  He, 
that  asks  timorously,  only  begs  a  denial  from  God.  But,  yet,  that 
this  boldness  may  not  degenerate  into  rudeness  and  irreverence,  he 
requires  that  our  freedom  with  him  be  tempered  with  an  awful 
fear  of  him  :  we  must  come  in  all  humility  and  prostration  of  soul, 
with  broken  hearts  and  bended  knees,  to  touch  that  golden  sceptre 
that  he  holds  forth  to  us. 

Now  because  I  have  made  frequent  mention  of  filial  and  slavish 
fear,  that  you  may  the  better  understand  what  each  of  these  means, 
I  shall  briefly  give  you  the  difference  between  them. 

They  differ,  in  their  concomitants,  and  in  their  effects. 

First.  Slavish  fear  hath  always  two  dreadful  concomitants ;  and 
they  are  despair,  and  hatred  or  enmity  against  God. 

First.  In  slavish  fear,  there  is  always  some  degree  of  despair. 

This  slavish  fear  is  joined  with  dreadful  expectations  of  wrath. 
A  slave,  that  hath  committed  a  fault,  expects  no  other  than  to  be 
punished  for  it  without  mercy  :  so,  those,  that  lie  under  this  slavish 
fear,  apprehend  and  account  of  God  no  otherwise  than  the  slothful 
servant ;  as  a  severe  lord  and  a  cruel  tyrant,  that  will  exact  punish- 
ment from  them  to  the  utmost  of  their  deserts :  they  expect  no 
other,  but  that  certainly  God's  wrath  will  kindle  upon  them  and 
burn  them  eternally :  and  this  makes  them  live,  as  the  Apostle 
speaks  in  Heb.  x.27  :  In  "  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment 
and  fiery  indignation  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries."  This 
kind  of  horrid  fear,  I  doubt  not,  is  common  to  most  wicked  men : 
and,  though  they  brave  it  out,  and  most  of  them  speak  high  matters 
of  their  hopes  of  heaven  and  salvation ;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  their 
own  hearts  and  consciences  tell  them  sad  and  misgiving  stories  of 
hell  and  everlasting  wrath. 

But  a  true  and  filial  fear  of  God  looks  at  the  wrath  of  God,  with 


576 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


dread  and  terror ;  but  not  with  expectation.  There  is  the  difference. 
Slavish  fear  looks  upon  the  wrath  of  God ;  and  expects  it :  filial 
fear  looks  upon  it  as  due ;  but  not  with  expectations  that  it  should 
be  inflicted  upon  it. 

Secondly.  Slavish  fear  is  always  accompanied  with  some  degree 
of  enmity  and  hatred  against  God. 

It  is  natural  for  us  to  hate  those,  that  we  fear  with  a  slavish 
fear.  He,  that  thinks  God  will  certainly  punish  him,  must  out  of 
self-love  needs  be  provoked  to  hate  God.  Hence  is  it,  that  the  soul, 
that  lies  under  the  terrors  of  the  law,  wisheth  that  there  was  no 
such  thing  as  hell  and  eternal  damnation ;  nay,  that  there  was  no 
God  to  inflict  this  upon  it.  This  proceeds  from  this  slavish  fear 
of  God. 

But  a  reverential  fear  of  God  is  joined  with  a  holy  love ;  as  chil- 
dren who  love  their  parents,  but  yet  stand  in  awe  of  them. 

Secondly.  For  their  effects :  and  that,  both  as  to  sin,  and  as  to 
duty.    First.  As  to  sin. 

First.  Slavish  fear  dreads  nothing  but  hell  and  punishment ;  but 
Godly  fear  dreads  sin  itself.  The  one  fears  only  to  burn  :  the  other 
fears  to  sin.  As  Austin  saith  well,  "  He  fears  hell  only,  who  fears 
not  to  sin,  but  fears  to  burn ;  but  he  fears  to  sin,  who  hates  sin  as 
he  would  hate  hell." 

Secondly.  Slavish  fear  usually  restrains  only  from  external,  and 
those  also  the  more  gross  and  notorious  acts  of  sin :  but  holy  fear 
overawes  the  heart  from  inward  and  secret  sins ;  yea,  from  the  least 
sins  whatsoever. 

Secondly.  And  then,  as  for  duty  also,  in  two  things  briefly. 

First.  A  slavish  fear  of  God  makes  men  to  consult  how  they 
may  fly  from  God  :  as  Adam,  when  he  had  brought  guilt  upon  his 
conscience  by  his  fall,  hid  himself  from  God  in  the  garden.  Guilt 
loves  not  the  presence  of  its  judge. 

But  godly  fear  is  still  exciting  the  soul  to  approach  near  to  God 
in  duty.  And  therefore  David  saith,  Ps.  v.  7 ;  "  In  thy  fear  will  I 
worship  towards  thy  holy  temple."  The  fear  of  God  encourageth 
the  soul  in  the  performance  of  duty. 

Secondly.  Slavish  fear  contents  itself  with  external  perform- 
ances :  just  so  much  as  will  serve  the  turn,  to  satisfy  the  demands 
of  conscience. 

But  holy  fear  sanctifies  the  Lord  in  duty,  as  well  as  satisfies 
conscience.    And  therefore  you  have  it,  in  Isa.  viii.  13  ;  "  Sanctify 

the  Lord  of  Hosts  himself,  and  let  him  be  your  fear,  and  your 

dread." 


A  STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


577 


n.  I  come  now  to  the  APPLICATION. 

Use  i.  And  the  first  use  shall  be  by  way  of  corollary.  If  the 
consideration  of  grod  as  a  consuming  fire  ought  to  affect 
the  most  assured  christian  with  a  holy  fear  and  dread  of 
God,  how  much  more  then  may  it  shrink  and  shrivel  up 
the  hearts  of  ungodly  sinners  ! 

If  it  make  God's  own  children  tremble,  to  look  into  hell,  and  to 
see  those  heaps  of  miserable  wretches  that  are  there  burning  for- 
ever, shall  it  not  much  more  make  you  tremble,  who  are  liable 
every  moment  to  be  bound  in  bundles,  and  to  be  cast  in  to  burn 
among  them  ?  "When  a  city  is  on  fire,  it  is  terrible,  to  see  it  rage, 
afar  off ;  to  see  it  dart  up  smoke  and  flames,  though  at  a  distance  ; 
and  he,  that  is  not  affected  with  it  is  inhuman  :  but  he  is  more  than 
stupid,  that  doth  not  tremble  to  see.  it  devour  whole  streets  before 
it,  ruining  all  till  it  approach  near  his  own  dwelling.  Sirs,  this- 
consuming  fire  hath  already  seized  upon  millions  of  others,  and 
burnt  them  down  into  the  lowest  hell.  Do  you  not  hear  Dives,  in 
the  gospel,  cry  "  Fire,  Fire  ?"  The  greatest  part  of  the  world  is 
already  burnt  down :  and,  if  their  case  makes  not  your  hearts  to 
shake  and  tremble,  yet  methinks  your  own  should.  This  fire  is 
catching  and  kindling  upon  your  souls ;  and,  the  next  moment, 
may  make  you  brands  in  hell.  But,  alas !  what  hope  is  there  to 
affright  men  that  are  fast  asleep  ?  Such  a  dead  security  hath 
seized  upon  the  hearts  of  most,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
rouse  them ;  and  there  is  but  little  hope,  but  that  they  will  be 
burnt  in  this  their  sleep. 

Yet,  if  it  may  be  possible  to  awaken  you,  consider, 

1.  That  it  is  only  God's  wrath  against  sinners,  that  makes  him 
terrible  to  his  saints. 

They  are  afraid  of  that  fiery  indignation,  that  burned  against 
the  wicked :  and  shall  not  the  wicked  then  much  more  be  afraid, 
that  must  themselves  feel  it  ?  "  Our  God,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  is 
a  consuming  fire."  But  to  whom  is  he  such  a  consuming  fire? 
Not  to  those,  certainly,  whose  God  he  is :  "  He  shall  burn  up  all 
the  wicked  of  the  earth  as  stubble."  That  God  doth  not  always 
style  himself  a  gracious  God  and  a  reconciled  Father,  but  sometimes 
puts  on  dreadful  titles,  his  children  owe  it  to  the  wicked :  against 
them  alone  it  is,  that  he  arrays  himself  with  all  his  .terrors.  As  a 
father  may  affright  his  children,  by  putting  on  those  arms,  that  he 
useth  only  against  his  enemies ;  so  God  daunts  his  own  children, 
by  appearing  in  his  dread  power,  his  severe  justice  and  consuming 
Vol.  II.— 37 


57S 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION; 


wrath:  "but  bow  much  more  may  it  appal  his  enemies,  upon  whom 
he  intends  to  execute  all  this  in  the  utmost  rigor  and  extremity  ! 

2.  Another  consideration,  that  may  make  the  most  secure  sinner 
to  tremble,  is  this  :  That  God  himself  will  he  the  immediate  inflicter 
of  their  punishments. 

They  shall  be  consumed  by  fire,  and  offered  up  as  a  burnt-sacri- 
fice to  the  wrath  and  justice  of  God  ;  and  that  fire,  that  shall  for 
ever  burn  them,  is  God  himself:  "  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  I  do 
not  deny,  but  that  there  is  another  material  fire,  prepared  and 
blown  up  in  hell  for  the  punishment  of  the  damned  ;  but,  certainly, 
their  most  subtle  and  exquisite  torture  shall  be  from  God  himself, 
who  is  this  "consuming  fire."  This  wrath  of  God,  which  shall  for- 
ever burn  and  surround  the  souls  of  the  damned,  is  called  "  fiery 
indignation,"  Heb.  x.  27.  That  fire,  that  destroyed  Nadab  and 
Abihu,  was  but  a  type  of  this  ;  and  the  antitype  infinitely  transcends 
the  type :  the  dreadfulness  of  their  temporal  death  by  fire  was  but 
a  faint  resemblance  of  the  death  of  the  soul.  "What  fire  must  that 
be,  of  which  that  extraordinary  fire,  that  fell  down  from  heaven 
itself,  was  but  a  mere  shadow  ?  As  the  fire,  that  came  down  upon 
Elijah's  sacrifice,  did  lick  up  the  water  that  was  poured  into  the 
trenches ;  so  this  "  fiery  indignation"  of  God  shall,  in  hell,  melt 
down  the  damned,  as  it  were,  and  then  lick  up  their  very  spirits 
and  souls.  It  is  said,  Ps.  civ.  4,  that  God  maketh  his  angels  "  a 
flaming  fire :"  it  is  the  nearest  representation  that  is  given  of 
the  angelic  nature,  that  abounds  both  in  subtlety  and  force. 
Now  when  Christ  saith,  Go  into  those  flames  of  fire,  "prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels,"  what  is  meant  ?  Why  the  devils 
themselves  are  flames  of  fire :  and  what  fire  can  be  more  pierc- 
ing than  themselves,  who  have  power  over  fire  ?  Yet  there  is 
a  greater  fire  than  they :  "  God  is  a  consuming  fire ;"  a  fire,  so 
infinitely  scorching,  as  will  burn  and  torment  even  fire  itself.  It 
would  be  unspeakable,  terrible  wrath  in  God,  if  he  should  make  us,e 
of  his  creatures  for  the  punishment  of  the  damned ;  who  could 
bear  it,  if  God  should  only  keep  a  man  living  forever  in  the  midst 
of  a  furnace,  though  but  of  a  gross,  earthly  fire  and  flames  ?  or, 
if  God  should  bind  a  man  hand  and  foot ;  and  cast  him  into  a  deep 
pit  full  of  toads,  adders,  and  scorpions ;  and  there  let  him  lie  for- 
ever ?  God  knows  all  the  several  stings,  that  are  in  his  creatures ; 
and  he  can  take  out  of  them  the  most  sharp  and  piercing  ingre- 
dients ;  the  sharpness  of  the  sword,  the  inflammations  of  poisons, 
the  scorchings  of  fire,  the  anguish  of  pains,  the  faintness  of  dis- 
eases ;  and,  of  all  these,  can  make  a  most  tormenting  composition : 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO    SERVE  GOD. 


579 


and,  if  he  should  make  use  of  this  composition,  what  intolerable 
anguish  would  this  cause !  If,  then,  creatures  can  cause  such  tor- 
ture, oh  !  what  a  dreadful  thing  is  it  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God 
himself!  when  God  conveys  his  wrath  by  creatures,  it  must  needs 
lose  infinitely  in  the  very  conveyance  of  it :  it  is  but  as  if  a  giant 
should  strike  one  with  a  straw  or  a  feather  :  so,  when  God  takes  up 
one  creature  to  strike  another  with,  that  blow  can  be  but  weak ; 
and,  yet,  how  terrible  are  those  weak  blows  to  us !  "What  will  it  be 
then,  when  God  shall  immediately  crush  us  by  the  unabated  force 
of  his  own  almighty  arm  ?  You,  therefore,  that  persevere  in  sin, 
and  in  security  too,  consider  with  whom  you  have  to  deal ;  not  with 
creatures,  but  with  God  himself :  and  do  you  not  fear  that  un- 
created fire,  that  can  wrap  you  up  in  the  flames  of  his  essential 
wrath,  and  burn  you  forever  ?  "  Can  thy  heart  endure,  or  can  thy 
hands  be  strong,"  says  God,  "  in  the  day  that  I  shall  deal  with 
thee  ?"  The  very  weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than  men.  God  can 
look  a  man  to  death :  the  breath  of  a  man's  nostrils  is  a  soft  and 
quiet  thing;  and  yet  the  very  breath  of  God's  nostrils  can  blast  the 
soul,  and  burn  it  to  a  very  cinder.  Oh !  then  tremble  to  think, 
what  wrath  his  heavy  hand  can  inflict  uj)on  thee  :  that  hand,  that 
spreadeth  out  the  heavens,  and  in  the  hollow  of  which  he  holds 
the  great  waters  of  the  sea ;  that  hand  of  God,  in  which  his  great 
strength  lies ;  oh  !  what  wrath  will  it  inflict  upon  thee,  when  it  falls 
upon  thee  in  the  full  power  of  his  might ! 

3.  This  consuming  fire,  after  it  hath  once  seized  upon  the  soul,  is  for- 
ever unquenchable. 

Indeed  thou  mayest  hinder  it  from  kindling  upon  thy  soul.  As 
when  a  house  is  on  fire,  they  use  to  spout  water  upon  the  walls  of 
the  neighboring  houses,  to  keep  the  flames  from  catching  hold  of 
them;  so  you  may,  by  sprinkling  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
by  moistening  yourselves  with  the  tears  of  true  repentance,  pre- 
vent this  consuming  fire  from  preying  upon  you :  but,  if  once  it 
kindles,  it  will  there  burn  everlastingly.  It  is  not  like  your  sublu- 
nary fires*  these  spend  the  matter  they  feed  on;  and,  be  they  of 
never  so  great  force,  they  must  at  length  themselves  starve  for 
want  of  fuel :  yea,  the  sooner  they  consume,  the  sooner  are  they 
themselves  consumed ;  as,  in  straw,  and  other  light  combustible 
matter.  But  God  is  such  a  fire,  as  consumes  without  diminishing; 
and  his  power  is  such  a  power,  as  destroys  the  soul,  and  yet  per- 
petuates it.  He  is  such  a  wise  and  intelligent  fire,  as  consumes  the 
damned,  and  yet  repairs  them  ;  and,  by  tormenting,  still  nourishes 
them  for  future  torments.    As  Minutius  speaks :  the  same  breath 


580 


THE  ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


of  God,  that  destroys  the  soul,  still  keeps  it  alive,  that  it  may  be 
eternal  fuel  for  itself.  Hence  it  is,  that  hell-fire  is  described  to  be 
such,  as  shall  never  be  quenched  :  Mark  ix.  44.  And  why  ?  but 
because  "  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  fiery  stream,"  is  still  kind- 
ling it.  How  in  the  midst  of  this  devouring  fire  must  the  damned 
dwell,  without  any  period,  either  to  their  being  or  to  their  torment ! 
And,  when  they  have  lain  there  millions  and  millions  of  years, 
still  is  it  but  a  beginning  of  their  sorrows,  and  they  are  as  far  from 
a  release  and  discharge  as  they  were  at  the  first.  Think  with  your- 
selves, how  long  and  how  tedious  a  little  time  seems  to  you  when 
you  are  in  pain:  you  complain  then,  that  time  hath  leaden  feet, 
and  wish  that  the  days  and  hours  would  roll  away  faster.  Oh  ! 
what  will  it  be  then,  when  you  shall  lie  in  hell ;  when  the  intoler- 
ableness  of  pain  shall  make  every  hour  seem  an  age,  and  every 
year  seem  a  long  eternity  itself,  and  yet  you  must  lie  an  eternity 
of  those  years  there  ?  This  makes  their  torments  doubly  ever- 
lasting. Methinks,  the  dreadful  thoughts  of  this  eternally  con- 
suming fire,  should  make  the  stoutest  heart  to  quake ;  or,  at  least, 
to  cause  a  cold  fit  of  fear,  before  this  burning  and  scorching  tor- 
ment begins. 

4.  God  is  such  a  consuming  fire,  as  will  prey  upon  the  soul,  that 
tender  and  spiritual  part  of  man. 

The  more  gross  the  subject  is,  the  more  dull  are  the  pains 
that  it  suffers ;  but,  where  the  subject  is  spiritual,  there  the  an- 
guish must  needs  be  extreme.  The  sharpest  torments,  of  which 
the  body  is  capable,  are  dull,  in  comparison  with  what  the  soul 
can  feel :  when  God  himself  shall  lash  the  soul,  that  more  refined 
part,  all  comparisons  fall  short  of  expressing  the  anguish  of  it :  to 
shoot  poisoned  darts  inflamed  into  a  man's  marrow,  to  rip  up  his 
bowels  with  a  sword  red  hot,  is  as  nothing  to  this.  Think  what  it 
is  to  have  a  drop  of  boiling,  scalding  oil,  or  melting  lead  fall  into 
your  eye,  and  make  it  boil  and  burn  till  at  last  it  falls  out  of  your 
head ;  such  torments,  yea  infinitely  more  than  this,  is  it  to  have  the 
wrath  of  God  fall  upon  your  souls.  The  body  is  a  kind  of  fence 
to  the  soul :  it  damps  and  deadens  the  smart,  as  a  blow  upon  a 
clothed  man  is  not  so  painful  as  upon  one  that  is  stark  naked :  now 
if  the  soul  sometimes  feels  such  smart  and  pain  through  the  body, 
what  shall  it  feel  when  God  shall  pour  his  wrath  upon  it  stark 
naked  ? 

5.  The  longer  thou  livest  in  thy  sins  impenitently,  the  more  dost  thou 
'prepare  thy  soul  to  be  fit  fuel  for  this  consuming  fire  to  devour. 

This  is  but  like  the  oiling  of  a  barrel  of  pitch,  which  of  itself 


A  STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


581 


was  apt  enough  before  to  burn.  Those,  whom  the  wrath  of  God 
snatches  away  in  the  beginning  of  their  days,  are  made  fuel  for 
that  consuming  fire:  and,  if  it  be  done  so  to  the  green  tree,  what 
will  be  done  to  the  dry  and  rotten  tree  ?  Thou,  that  hast  stood 
many  years  rotting  in  the  world,  when  God  shall  come  and  cut  thee 
down  and  cast  thee  into  unquenchable  fire,  how  soon  wilt  thou 
kindle  and  how  dreadfully  wilt  thou  burn,  having  no  sap  left  in 
thee  to  allay  and  mitigate  those  flames !  Certainly,  would  but  the 
most  hardened  sinner,  here  present,  call  his  thoughts  aside  awhile, 
and  seriously  bethink  himself  what  he  hath  been  doing  ever  since 
he  came  into  the  world,  this  must  needs  make  him  fear  and  tremble  ; 
to  consider,  that,  all  this  time,  he  hath,  by  his  sinning,  been  trea- 
suring up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  heaping  up  coals,  yea 
burning  coals,  upon  his  own  head.  Every  time  you  sin,  what  do 
you  else  but  cast  in  another  faggot  to  that  pile  of  much  wood,  pre- 
pared to  burn  you  forever  ?  O,  that  these  dreadful  and  amazing 
considerations  might,  at  length,  rouse  and  awaken  your  hearts  to 
fear  this  consuming  fire ;  and  to  tremble  at  that  wrath,  that  is  now 
kindling  in  God's  breast  against  you,  and  which  will,  if  you  repent 
not,  ere  long  kindle  upon  you ! 

"But,"  you  will  say,  "  to  fear  God,  only  because  he  is  a  consuming 
fire,  merely  because  of  his  wrath  and  fiery  indignation,  is  but,  at 
best,  a  slavish  fear :  it  is  but  to  fear  him  as  the  devils  do,  for  they 
"  believe  and  tremble ;"  and  of  what  use  and  benefit  will  such  a 
fear  as  this  be  ?" 

Ans.  1.  It  is  true,  to  fear  God  merely  upon  the  account  of  wrath 
is  but  a  slavish  fear ;  but,  yet,  it  is  far  better  to  fear  God  slavishly, 
than  to  perish  securely. 

That  will  come  with  redoubled  terror,  which  comes  unexpectedly. 
ITow  intolerable  will  hell  be  to  those,  especially,  that  never  fear  it 
till  they  feel  it !  When  sinners  shall  see  themselves  surrounded 
witli  flames  of  fire,  before  ever  they  thought  themselves  in  any 
clanger ;  when  they  shall  wake  with  the  flames  of  hell  flashing  and 
flaming  about  them  ;  what  "  weeping  and  wailing"  will  this  cause  ! 
This  is  to  perish,  as  a  fool  perisheth  ;  to  go  on  securely  in  sin,  till 
unexpectedly  a  dart  suddenly  strikes  through  his  liver.  Whatever 
the  event  be,  yet  it  becomes  the  reason  of  a  man  to  be  affected  with 
fear,  proportionable  to  the  evil  to  which  he  lies  obnoxious.  There- 
fore, whether  this  slavish  fear  ends  in  torment  or  not,  yet  it  is  more 
rational  to  fear  those  things  to  which  we  are  exposed,  than  to  be 


582 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


secure  and  go  down  into  torments,  and  never  to  fear  them  till  we 
feel  them. 

Ans.  2.  This  fear,  though  a  slavish  fear,  is  of  great  efficacy  to 
deter  men  from  the  outward  acts  of  more  gross  and  scandalous  sins. 

He,  that  puts  hell  between  him  and  his  sins,  will  scarce  be  so 
daring  as  to  venture  through  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  to  com- 
mit them.  God  thought  he  had  set  a  sufficient  guard  upon  the 
tree  of  life,  when  he  placed  "  cherubim  and  a  flaming  sword"  to 
keep  men  from  it.  But,  to  keep  men  from  sin,  he  hath  placed  a 
guard  far  more  dreadful  than  angels  or  a  flaming  sword:  he  hath 
placed  himself,  "a  consuming  fire,"  to  deter  men  from  sin;  and 
they,  certainly,  that  have  any  fear  or  dread  of  God  upon  their 
hearts,  will  judge  it  too  hot  a  work  to  break  through  this  fire  to 
their  lusts.  The  thoughts  of  hell  and  those  everlasting  torments 
due  to  sin,  have  doubtless  been  often  used  with  good  success  to 
repel  Satan's  temptations. 

Ans.  3.  Where  the  fear  of  wrath  doth  prevail  to  restrain  men 
from  sin,  this  is  a  good  effect ;  for  it  doth  lessen  and  mitigate  that 
wrath,  that  they  fear. 

On  those,  that  add  iniquity  to  iniquity,  without  fear,  God  will 
heap  plague  upon  plague,  without  measure.  He  proportions  men's 
punishments  to  their  sins  ;  and  those,  that  fear  most,  shall  feel  least. 
That  fear  of  theirs,  which  keeps  them  from  the  gross  acts  of  sins 
into  which  others  boldly  rush,  shall  likewise  keep  them  from  the 
sorest  torments  that  others  shall  forever  suffer. 

Ans.  4.  This  slavish  fear  is  introductory :  that  is,  it  is  prepara- 
tory to  and  inductive  of  a  filial  and  holy  fear  of  God. 

We  usually  fear  God,  first,  as  a  revenging  judge ;  before  we 
come  to  fear  him  with  a  reverential,  filial  fear,  as  a  reconciled 
Father.  As  the  poet  of  old  fabulously  fancied,  that  the  giants 
heaped  mountain  upon  mountain,  that  they  might  scale  heaven  : 
this  is  true  in  Christianity :  the  way  to  climb  heaven,  is,  by  laying 
one  mountain  upon  another,  even  Mount  Sion  upon  Mount  Sinai. 
Those,  commonly,  prove  the  most  stable  and  stayed  Christians, 
that  have  been  most  harassed  by  legal  terrors,  before  they  enjoyed 
the  sense  of  comfort ;  for  the  structure  of  grace  in  the  heart  is 
quite  contrary  to  other  buildings :  it  stands  firmest,  when  it  is  laid 
upon  a  shaking  and  trembling  foundation  :  it  is  a  seed,  that  never 
thrives  so  well,  as  where  the  heart  is  most  broken  up,  and  wherein 
the  wrath  of  God  hath  made  long  and  deep  furrows. 

To  conclude  this,  methinks  what  hath  already  been  spoken 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE    GOD.  583 

should  fill  the  heart  of  every  carnal  wretch  with  fear ;  methinks 
this  should  make  him  cry  out,  with  those  sinners  in  Sion,  Isa. 
xxxiii.  14.  "  Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  the  devouring  fire  ? 
who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  ?"  Can  the 
drunkard  hear  these  things,  and  yet  put  his  intemperate  cups  to 
his  mouth  with  a  steady  hand?  Can  the  swearer  hear  these  things, 
and  yet  his  tongue  move  steady  in  his  mouth,  and  not  tremble 
when  he  raps  out  oaths  ?  Certainly,  how  secure  and  confident 
soever  men  may  now  be ;  yet  there  is  a  time  coming,  when  the 
wrath  of  God  shall  melt  down  their  hearts  like  wax,  in  the  midst 
of  their  bowels.  Death  is  a  thundering  preacher  ;  and  it  will  make 
you  fear  the  dreadful  representations  of  that  fiery  indignation,  that 
shortly  it  will  display  before  your  eyes  in  all  its  terrors.  0 ! 
when  your  eyes  shall  swim  in  the  night  and  in  the  dark,  and  it 
cannot  be  long  first,  when  you  shall  meet  with  those  dreadful 
shapes  and  visions  of  a  flaming  hell  and  a  more  flaming  God,  it 
will  be  too  late  then  to  fear ;  and,  alas !  it  will  be  too  late  then  to 
hope :  God  will  then  laugh  at  your  calamity ;  and  mock  at  you, 
when  this  unseasonable  fear  cometh.  Be  persuaded,  therefore,  to 
entertain  a  fear  of  God,  at  last ;  though  but  a  slavish  fear :  this  is 
the  preparation,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  works  in  the  heart,  in  order 
to  a  filial  and  a  holy  fear  of  God. 

Use  ii.  Another  use,  that  we  may  make  of  this  point,  is  this : 

IF  GOD  BE  A  CONSUMING  FIRE,  HOW  HIGHLY  DOTH  IT  CONCERN  US 
TO  LOOK  OUT  FOR  A  SCREEN,  THAT  MAY  FENCE  US  FROM  THOSE 
EVERLASTING  BURNINGS  ! 

We  are  stubble  and  fuel,  fully  prepared  :  our  sins  have  made  us 
so :  and,  for  us  to  stand  it  out  against  God,  is  no  other  than  for 
dried  stubble  to  challenge  the  devouring  fire. 

Now  God,  that  he  might  not  break  forth  upon  us  and  destroy 
us,  hath  himself  prepared  a  screen  to  hide  and  shelter  us  from  this 
flaming  wrath  ;  and  that  is  Christ,  the  Mediator.  We  have  a  lively 
type  of  this  in  Aaron :  Numb.  xvi.  48,  when  the  rebellious  Israel- 
ites mutinied  against  Moses,  God  did  suddenly  break  forth  upon 
them,  and  slew  almost  fifteen  thousand  of  them  dead  upon  the 
place.  As  fire  runs  on  a  train  of  powder,  so  did  this  wrath  of  God 
pass  swiftly  from  one  to  another,  till  Aaron  interposed  and  stopped 
it :  there  stood  that  mighty  priest,  as  a  bulwark  between  the  living 
and  the  dead,  and  intercepted  the  rest  from  this  destroying  wrath ; 
and,  though  it  overwhelmed  so  many  thousands,  yet  it  could  not 
bear  down  his  powerful  intercession :  he  alone  was  the  fence  and 


584 


THE    ASSURANCE    OF  SALVATION, 


safeguard  of  a  perishing  people.  Christ,  upon  the  cross,  maintains 
the  same  station ;  interposing  betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead ; 
the  wrath  of  God  consumes  all  before  it,  that  is  not  under  the  pro- 
tection of  that  screen  :  there,  it  stops  ;  and,  though  it  seized  fiercely 
upon  him  too,  yet  it  never  burnt  through  him  to  reach  those  that 
fled  for  security  to  that  refuge  set  before  them.  In  a  general  con- 
flagration, even  chaff  and  stubble  may  be  secure,  under  the  covert 
of  an  adamantine  wall :  though  all  the  wicked  of  the  world  shall 
burn  together,  and  all  believers  be  in  themselves  as  combustible 
matter  as  they ;  yet  Christ  interposeth  as  a  wall  of  adamant  be- 
tween stubble  and  stubble,  and,  when  the  wrath  of  God  hath  con- 
sumed the  one,  he  stands  and  keeps  off  the  impressions  of  it  from 
the  other.  Indeed,  there  is  a  wall,  that  stands  between  God  and 
every  wicked  man ;  but  it  is  a  "  wall  of  partition,"  as  the  Apostle 
calls  it,  Eph.  ii.  14,  it  is  a  wall,  that  separates  them  from  the  love 
and  favor  of  God,  and  hides  his  face  from  them  :  a  partition  of  dry 
and  rotten  boards  may  keep  off  the  light  and  kindly  influences  of 
the  sun ;  but  it  is  no  fence  against  the  rage  of  fire,  but  rather  in- 
creases and  augments  it :  so,  wicked  men  are  separated  from  the 
love  and  favor  of  God  by  their  sins ;  Isa.  lix.  2.  "  Your  iniquities 
have  separated  between  you  and  your  God ;"  yea,  and  they  keep 
off  his  cherishing  influences,  but  they  contribute  to  his  fiery  wrath. 
Now  Christ  is  a  wall  of  defence,  that  separates  his  from  the  wrath 
and  indignation  of  God.  A  wall  of  crystal  is  a  safe  defence  against 
the  force  of  fire,  yet  is  it  no  obstruction  to  the  warm  beams  and 
cherishing  light  of  the  sun :  such  a  crystal  wall  is  Christ,  that 
keeps  off  God's  fiery  indignation  from  us,  but  yet  conveys  to  us 
the  cherishing  and  reviving  influences  of  his  love. 

Let  me  now  persuade  and  prevail  with  you  to  betake  yourselves 
to  this  shelter.  The  same  storm  of  fire  and  brimstone,  that  de 
stroyed  Sodom,  hovers  over  all  the  Avicked  of  the  world ;  and  we 
are  as  Lot,  still  lingering  behind  :  let  me  therefore  hasten  you,  as 
the  angel  did  him,  to  your  Zoar ;  to  get  under  the  protection  of 
Christ,  whither  the  fiery  indignation  of  God  cannot  pursue  you. 
In  the  former  instance,  when  the  Israelites  saw  so  many  of  their 
fellows  slain  by  an  unperceived  stroke,  what  running  and  crowd- 
ing, was  there,  think  you,  to  get  behind  the  priest !  "We  are  all  in 
the  same  danger,  but  we  have  a  more  prevalent  High  Priest :  there 
are  thousands  dying  and  perishing  under  the  wrath  of  God ;  and 
shall  not  we  then,  with  fear  and  trembling,  press  close  behind  our 
High  Priest,  that  by  him  we  may  be  hid  from  this  consuming  fire  ? 


A   STRONG  MOTIVE  TO   SERVE  GOD. 


585 


Use  iii.  The  next  use  shall  be,  to  exhort  you  to  a  holy 

FEAR  AND  REVERENCE  OF  THIS  GREAT  AND  TERRIBLE  GOD. 

I  lately  gave  you  several  considerations,  enough  to  daunt  the 
boldest  sinners,  and  to  bring  them  at  least  to  a  slavish  fear ;  be 
persuaded  now  to  advance  it  a  degree  higher,  and  to  overawe  your 
hearts,  with  a  holy,  filial  fear  of  God.  It  is  the  same  exhortation 
that  Solomon  gives  us,  Prov.  xxiii.  17 :  "  Be  thou  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord  all  the  day  long."  This  is  a  true  Christian's  frame ; 
when,  in  all  the  affairs  and  actions  of  our  lives,  in  what  company 
soever  we  are,  or  whatever  we  are  doing,  the  fear  of  God  is  still 
upon  us ;  when,  in  all  our  converse  in  the  world,  this  fear  of  God 
doth  still  fill  and  possess  our  hearts. 

I  shall  only  give  you  a  few  particulars,  and  leave  them  to  your 
serious  consideration. 

1.  This  holy  fear  of  God  will  keep  you  from  a  vain  and  frotlnj 
spirit. 

The  heart  of  man  is  the  great  receptacle  of  thoughts.  The 
most  of  them  are  light  and  feathery :  they  fly  up  and  down  as 
thick,  and  to  as  little  purpose,  as  moats  in  a  sunbeam.  It  is 
strange  to  observe,  what  a  giddy  thing  the  mind  of  man  is:  as  an 
empty  vessel  rolls  to  and  fro,  and  is  tossed  up  and  down  by  every 
wave,  never  sailing  steadily  ;  so  is  the  vain  mind  of  man  driven  by 
every  foolish  and  impertinent  thought,  till  the  fear  of  God,  that  is, 
the  ballast  of  the  soul,  poise  it  and  make  its  course  steady  and 
even.  Certainly,  if  any  thing  be  of  force  to  compose  the  heart  into 
a  sober,  serious  frame,  it  is  the  consideration  of  God's  great  and 
dreadful  majesty :  the  fear  of  which  will  fill  us  with  noble  and 
substantial  thoughts,  how  we  may  escape  his  wrath,  and  how  we 
may  secure  to  ourselves  eternal  happiness.  These  are  important 
thoughts  :  and  they  ought  to  be  our  great  and  only  care :  that  so 
we  may  approve  ourselves  to  God ;  and  be,  at  the  last  day,  found 
of  him  in  well-doing.  Before  the  heart  is  ballasted  with  this  fear 
of  God,  it  runs  after  every  vagrant  thought,  that  comes  across  us 
or  fleets  before  us ;  as  children  run  after  every  feather,  that  the 
wind  drives :  but  the  fear  of  God  fixes  this  fleetiness,  and  brings 
the  heart  to  a  holy  consistency  and  solidity  in  its  thoughts.  It  is 
this  fear  that  uniteth  the  heart:  and  therefore  David  prays,  Ps. 
lxxxvi.  11 :  "Unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name." 

2.  The  fear  of  God  is  an  excellent  preservative  against  all  sin. 
Slavish  fear  may  keep  wicked  men  from  committing  gross  and 

flagitious  crimes  :  but  this  holy  fear  overawes  the  heart  from  secret 
and  hidden  sins ;  yea,  from  the  sins  of  the  heart,  that  none  can  see, 


5S6 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


but  only  God  and  a  man's  own  conscience :  and  therefore  it  is  said, 
Ps.  xix.  9  :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean :"  that  is,  it  keeps  the 
soul  clean  from  the  defilement  of  sin.  There  are  defilements  of  two 
sorts  :  defilements  of  the  flesh,  when  men  wallow  in  gross  and  sen- 
sual sins ;  and  defilements  also  of  the  spirit,  and  such  are  they 
that  reside  in  the  heart,  and  break  not  forth  into  outward  act. 
From  both  these  the  fear  of  God  cleanseth  us.  So  in  2  Cor.  vii.  1 : 
"Let  us  cleanse  ourselves,"  says  the  Apostle,  "from  all  filthiness  of 
the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  And, 
indeed,  wherever  the  fear  of  God  is  implanted,  it  will  overawe  us, 
as  well  from  offending  God  in  our  thoughts  as  in  our  actions ;  and 
make  us,  that  we  shall  be  as  afraid  of  sinning  against  him  by  un- 
belief and  impenitence,  as  by  murder  and  blasphemy. 

3.  This  holy  fear  of  God  is  a  most  sovereign  preservative  against 
hypocrisy. 

What  is  hypocrisy,  but  mocking  God  to  his  face  ?  It  is  a 
design  to  put  a  solemn  cheat  upon  God.  Certainly,  where  the  fear 
of  God  overawes  the  heart,  we  shall  not  dare  to  abuse  his  holy  and 
reverend  name,  as  hypocrites  do,  in  their  making  mention  of  him. 
When  we  speak  of  him  with  our  lips,  but  never  think  of  him  with 
our  hearts,  this  is  to  abuse  the  holy  and  reverend  name  of  God ; 
and  it  is  a  sure  argument  that  they  stand  in  no  dread  of  God,  whose 
hearts  meditate  vanity  with  eyes  and  hands  lifted  up  to  heaven. 
Will  any  dare,  in  the  presence  of  a  prince,  while  they  pretend 
reverence  to  him,  to  use  antic  gestures  ?  Would  not  this  justly  be 
interpreted  a  contempt  of  him  ?  Why  all  the  religious  gestures  of 
hypocrites  are  but  antic ;  and,  while  they  move  their  lips  in  prayer 
without  the  corresponding  motion  of  the  heart,  they  do  but  make 
mouths  at  God  ;  and  how  can  they  fear  him,  that  are  thus  audacious 
to  scoff  at  him  ?  Yea,  the  Scripture  sets  it  down  as  a  remarkable 
matter,  when  hypocrites  begin  to  fear  God :  Tsa.  xxxiii.  13,  14 ; 

"  Hear  ye  and  acknowledge  my  might,"  says  God.  Why  ?  "  The 

sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid :  fearfulness  hath  surprised  the  hypo- 
crites." It  is  much  easier  to  terrify  and  daunt  profligate  sinners, 
than  gross  hypocrites ;  because  hj pocrites,  by  often  dallying  with 
God,  wear  off  all  sense  and  dread  of  God,  and  arrive  at  length  to 
a  plain  contempt  and  scorn  of  him.  If  therefore  you  would,  in 
every  duty,  approve  your  hearts  in  sincerity  unto  God,  nourish  in 
you  this  holy  fear  of  his  majesty.  This  fear  is  that,  which  makes 
a  Christian  single-hearted.  And,  as  the  Apostle  commands  servants, 
Col.  iii.  22,  to  obey  their  masters  not  "as  men-pleasers ;  but  in  sin- 
gleness of  heart,  fearing  God  :"  so,  where  this  holy  fear  of  God  pos- 


A   STRONG   MOTIVE   TO   SERVE  GOD. 


587 


sesseth  the  soul,  it  will  cause  all  our  obedience  to  be  performed 
in  the  singleness  and  integrity  of  our  hearts ;  not  so  much  to  be 
seen  of  men,  as  to  be  accepted  of  God.  It  is  a  remarkable  place, 
in  Josh.  xxiv.  14;  "Now  therefore  fear  the  Lord,  and  serve  him 
in  sincerity  :"  the  fear  of  God  is  of  a  mighty  influence  to  sincerity, 
in  all  our  services  and  performances  that  we  render  unto  God : 
it  is  that,  which  will  make  the  heart  sincere  in  them  :  fear  the  Lord, 
and  serve  him  in  sincerity. 

4.  This  holy  fear  will  put  us  upon  all  endeavors  to  please  God,  and 
to  gain  favor  with  him. 

This  is  the  most  natural  effect  of  fear,  to  engage  us  to  procure 
their  love,  whose  power  we  dread.  The  devil  knew  no  such  way 
to  get  himself  worship  and  adoration,  as  by  terrifying  the  old 
heathen.  And,  still,  he  useth  the  same  artifice  in  those  parts  of 
the  world,  where  his  kingdom  yet  remains :  he  appears  in  dreadful 
shapes,  and  terrifies  them,  on  purpose  that  he  may  extort  from 
them  a  blind,  superstitious  worship.  So,  where  the  soul  is  affected 
with  a  holy  fear  of  God,  it  will  engage  it  to  please  him,  and  to 
avoid  whatever  may  kindle  his  anger :  and  therefore  says  the 

Apostle,  2  Cor.  v.  9, 10  ;  "  We  labor,  that  we  may  be  accepted  of 

him  :"  And  why  so  ?  Yes,  says  he,  for  we  must  be  judged  by  him : 
the  fear  of  being  judged  by  God,  at  the  tribunal  of  Christ,  at  the 
last  day,  engaged  the  Apostle  to  labor  to  please  God  and  to  be 
accepted  by  him. 

5.  The  fear  of  God  is  an  excellent  corrective  of  the  base  and  un- 
worthy fear  of  men. 

Our  Saviour  says,  Luke  xii.  4,  5  ;  "  Be  not  afraid  of  them,  that 
kill  the  body ;  and,  after  that,  have  no  more  that  they  can  do. 
But. ...fear  him,  which,  after  he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into 
hell :  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him."  It  is  well  observed  by  a 
learned  author,  that  men  may  be  considered,  as  they  bear  upon 
them  some  resemblance  and  impress  of  the  Divine  Majesty ;  as 
they  are  invested  with  authority  and  power,  and  constituted  magis- 
trates and  rulers  over  us :  this  resemblance  is  so  great,  that  the 
Scripture  styles  them  gods :  "  I  have  said  ye  are  Gods ;"  and,  so,  we 
are  to  fear  them  with  a  fear  of  reverence  and  obedience,  and  to 
obey  them  in  that  which  is  lawful.  And  they  may  be  considered 
also  as  standing  in  opposition  to  God:  abusing  their  power  by 
commanding  things  that  are  unlawful,  and  by  persecution  endeav- 
oring to  terrify  men  from  the  ways  and  service  of  God :  and,  so, 
they  may  be  feared  with  a  fear  of  flight  and  avoidance.  When  ye 
are  persecuted  "  in  one  city,  flee  ye  into  another:"  Mat.  x.  23.  We 


588 


THE   ASSURANCE   OF  SALVATION, 


may  so  fear  them,  as  to  labor  to  avoid  their  rage,  and  to  consult 
our  own  safety.  But  the  fear,  that  is  here  forbidden,  is,  "  Fear  not 
them  that  kill  the  body :"  that  is,  with  a  distrustful,  perverting 
fear :  such  a  fear,  as  causeth  men,  for  the  securing  of  their  temporal 
life,  to  desert  the  profession  and  practice  of  godliness :  with  such 
a  fear,  fear  not  men.  He  will  not,  that  truly  fears  God,  thus  feai 
men.  No ;  the  fear  of  God  lays  a  check  upon  the  sinful  fear  of 
men.  He,  that  truly  fears  God,  will  not  immoderately  fear  men . 
for  it  is  the  property  of  holy  fear  to  represent  the  displeasure  of 
God,  as  an  infinitely  greater  evil  than  the  loss  of  estate,  liberty,  nay 
of  life  itself,  or  whatever  the  rage  and  power  of  man  can  either 
inflict  or  threaten :  and  this  makes  them  choose  affliction,  rather 
than  sin.  See  this  fearless  spirit  in  those  three  heroic  champions, 
Dan.  iii.  16,  who  though  they  saw  "a  burning,  fiery  furnace"  before 
them,  into  which  they  were  threatened  to  be  cast ;  yet  all  the 
terrors  of  it  did  not  fright  them  to  an  idolatrous  worship :  with 
what  a  holy  contempt  and  slighting  did  they  answer  king  Nebu- 
chadnezzar! ""We  are  not  careful,"  say  they,  "to  answer  thee  in 
this  matter :"  and  whence  proceeded  this  undaunted  courage,  but 
only  becanse  they  were  more  afraid  of  God,  who  is  "  a  consuming 
fire,"  than  they  were  of  a  fiery  furnace?  A  man,  that  truly  fears 
God,  computes  with  himself,  that  to  gain  the  favor  of  men  with  the 
displeasure  of  God,  to  redeem  a  temporal  life  by  an  eternal  death, 
is  the  most  foolish  bargain  that  can  be  made.  He  knows  the  rage 
of  man  is  under  the  restraint  of  God,  and  that  a  hair  of  his  head 
shall  not  fall  to  the  ground  without  his  heavenly  Father's  knowl- 
edge and  permission;  and',  if  God  doth  suffer  wicked  men  to  inflict 
the  utmost  that  their  rage  and  spite  can  inspire,  yet  it  reacheth  only 
the  earthly  part,  the  dull  part  of  man,  the  body.  They  ma}'  per- 
secute, torment,  and  kill  us ;  but  yet  they  cannot  hurt  us :  one  mo- 
mentary gripe  of  hell's  torments  is  infinitely  more  intolerable,  than 
all  the  cruelties  that  men  can  possibly  invent  or  inflict :  one  frown 
from  an  angry  God  hath  more  dread  and  terror  in  it,  than  all  the 
rage  and  threatenings  of  the  most  barbarous  and  cruel  tyrants. 
And  that  Christian,  that  makes  such  an  account  as  this,  can  never 
certainly  so  fear  torment  or  death,  as  to  be  drawn  to  sin  against 
God,  whose  displeasure  he  more  fears  than  he  fears  either  torment 
or  death. 

Now,  to  shut  up  this  whole  subject,  I  shall  only  mention  a  few 
particulars  to  you,  whereby  you  may  take  a  brief  view  of  what 
there  is  in  the  nature  of  God,  that  may  justly  affect  us  with  a  holy 
fear  and  awe  of  him. 


A    STRONG    MOTIVE    TO    SERVE  GOD. 


589 


First.  The  consideration  of  God's  glorious  majesty  may  strike  us 
into  a  holy  dread  and  terror. 

And,  therefore,  says  Elihu,  (Job  xxxvii.  22,)  "With  God  is  terri- 
ble majesty."  This  is  that,  which  daunts  the  holy  angels  in 
heaven :  they  cover  their  faces  with  their  wings :  as  not  being  able 
to  bear  the  piercing  rays  of  that  glory,  wherewith  he  is  clothed. 
A  n  earthly  prince,  when  he  is  set  forth  in  the  royalty  and  grandeur 
of  his  state,  casts  an  awe  upon  those  that  approach  near  him :  and 
how  much  more  ought  we  to  fear  the  great  and  glorious  Majesty 
of  Heaven,  who  is  always  clad  "  with  light  as  with  a  garment !" 
that  light,  which  no  mortal  eye  can  approach,  being  always  sur- 
rounded with  an  innumerable  host  of  glittering  attendants,  each  of 
which  maintains  more  pomp  and  state  than  the  greatest  potentate 
on  earth. 

Secondly.  God's  almighty  power  should  cause  us  to  fear  before 
him. 

He  is  the  incontrolable  sovereign  of  all  the  world ;  to  whose 
beck  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  yea  and  in  hell  too,  are 
subject.  And,  therefore,  says  Bildad,  (Job  xxv.  2,)  "  Dominion 
and  fear  are  with  him :"  not  that  God  hath  any  fear,  or  stands  in 
fear ;  but  the  dominion  and  sovereignty  of  God  cause  fear :  it 
strikes  the  heart  with  an  awful  fear,  when  we  consider  that  do- 
minion and  fear  are  with  God.  That  power  and  authority  of  God, 
by  which  he  exerciseth  his  dominion,  causeth  a  fear  of  him. 

Thirdly.  The  severe  and  impartial  justice  of  God,  whereby  he 
renders  to  every  one  according  to  his  works,  should  kindle  in  us  a 
holy  fear  of  God. 

So  the  Apostle,  2  Cor.  v.  10,  11 :  ""We  must  receive,"  says  he, 
"  according  to  what  we  have  done  in  the  body."  Whence  he  infers, 
that,  "  knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men."  It  is 
terrible  to  receive  from  God's  justice,  according  to  what  we  have 
done  in  the  body. 

Fourthly.  The  consideration  of  God's  omnipresence  and  omni 
science,  may  cause  in  us  a  holy  fear  of  him. 

His  eye  is  always  upon  us :  his  presence  is  always  with  us, 
wherever  we  are ;  and  he  sees  and  observes  whatever  we  do.  And, 
therefore,  let  us  fear  him  :  his  eye  is  awful. 

Fifthly.  The  consideration  of  our  absolute  dependence  upon 
God,  should  cause  us  to  stand  in  fear  of  him :  lest,  by  provoking 
him,  who  maintains  our  souls  in  life;  in  whom  we  live,  and  move, 
and  have  our  being ;  in  whose  hands  are  our  breath,  our  life,  and 
all  our  ways ;  he  should  turn  his  hand  upon  us,  and  deprive  us  of 
all  those  mercies  and  comforts  that  now  he  heaps  upon  us. 


ON 


GLORIFYING  GOD  IN  HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


Ye  are  not  your  own :  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price :  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's.  1  Cou. 
vi.  i9,  20. 

Without  any  more  curious  division,  we  may  take  notice  of 
three  parts  in  these  words ;  Viz.,  a  doctrine,  a  reason  and  a  use. 

The  doctrine  is,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own." 

The  reason  of  it,  "  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price." 

The  use,  which  is  strongly  inferred  from  both  these,  and  is  in- 
deed the  most  natural  and  genuine  result  of  the  doctrine  of  our 
redemption  purchased  by  Christ,  "therefore  glorify  God  in  your 
body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's." 

It  is  this  last,  on  which  I  principally  intend  to  insist ;  as  that, 
unto  which  both  the  former  parts  refer,  and  in  which  they  center. 
Yet  I  shall  not  altogether  wave  the  former  branches ;  but  more 
briefly  represent  what  they  administer  to  us,  either  of  instruction 
or  direction. 

L  To  begin  with  the  PROPOSITION,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own." 

i.  And,  here,  two  things  must  fall  under  our  disquisition  : 
What  this  phrase  implies,  and  what  significance  it  carries  in 
itself. 

What  it  infers,  and  what  obligation  it  lays  upon  us. 

1.  For  the  import  of  this  phrase,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own,"  be- 
cause it  is  a  negative  proposition,  and  all  negatives  are  measured 
by  their  contrary  affirmatives,  we  shall  best  conceive  it,  if  we  first 
rightly  state,  what  it  is  for  any  essence  to  be  its  own. 

(1)  Certain  it  is,  that  no  being  can  be  said  to  be  simply  its  own, 
but  what  is  supreme,  absolute,  and  independent. 

For,  if  its  being  be  derived  from  any  superior  cause,  it  holds  it 
only  upon  courtesy.  And,  as  we  cannot  strictly  call  that  our  own, 
which  is  but  lent  unto  us  ;  so  neither  are  our  nature  and  being  our 
own,  which  are  but  bestowed  upon  us  by  the  bounty  of  another, 
maintained  by  his  continual  influence,  and  subjected  to  his  sover- 
eign control  and  dominion.  A  being,  then,  that  is  its  own,  must 
590 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD   IN   HIS   ATTRIBUTES.  591 

not  be  dependent  on,  or  beholden  to  any  other ;  nor  acknowledge 
any  thing  superior  to  it,  from  which  it  hath  received,  or  to  which 
it  is  indebted. 

(2)  That  essence,  which  is  its  own,  must  be  itself  the  end  of  all 
its  actions. 

The  first  efficient  must,  of  necessity,  be  the  last  end :  and, 
therefore,  whatsoever  can  direct  any  of  its  actions  to  an  end  higher 
and  more  ultimate  than  itself,  is  not  the  first  cause,  but  a  dependent 
and  secondary  one.  It  is  impossible  that  any  creature  should  be 
made  for  itself  only;  to  seek  and  serve  itself:  for,  since  every 
agent  is  excited  to  his  operations  by  some  end  which  he  pro- 
pounded to  himself,  if  the  creature  were  its  own  utmost  end,  the 
Creator  could  have  no  end  at  all  in  forming  him,  and  consequently 
would  never  do  it.  Hence  Solomon  tells  us,  Prov.  xvi.  4,  that 
"  the  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself."  And,  indeed,  he,  who 
is  the  great  architect  of  the  world,  "  the  maker  of  all  things  visible 
and  invisible,"  can  fix  no  other  end  in  any  of  his  works,  but  him- 
self, and  his  own  glory. 

(3)  And,  from  these  two  principles,  it  evidently  follows,  that 
there  is  no  being  simply  its  own,  but  that,  which  is  the  first  cause 
and  the  last  end  of  all  beings :  and  that  is  God. 

He  only  is  his  own :  all  other  things  are  of  him,  and  for  him : 
they  are  all  derivative  from  him,  dependent  upon  him,  and  subor- 
dinate unto  him ;  and,  therefore,  they  are  not  their  own. 

[1]  They  are  all  derivative  beings :  and  flow  from  the  first 
source  and  fountain  of  being,  even  God  himself. 

Before  the  creation  of  the  world,  all  was  an  infinite  God,  and  an 
infinite  nothing.  But,  his  goodness  delighting  to  communicate 
itself,  he  designs  a  numberless  variety  of  creatures :  and,  by  his 
almighty  word,  impregnates  the  womb  of  this  great  nothing,  and 
makes  it  fruitful ;  causing  all  things  to  start  up  in  the  same  form 
and  order,  which  be  had  before  conceived  in  the  eternal  ideas  of 
his  own  mind.  Now,  since  all  things  are  by  participation  from 
the  first  cause,  and  all  their  perfections  are  but  faint  strictures  and 
glimmering  resemblances  of  his,  it  is  most  unreasonable  that  those 
should  belong  to  themselves,  who  were  made  by  another ;  and  that, 
they  should  be  their  own,  who,  without  his  influence  and  efficacy, 
had  still  been  nothing. 

[2]  All  other  beings  are  dependent,  and  owe  their  continued 
preservation  to  the  goodness  and  powerful  influx  of  God. 

Indeed,  preservation  is  nothing  else,  but  a  prolonged  produc- 
tion.   For,  as  we  see  the  light  of  the  sun  preserved  in  the  air,  by 


502 


0  N   GLORIFYING  GOD 


a  constant  emanation  that  it  hath  from  the  sun  ;  and  that,  as  bright 
and  glorious  a  creature  as  it  is,  yet  it  cannot  subsist  one  moment 
upon  its  own  succors ;  and  that  there  needs  nothing  else  to  blot  it 
out  of  our  hemisphere,  and  to  involve  all  in  night  and  darkness, 
but  only  the  sun's  withdrawing  itself :  so  is  it  with  us,  in  respect 
to  God.  We  depend  upon  him,  as  necessarily  as  the  light  depends 
upon  the  sun :  he  is  the  fountain  of  our  life  and  being :  the  con- 
tinuance of  it,  thus  long,  is  by  a  continual  emanation  and  stream- 
ing of  it  forth  from  him :  should  he  withdraw  his  preserving 
influence  from  us,  we  should  instantly  dissolve,  and  fall  all  abroad 
into  nothing.  And,  therefore,  it  were  insupportable  arrogance  for 
us  to  think  ourselves  our  own  ;  who  are  what  we  are  by  his  cre- 
ating power,  and  while  we  are  by  his  preserving  influence. 

[3]  All  other  beings  are  subordinate  to  the  first ;  made  for  his 
ends  and  uses,  and  to  be  employed  in  his  service. 

Never  had  there  been  any  such  thing  as  a  world  and  creatures 
in  it,  but  that  the  all-wise  God  intended  them  all  as  the  instru- 
ments of  promoting  his  glory.  And  this  they  all  do.  Some, 
indeed,  only  objectively  ;  as  brute  and  inanimate  creatures,  by  ex- 
hibiting the  prints  and  footsteps  of  the  power,  and  wisdom,  and 
being  of  their  almighty  Creator :  and,  therefore,  the  Psalmist  tells 
us,  that  "  the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God ;"  Ps.  xix.  1,  that 
is,  the  beauty,  splendor,  and  harmony  of  that  most  excellent  piece 
of  the  creation,  do  evidently  demonstrate  the  infinite  wisdom, 
power,  and  majesty  of  the  great  architect ;  who  hath  framed  such 
a  glorious  roof  for  our  house  here  on  earth,  and  so  glorious  a 
pavement  for  his  own  in  heaven.  But,  because  glory  requires 
celebration,  therefore  God  hath  created  other  ranks  of  rational  and 
intellectual  beings,  who  might  actively  serve  and  glorify  him ; 
and,  by  taking  notice  of  his  attributes,  so  conspicuously  shining 
forth  in  the  works  of  creation  and  providence,  ascribe  unto  him  the 
praise  that  is  due  unto  his  name  for  such  his  wonderful  works : 
and  these  are  angels  and  men ;  both  which  he  made  for  himself, 
in  a  more  especial  and  peculiar  manner ;  communicating  to  them 
more  exalted  perfections,  and  more  express  resemblances  of  his 
divine  attributes,  than  to  other  inferior  things.  And,  although  end- 
less multitudes  of  these  have,  by  their  apostasy  and  rebellion,  de- 
feated the  primary  end  of  their  creation,  refusing  to  glorify  God 
actively :  yet  God  will  certainly  fetch  his  glory  out  of  them  ;  and; 
that  they  may  not  be  made  in  vain,  will  glorify  himself  upon  them 
passively,  in  inflicting  that  wrath  and  vengeance,  that  shall  make 
him  known  and  revered  as  an  infinitely  just  and  jealous  God : 


IN    II I  S  ATTRIBUTES. 


593 


though,  they  transgress  the  law  of  their  own  natures,  yet  they 
cannot  transgress  the  law  of  the  Divine  providence :  God  will  make 
them  serve  to  the  promoting  of  his  glory ;  if  not  voluntarily,  as 
the  vessels  of  his  mercy,  yet  by  constraint  and  a  sad  necessity,  as 
the  objects  of  his  wrath  and  fury.  And  thus  Solomon  tells  us, 
that  God  "  hath  made  all  things  for  himself ;  yea,  even  the  wicked 
for  the  day  of  evil:"  and  so,  likewise,  in  that  doxology  of  the 
elders,  Eev.  iv.  11.  "Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory, 
and  honor,  and  power  ;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy 
pleasure  they  are  and  were  created :"  and  therefore,  certainly,  if 
all  things  were  created  for  God  as  their  highest  and  ultimate  end, 
all  things  are  his,  and  not  their  own ;  and  the  right  and  title  to 
them  is  in  him,  by  whom  and  for  whom  they  were  made. 

And  thus  you  see  the  import  of  this  phrase,  "  Ye  are  not  your 
own :"  that  is,  you  are  not  supreme,  absolute,  independent  beings, 
left  only  to  your  own  ways  and  wills ;  but  ye  are  God's ;  created, 
supported,  and  governed  by  him,  and  accountable  to  him  for  all 
your  actions. 

Indeed  the  Apostle,  in  the  text,  gives  us  another  reason  why  we 
are  not  our  own :  and  that  is,  upon  the  account  of  our  redemp- 
tion by  Christ :  "  Ye  are  not  your  own :  for  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price."  Eedemption  gives  him  as  much,  if  not  a  greater  title  to 
you,  than  creation  :  for  it  was  not  so  considerable  an  effect  of  the 
divine  power  and  goodness,  to  create,  as  to  redeem  you ;  the  one 
was  but  the  expense  of  his  breath ;  the  other  is  the  expense  of  his 
blood.  But,  because  this  falls  in  with  the  second  part  of  the  text, 
I  shall  at  present  wave  it,  reserving  it  to  its  proper  place. 

Briefly,  therefore,  when  the  Apostle  saith,  "  Ye  are  not  your 
own,"  it  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  "  You  have  no  right  nor  title 
to  yourselves  :  ye  are  not  your  own  proprietors,  nor  to  look  upon 
yourselves  as  lords  over  your  own  beings.  There  is  another  Lord, 
to  whom  ye  appertain  ;  and  that  is  God :  whose  right  you  infinitely 
wrong,  if  you  acknowledge  not  yourselves  to  be  his  inheritance  and 
possession."  Indeed  it  is  a  sacrilegious  invading  of  the  divine  pre- 
rogative, for  any  creature  to  pretend  to  be  its  own,  or  to  live  as 
though  it  were  so.  This  is  no  less,  than  impiously  to  ascribe  an 
all-sufficiency  to  itself. 

2.  Let  us  consider  what  it  infers,  and  what  obligation  it  layr 
wpon  us. 

Vol.  II.— 38 


594 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


And  this  I  shall  endeavor  to  show  you,  in  these  following  corol- 
laries. 

(1)  If  we  are  not  our  own,  then  certainly  we  ought  not  to  seek 
our  own. 

Self-seeking  is  the  very  bane  of  Christianity.  It  is  that  worm, 
that  lies  at  the  root,  and  eats  out  the  very  life  and  sap  of  it.  A 
self-seeking  Christian  is  a  downright  contradiction,  an  absurdity  in 
religion :  for  the  very  first  lesson,  that  Christ  teaches  in  his  school, 
is  that  hard  one  of  self-denial ;  and  our  Saviour  hath  told  us,  that 
whosoever  refuseth  to  "deny  himself/'  and  to  "take  up  his  cross," 
cannot  be  his  disciple. 

But,  as  there  is  in  every  Christian  a  twofold  self:  a  spiritual, 
heaven-born  self,  the  new  man,  the  divine  nature,  the  impress  and 
stamp  of  the  image  of  God  upon  the  soul,  consisting  in  the  sanc- 
tifying principles  both  of  knowledge  and  holiness,  and  all  the 
habits  of  special  grace  infused  into  us  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  our 
first  conversion :  and,  likewise,  an  earthy,  dreggy,  and  inferior  self, 
{he  utmost  tendency  of  which  is  only  to  satisfy  the  sensual  part  of 
man,  and  all  its  good  things  are  only  such  as  the  world  and  its 
stock  can  furnish  it  withal :  as,  I  say,  there  is  this  twofold  self  in 
every  true  Christian,  so  must  we  distinguish  likewise  a  twofold 
self-seeking. 

[1]  There  is  a  seeking  of  those  things,  which  are  grateful  and 
pleasing  to  the  spiritual  self  of  a  good  Christian :  those,  which  may 
promote  its  interests  and  concerns,  and  make  it  flourishing  and 
vigorous  to  us. 

And  this  is  a  self-seeking  so  far  from  being  condemned,  that  it 
is  our  highest  praise  and  glory. 

The  tendency  of  the  new  nature  is  towards  two  things : 

The  increase  of  grace  in  us,  here;  and 

The  participation  of  glory,  hereafter. 

For  the  first,  all  grant  that  we  ought  to  labor. 

But,  for  the  second,  some  have  been  so  weak  as  to  doubt,  whether 
we  might  make  the  eternal  glory  and  haj^piness  of  our  souls  the 
end  of  our  duties  and  endeavors :  and,  with  many  high-flown  in- 
consistencies, that  seem  to  have  in  them  much  of  spiritual  rapture, 
but  indeed  are  nothing  else  but  idle  dreams  and  false  delusions,  tell 
us  that  we  must  serve  and  obey  God  only  out  of  love  and  grati- 
tude, neither  for  hope  of  reward,  nor  fear  of  punishment ;  and  con- 
demn all  that  obedience,  which  respects  these,  as  sordid  and  mer- 
cenary, unworthy  of  the  true  and  generous  spirit  of  the  gospel. 
But,  if  we  should  tell  these  men,  that  they  pretend  to  a  greater 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


degree  of  spirituality  than  ever  Moses  did,  possibly  their  pride  and 
self-conceit  would  make  them  assume  it :  for,  alas !  Moses  was  but 
a  poor  old  testament  saint,  and  we  read  of  him,  Heb.  xi.  26,  that 
"he  had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward:"  but,  though 
they  think  themselves  more  spiritual  than  he,  what !  are  they  like- 
wise more  spiritual  than  St.  Paul  ?  And  yet  he  tells  us,  Phil.  iii.  13, 
14;  that  he  reached  "forth  unto  those  things,  which  are  before," 
pressing  "toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus  ?"  Or  have  they  attained  to  an  elevation  of  spiritu- 
ality beyond  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  of  whom  the  Apostle 
witnesseth,  Heb.  xii.  2,  that,  "for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him, 
endured  the  cross  despising  the  shame  ?"  It  is  allowable,  there- 
fore, yea  it  is  necessary  to  be  selfish  ;  to  consider  our  own  interest 
and  our  own  advantage,  in  this  case :  for,  since  our  very  nature  is 
so  tempered,  that  the  two  great  advantages  which  we  have  to 
quicken  it,  are  hopes  and  fears,  I  shall  very  much  doubt  that  those 
will  prove  but  slothful  and  negligent  Christians,  Who  shall,  out  of 
a  fond  conceit  of  greater  spirituality  and  perfection,  lay  these  spurs 
aside :  and  pretend  to  make  use  of  other  arguments,  which,  though 
they  seem  more  specious,  yet,  1  am  sure,  must  needs  be  less  effectual. 

Others  again,  who  do  allow  that  our  obedience  may  be  directed 
unto  God,  with  an  eye  and  respect  unto  the  reward  which  he  hath 
promised  us,  yet  question  whether  we  ought  chiefly  and  principally 
to  regard  our  own  happiness  or  his  honor,  our  own  glory  or  his. 
I  answer :  this  is  but  a  nice  and  needless  scruple :  and,  though 
many  infirm  and  tender  spirits  may  be  much  puzzled  in  directing 
their  obedience,  yet  this  solicitude  is  but  vain  ;  for,  whilst  they  do 
either,  they  do  both :  for  what  is  the  glory  of  God's  grace  and 
mercy  ?  Is  it  not  the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation  ?  And 
therefore,  certainly,  whilst  I  endeavor  to  promote  mine  own  salva- 
tion, I  do  as  much  endeavor  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  :  although, 
perhaps,  in  every  duty  I  do  it  not  with  a  distinct  particular  act  of 
reflection ;  yet,  so  long  as  1  endeavor  to  promote  my  own  salva- 
tion, I  do  implicitly  and  interpretatively  endeavor  the  advance- 
ment of  God's  glory  ;  for  that  is  the  next  and  immediate  means  to 
this:  we  need  not,  therefore,  be  anxious,  whether  we  seek  our- 
selves, or  the  honor  of  God;  for,  in  thus  seeking  ourselves,  we  do 
nothing  else  but  seek  his  honor  and  glory.  Let  us  again  consider 
what  is  our  happiness  and  felicity  :  our  objective  happiness,  is  the 
infinite  and  boundless  good,  even  God  himself;  our  formal  happi- 
ness, is  our  clear  vision  and  full  fruition  of  him,  and  the  near 
conjunction  of  our  souls  unto  him  by  love  and  inherence:  now, 


596 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


certainly,  his  infinite  goodness  will  never  reject  those  duties  as 
sordid  and  mercenary,  that  aspire  to  no  greater,  no  other  reward 
but  the  enjoyment  of  himself:  in  thus  seeking  ourselves,  we  seek 
God  ;  and,  the  more  intensely  we  thus  love  our  own  souls  the 
more  supremely  do  we  love  God,  while  we  breathe  and  pant  after 
the  fruition  of  him  with  the  holy  impatience  of  an  amorous  spirit : 
in  this  sense,  therefore,  although  we  are  not  our  own,  yet  we  may 
seek  our  own :  we  appertain  not  to  ourselves,  but  to  God ;  yet 
certainly  when  this  self  which  we  seek  hath  God  for  its  object  and 
end,  we  seek  him  in  seeking  of  ourselves. 

[2]  There  is  a  seeking  of  those  things,  which  are  only  con- 
ducible  to  the  ease,  profit,  and  advantage  of  the  natural  and  earthly 
self. 

And  these  St.  John  hath  briefly  summed  up  in  three  things : 
"  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life  ;" 
which  is  but  to  tell  us  more  enigmatically,  that  they  are  pleasures, 
riches,  and  honors.  Self  is  the  center  of  all  the  actions  of  a 
worldly  man :  and,  whatsoever  he  doth  are  but  so  many  lines; 
which,  though  they  may  seem  far  distant  from  one  another,  yet  all 
meet  together  there. 

Indeed,  there  is  a  seeking  of  these  worldly  advantages,  which  is 
not  justly  to  be  branded  with  this  black  mark  of  self-seeking  ;  and 
that  is, 

1st.  When  we  seek  them  only  by  lawful  means. 

As  industry  in  our  callings,  and  prayer  to  God  for  a  blessing 
upon  it ;  detesting  all  the  wicked  and  base  methods  of  fraud  and 
deceit. 

2dly.  "When  we  seek  them  with  due  moderation. 

When  our  care  about  them  is  but  prudent  and  provident ;  not 
carking,  nor  distracting. 

3dly.  When  we  seek  them  at  allowed  seasons. 

The  shop  must  not  intrench  xrpon  either  the  church  or  the 
closet ;  nor  the  duties  of  our  particular  callings,  as  we  are  men, 
devour  the  duties  of  our  general  callings,  as  Christians.  Both  are 
beautiful  in  their  season :  and,  indeed,  the  one  is  an  excellent  pre- 
parative for  the  other.  How  comfortably  may  that  man  follow 
his  vocation  all  day,  who  hath  begun  the  morning  with  God,  and 
humbly  implored  his  blessing  and  assistance !  And  how  sweetly 
may  that  man  close  up  his  day's  task  with  prayer,  who  hath  used 
such  care  and  conscientiousness  in  his  calling,  as  to  bring  no  new 
guilt  to  confess  in  the  evening ! 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


597 


4thly.  When  we  seek  these  things  with  a  due  subordination  to 
the  higher  and  more  noble  ends  of  piety  and  holiness.  As, 

(1st)  When  we  seek  them,  that  we  may  avoid  those  temptations 
unto  which  possibly  the  want  of  them  might  expose  us. 

Thus  Agur  prays  to  God,  Prov.  xxx.  8 :  "  Feed  me  with  food 

convenient  for  me ;  lest  I  be  poor  and  steal,  and  take  the  name 

of  my  God  in  vain:"  that  is,  as  I  conceive,  lest  he  should  be,  first, 
tempted  to  theft ;  and,  then,  to  perjury  to  conceal  it,  if  suspected. 

(2dly)  "When  we  seek  them,  that  we  may  be  the  better  furnished 
for  good  works. 

For  earthly  comforts  and  enjoyments,  if  they  be  well  improved, 
are  excellent  instruments  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  in  further- 
ing the  good  and  welfare  of  others.  Hence  the  Apostle,  Eph.  iv. 
28 :  "  Let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is 
good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth."  And  indeed 
it  will  require  somewhat  of  a  plentiful  estate,  to  be  able  "to  main- 
tain good  works,"  as  the  Apostle  twice  useth  that  expression,  Titus 
iii.  8,  and  at  the  14th  verse. 

If  these  rules  be  duly  observed,  he  is  no  self-seeker,  who  dili- 
gently may  seek  after  these  temporal  accommodations. 

3ut,  when  gain  shall  be  preferred  before  godliness ;  and  all  the 
crooked  ways  of  deceit  and  fraud  made  use  of,  only  to  amass  toge- 
ther a  heap  of  ill-gotten  trash :  when  thou  wilt  rather  choose  to 
make  shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  than  to  cast  over- 
board any  part  of  thy  wealth,  though  it  be  to  save  thy  soul  from 
being  drowned  and  sunk  in  perdition :  when  this  golden  idol  shall 
be  set  up  by  thee ;  and  God,  and  Christ,  and  religion,  and  con- 
science, all  sacrificed  unto  it :  what  is  this,  but  a  base  self-seeking, 
unworthy  of  a  Christian,  nay  of  a  man  ?  Too  impious  this  for  a 
Christian,  too  foolish  for  any  man  :  for,  in  thus  seeking  themselves, 
they  lose  themselves  forever.  And  this  is  that,  of  which  the 
Apostle  so  grievously  complains,  Phil.  ii.  21  ;  "  All  seek  their 
own,  not  the  things  which  are  Jesus  Christ's."  A  mean  and  sordid 
temper  this.  And,  as  it  is  sordid  ;  so  is  it,  likewise,  most  unjust 
and  unreasonable  :  for  consider,  you  are  not  your  own,  but  God's  : 
he  hath  manifold  titles  to  you :  you  have  no  self  of  your  own,  but 
you,  and  all,  are  his :  and  what  presumption  is  it  for  ydu  to  pro- 
vide for  what  is  his,  otherwise  than  he  hath  ordered ;  yea,  contrary 
to  his  express  command ! 

(2)  If  we  are  not  our  own,  we  may  infer,  that  certainly  we  are 
not  at  our  own  disposal. 

And  this  should  teach  us  patience  in  all  the  cross  and  sad  occur- 


593 


OX    GLORIFYIXG  GOD 


rences  of  our  lives.  TVe  are  not  our  own :  and,  therefore,  we  may 
not  carve  out  our  own  condition  to  ourselves,  nor  prescribe  to 
God  what  we  would  have  done,  or  what  we  would  avoid  ;  for  this 
is  boldly  to  intermeddle  with  that,  which  doth  not  belong  to  us. 
Thou  art  God's ;  and  what  is  it  to  thee,  0  busy  man,  what  he  doth 
with  his  own  ?  If  it  seemeth  good  to  him  to  chastise  thee  with 
poverty,  reproach,  pains,  and  diseases,  or  to  take  from  thee  any  of 
thy  dearest  and  most  desirable  comforts,  what  hast  thou  to  do  to 
interpose  with  thy  complaints  and  murmurings  ?  May  he  not  do 
what  he  will  with  his  own  ?  Thou  art  no  farther  interested  in  any 
of  these  things,  than  to  bear  them  meekly  as  a  Christian ;  and 
voluntarily  to  resign  thyself  unto  him,  unto  whom  thou  dost  natu- 
rally and  necessarily  belong. 

(3)  If  we  are  not  our  own,  we  may  very  rationally  infer,  that 
we  ought  not  to  follow  our  own  wills  and  our  own  affections. 

Indeed,  the  great  contest  between  God  and  man  ever  was,  and  still 
is,  about  sovereignty.  It  hath  been  the  perpetual  quarrel  of  all 
ages,  which  shall  be  the  chief ;  and  whose  will  shall  take  place, 
either  his  or  ours.  The  first  crafty  temptation,  "  Ye  shall  be  as 
gods,"  hath  strangely  prevailed  upon  us  ever  since :  we  would  fain 
all  be  gods,  independent  and  incontrollable.  Now  check  this 
rebellion  of  thy  will  and  affections,  by  considering  that  thou  art 
not  thine  own,  but  God's :  he  hath  the  supreme  right  to  thee ;  and 
thou  art  injurious  to  his  right,  if  thou  settest  up  thy  will  a  com- 
petitor with  his.  Yea,  indeed,  thou  oughtest  to  have  no  will 
peculiar  to  thyself,  but  it  should  be  all  melted  down  and  resolved 
into  God's.  And,  therefore,  the  Apostle  puts  an  excellent  form  of 
words  into  our  mouths :  James  iv.  15 ;  "If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall 
live,  and  do  this  or  that."  So  say  thou,  "  If  the  Lord  will,  I  will." 
Bring  thy  will  to  conform  unto  his  will  of  precept,  absolutely  ;  for 
that  he  hath  made  known  unto  thee  in  his  word :  and  neither  will 
nor  desire  what  he  hath  therein  forbidden  thee.  Bring  it  also  to 
conform  unto  his  will  of  purpose,  conditionally ;  for  that  is  hidden 
and  secret  to  us,  until  the  event  declare  it :  but,  when  God  hath 
manifested  it  by  the  effects,  bend  thy  will  unto  it ;  and  quietly 
acquiesce  in  all  his  dispensations,  as  infinitely  wise  and  gracious. 
Say  thou  unto  him,  "  Lord,  I  am  blind  and  ignorant ;  and  cannot 
see  through  the  consequences  of  things.  That,  which  I  apprehend 
at  present  would  be  for  my  advantage,  may  possibly  prove  a  snare 
and  a  curse  unto  me.  Thou  comprehendest  all,  in  thy  infinite 
wisdom ;  and,  therefore,  I  resign  my  choice  to  thee.  Do  thou, 
Lord,  choose  for  me :  and,  howsoever  thy  providence  shall  order 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


599 


my  affairs,  make  me  as  thankful  for  disappointments,  as  I  ought  to 
be  for  successes."  This  is  a  right,  Christian  temper ;  worthy  of 
him,  who  acknowledged  himself,  not  to  be  his  own,  but  God's. 

(4)  "Ye  are  not  your  own;"  look  not  then  upon  any  thing  as 
your  own. 

Certainly,  if  thou  thyself  art  God's,  whatsoever  thou  fondly 
accountest  thine  is  much  more  his.  Shall  the  principal  be  his, 
and  not  the  accessaries  ?  Thy  friends,  thy  children,  thy  estate,  thy 
good  name,  are  not  indeed  thine :  and,  though  common  words  and 
language  call  them  so :  yet  take  heed  that  thou  dost  not  lay  any 
emphasis  upon  it.  Thus  Nabal,  that  blunt  churl,  accents  his  self- 
ishness: 1  Sam.  xxv.  11 ;  "Shall  I  take  my  bread  and  my  water, 
and  my  flesh  that  I  have  killed  for  my  shepherds  ?"  Alas !  poor 
wretch,  there  is  nothing  of  all  this  thine :  nay,  thou  thyself  art 
not  thine,  but  belongest,  if  not  to  the  grace,  yet  to  the  dominion 
of  God.  Indeed  we  must  distinguish  between  things  being  ours 
for  our  good  and  benefit,  and  being  ours  as  to  absolute  title  and 
dominion.  Neither  way  can  a  wicked  man  call  any  thing  his :  his 
table  is  a  snare ;  and  that,  which  should  have  been  for  his  welfare, 
is  become  a  curse  unto  him.    But  it  is  not  thus  with  the  godly : 

for  the  Apostle  tells  us,  1  Cor.  iii.  22,  23,  "  whether  the  world, 

or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come ;  all  are  theirs  ; 
and  they  are  Christ's ;  and  Christ  is  God's."  This  argument  is  very 
cogent,  as  to  the  benefit  and  good,  that  shall  redound  unto  them 
from  every  thing  they  enjoy :  in  this  sense,  all  is  theirs,  because 
they  are  God's.  But,  because  they  are  God's,  therefore  nothing  is 
theirs  as  to  absolute  right  and  sovereign  dominion.  Both  they 
and  wicked  men  have  a  natural  right  to  many  blessings,  and  a 
civil  right  to  many  more :  but  neither  of  them  have  a  supreme, 
free,  and  independent  right,  to  any  thing  which  they  enjoy ;  but 
all  is  God's,  lent  to  them  for  their  use  and  his  service. 

(5)  "  Ye  are  not  your  own ;"  let  not  then  any  sin  be  your  own. 
You  are  God's  peculiar  people  ;  let  not  any  sin  be  your  peculiar 

sin.  Shall  we  ourselves  be  God's,  and  yet  any  sin  be  ours  ?  What 
is  this  less  than,  by  a  kind  of  practical  blasphemy,  to  transfer  our 
sins  upon  God  ? 

Thus  have  we  considered  the  proposition,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own." 
Ye  have  not  a  sovereign  right  over  your  own  beings,  to  seek  your 
own  interests,  to  dispose  of  your  own  affairs,  to  follow  your  own 
wills  and  appetites ;  but  you  entirely  belong  unto  another. 


600 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


ii.  And,  lest  we  should  be  put  to  seek  for  an  owner,  since  we  are 
thus  denied,  and,  as  it  were,  turned  out  of  the  possession  of  our- 
selves, the  Apostle  informs  us  who  it  is,  that  lays  m  his  claim 
to  us ;  even  the  great  and  universal  Lord  both  of  heaven  and 
earth,  whose  all  things  are  by  a  most  absolute  and  indisputable 
right :  we  are  God's. 

1.  ~\Ve  are  his,  as  he  is  Almighty  Creator. 

"When  we  laid  huddled  up  in  the  great  chaos  and  confusion  of 
mere  possibilities,  he  beckoned  and  called  us  forth :  bade  us  be, 
and  take  our  place  and  station  in  the  order  of  things  :  and  that,  not 
in  a  vile  and  contemptible  nature,  a  worm,  or  a  fly,  which  we  crush 
or  sport  to  death ;  but  a  man,  one  of  the  peers  and  nobles  of  the 
world.  See  how  magnificently  David  speaks  of  our  original :  Ps. 
viii.  5,  6  ;  "  Thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  and 
hast  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honor.  Thou  madest  him  to  have 
dominion  over  the  works  of  thy  hands."  Thou,  0  man,  art  born  a 
king ;  crowned,  in  thy  very  cradle :  and  thy  being,  in  the  scale  of 
creatures,  is  but  one  round  lower  than  that  of  the  angels. 

The  body,  which  is  the  basest  and  most  disgraceful  part  we  have, 
ycL  of  how  excellent  a  texture  and  frame  is  it !  Such  various  springs 
of  motion,  such  secret  channels  and  conveyances  for  life  and  spirits, 
such  a  subserviency  of  parts  one  to  another  in  their  mutual  offices, 
and  such  a  perfect  beauty  and  harmony  in  the  whole,  that  David 
might  well  say,  Ps.  cxxxix.  14,  15 ;  "I  am  fearfully  and  wonder- 
fully made  and  curiously  wrought  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the 

earth."  Yea,  not  only  a  David,  but  Galen,  a  heathen,  when  he  had 
minutely  inspected  the  admirable  artifice  that  appeared  in  the  frame 
of  our  bodies,  the  structure  and  use  of  the  several  parts,  and  th>3 
many  wonders  and  miracles  that  were  woven  up  in  every  one  of 
them,  his  speculation  of  nature  led  him  to  adore  the  God  of  nature., 
and  he  could  not  forbear  composing  a  hymn  in  the  praise  of  our 
all-wise  Creator.  Now  whose  is  this  elegant  piece  of  workmanship, 
but  God's?  "In  thy  book,"  saith  the  Psalmist,  "were  all  my 
members  written,  which  in  continuance  were  fashioned :"  as  archi- 
tects do  usually  draw  a  model  of  those  buildings,  which  they  intend 
for  more  than  ordinary  state  and  magnificence,  before  they  erect 
them  ;  so  God  doth,  as  it  were,  delineate  a  draught  and  platform 
of  man  in  his  book,  that  is,  in  his  own  counsel  and  decree ;  and 
limns  out  every  member,  giving  it  its  shape  and  proportion  in  his 
own  ideas ;  and  afterward,  according  to  that  perfect  pattern,  sets 
up  the  frame :  he  first  makes  the  materials,  and  then  brings  them 


IN  HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


601 


together ;  and  causes  all  nature  to  contribute  what  is  most  fit  and 
proper  for  it. 

And  yet  these  bodies,  though  they  have  so  much  cost  and  care 
bestowed  upon  them,  are  but  a  case  and  covering  for  the  soul. 
That  is  perfectly  spiritual ;  and  hath  no  other  cause  of  its  being, 
but  only  that  God,  who  is  "  the  Father  of  spirits."  It  is  a  spark, 
kindled  immediately  by  his  own  breath :  not  formed  out  of  any 
pre-existent  matter,  as  corporeal  beings  are ;  but  created  out  of 
pure  and  unmixed  nothing,  by  the  same  almighty  word,  that  spake 
out  angels,  and  all  the  glorious  hosts  of  heaven,  and  made  them 
emerge  into  being.  And  when  the  body  is  sufficiently  furnished 
with  all  the  organs  and  instruments  necessary  for  the  function  of 
life,  then  God  bestows  a  soul  upon  it.  Not  as  if  the  soul  did  pre- 
exist before  its  union ;  but  it  is  created  in  that  very  instant  when 
it  is  united  to  the  body.  And  this  is  the  meaning  of  that  known 
maxim  of  St.  Augustin,  Creando  infunditur,  et  infundendo  creatur  : 
"  It  is  created  in  infusing,  and  infused  in  creating." 

Since,  then,  God  hath  created  us ;  and  chosen  us,  out  of  the  in- 
finite number  of  things  possible,  to  bestow  an  actual  being  upon 
us :  since,  if  he  had  so  pleased,  we  might  have  been  as  much 
nothing  to  all  eternity,  as  we  were  from  all  eternity ;  and  might 
have  lain  hid  in  that  vast  crowd  and  multitude  of  souls,  which 
might  have  been,  but  never  shall  be ;  only,  God  hath  been  pleased 
to  lay  the  ideas  of  them  aside,  and  to  pick  and  cull  us  out  to  be 
his  creatures,  to  prepare  us  such  exquisite  bodies,  and  to  breathe 
into  us  such  rational  and  intellectual  spirits:  shall  we  not  with  all 
thankfulness  acknowledge,  that  we  appertain  unto  him,  who  with- 
out him  should  have  continued  a  long  and  endless  nothing?  Hath 
not  he,  who  created  us,  an  absolute  and  sovereign  right  to  do  to  us 
and  to  require  from  us,  whatsoever  pleaseth  him  ?  Thus  the  Psalm- 
ist infers  it :  Ps.  c.  3  ;  "  It  is  he,  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  our- 
selves ;"  and  therefore  it  follows,  "  we  are  his  people,  and  the  sheep 
of  his  pasture." 

2.  We  are  Ms,  upon  the  account  of  preservation 

He  still  maintains  those  beings,  which  at  first  he  made ;  and 
exerts  the  same  almighty  power  to  continue  thee  in  thy  being,  as 
at  first  he  did  in  producing  it.  Every  new  moment  that  passeth 
over  thee,  thou  art,  as  it  were,  again  created ;  brought  out  of 
nothing :  for  all  that  part  of  thy  life,  which  is  already  passed,  is 
become  a  mere  nothing.  So  that,  whether  thou  lookest  to  the  time 
that  is  before  thee,  or  to  that  which  is  behind  thee ;  yet.  still,  thou 
flowcst  along,  from  that  which  is  nothing,  to  that  which  is  nothing : 


602 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


and  yet,  still,  thou  thyself  art  preserved  in  being,  and  art  not  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  same  nothing,  that  yesterday  or  the  last  year  are 
dissolved  into.  To  whom  owest  thou  this,  hut  only  to  that  God 
who  is  "the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  forever?"  He  makes 
all  the  differences  of  time  in  thy  age,  in  whom  time  itself  makes 
no  difference.  It  is  his  visitation,  as  Job  speaks,  that  preserves 
oar  spirits :  Job  x.  12 :  nor  can  we  subsist  one  breath,  or  one 
pulse,  nor  one  moment  longer,  than  he  is  pleased  to  wind  off  our 
time  to  us,  from  that  great  ball  of  eternity  which  he  holds  in  his 
own  hand.  If  thou  canst  find  out  any  one  such  day  or  hour, 
wherein  thou  canst  maintain  thyself,  without  any  charge  to  God  or 
dependence  upon  him ;  if  thou  canst  either  live,  or  move,  or  be, 
without  the  continual  influence  of  the  divine  power  and  provi- 
dence ;  then,  for  that  time,  thou  mayest  glory  in  thine  own  suffi- 
ciency, acknowledge  no  superior,  be  thine  own,  and  live  wholly  to 
thyself:  but,  certainly,  whilst  thou  owest  both  the  beginning  and 
the  progress  of  thy  being  unto  God,  thou  owest  thyself  to  him, 
and  art  his. 

3.  God  hath  another  right  and  title  to  us,  as  he  is  our  governor. 

Now  the  two  chief  and  comprehensive  parts  of  government,  are 
protection  and  provision;  to  defend  those,  that  are  under  their 
charge,  from  harms  and  injuries :  and,  to  supply  them  with  ne- 
cessaries. 

(1)  God  doth  mightily  protect  us  from  those  innumerable  evils 
and  mischiefs,  which  would  else  befall  us. 

Perils  and  mishaps  are  thickly  strewed  in  all  our  ways;  and 
death  and  ruin  lie  everywhere  in  ambush  for  us ;  in  our  food,  our 
affairs,  our  recreations,  at  home  and  abroad,  everywhere,  death  and 
danger  take  their  stand  and  aim  at  us ;  dangers,  that  we  could 
neither  foresee,  nor  prevent,  but  only  the  watchful  providence  of 
God  hath  watched  over  us  hitherto.  He  hath  given  his  angels 
charge  concerning  us,  to  keep  us  in  all  our  ways.  In  their  hands 
have  they  borne  us  up,  so  that  our  feet  have  not  dashed  against  a 
stone.  Who  can  particularly  recount  the  infinite  number  of  those 
private  mercies,  which  we  have  received  ?  or  how  often  God  hath 
diverted  and  struck  aside  many  sad  casualties,  that  were  just  be- 
falling us  ;  and  plucked  us  back,  when  we  were  just  upon  the  very 
edge  and  brink  of  destruction?  Or,  if  we  consider  the  boundless 
wrath  and  malice  of  the  devil  against  us,  or  of  wicked  men  his  in- 
struments,  have  we  not  great  cause  thankfully  to  acknowledge  that 
powerful  restraint,  which  God  lays  both  upon  him  and  them  ? 
The  devil  implacably  hates  us ;  and  would,  every  step  that  we 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


G03 


take,  tear  our  souls  from  our  bodies,  and  our  bodies  in  pieces,  and 
both  from  God :  wicked  men  who  are  inspirited  and  acted  by  him, 
would  soon  fill  the  world  with  the  direful  effects  of  their  hellish 
natures;  and  "by  killing,  and  stealing,  and  swearing,  and  lying, 
and  committing  adultery,  they  would  break  out  until  blood  touched 
blood :"  Hos.  iv.  2 :  but  only  God  holds  them  both  in  a  strong 
adamantine  chain,  so  that  they  cannot  come  near  to  hurt  us,  but 
by  a  special  permission. 

(2)  Neither  is  God  only  a  shield  to  us,  but  a  sun.  "The  Lord 
God  is  a  sun  and  shield:"  Ps.  lxxxiv.  11.  He  not  only  protects 
us  from  dangers,  but  he  likewise  cherishes  us  and  provides  for  us. 

We  live  upon  his  allowance ;  and  are  maintained  by  him,  as 
those,  who  belong  unto  his  family.  All  are  waiters  at  his  table, 
and  "  he  giveth  them  their  food  in  due  season :"  He  crowneth  the 
year  with  his  blessings,  and  filleth  our  hearts  with  food  and  glad- 
ness :  he  enriches  the  earth  by  his  blessing,  better  than  a  hus- 
bandman can  by  his  industry  ;  and  makes  our  sustenance  to  grow 
and  spring  up  round  about  us,  allotting  unto  every  one  a  needful 
and  convenient  portion. 

If,  then,  God  doth  thus  protect  thee  and  provide  for  thee,  hath 
he  not  a  right  and  title  to  thee  ?  Is  not  that  life  his,  which  he  hath 
defended  from  so  many  deaths  ;  and  rescued,  when  thou  hast  been 
surrounded  with  dangers  ?  If  thou  wilt  not  acknowledge  thyself 
his,  why  dost  thou  live  in  his  family,  eat  his  bread,  and  wear  his 
livery,  and  maintain  thyself  at  his  expense  ?  It  is  but  reason  and 
justice,  that  thou  shouldst  either  refuse  his  benefits,  or  not  refuse 
his  commands  and  service. 

4.  "We  are  God's  by  covenant-engagement  and  solemn  promise. 

In  our  baptism,  we  were  consecrated  and  devoted  to  be  the 
Lord's  to  fight  under  his  banner  against  all  the  enemies  of  his 
glory  and  our  salvation :  therein,  we  have  renounced  and  abjured 
the  usurpation  and  tyrannical  power,  that  sin  and  Satan  have  exer- 
cised over  us ;  and,  with  the  greatest  solemnity,  have  bound  ourselves 
unto  the  service  of  God,  and  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Our  bap- 
tism is  a  seal :  not  only  on  God's  part,  of  the  truth  and  stability 
of  his  promises,  that  we  shall  obtain  remission  of  our  sins  and 
eternal  life,  upon  the  performance  of  the  conditions  of  faith  and 
new  obedience ;  but  it  is.  likewise  a  seal  on  our  part,  obliging  us  to 
fulfil  unto  God  the  promises  we  have  made,  of  believing  in  him 
and  obeying  him.  In  this  ordinance,  you  have  sealed  and  delivered 
yourselves  up  unto  him ;  for  it  is  the  initiating  ordinance :  it  enters 
you  into  the  Church,  registers  you  among  the  number  of  the  faithful, 


604 


ON   GLOEIFYING  GOD 


lists  you  under  the  spiritual  banner :  it  is,  as  it  were,  heaven's  press- 
money,  which  as  soon  as  you  receive,  you  are  enrolled  under  Jesus 
Christ,  the  great  captain  of  your  salvation :  that  sacrament  is  your 
military  oath,  properly  so  called ;  and  you  are  bound,  by  the  most 
serious  engagements  that  can  be  laid  upon  a  creature,  to  continue 
Christ's  faithful  soldier  and  servant  to  your  lives'  end.  Now,  unless 
thou  thinkest  these  vows  to  be  written  only  on  the  water  that 
sprinkled  thee,  and  wiped  away  together  with  that ;  unless  thou 
accountest  thy  baptism  nothing  else  but  a  long-received  custom 
of  the  place  where  thou  livest,  a  solemn  piece  of  pageantry,  and 
only  a  ceremony  used  on  a  festival  day ;  thou  must  needs  look 
upon  thyself  engaged  by  the  strictest  bonds,  that  truth,  religion, 
vows,  and  oaths  can  lay  upon  thee,  to  be  that  God's,  unto  w  hom 
thou  didst  then  professedly  give  up  thyself;  and  whose  badge  and 
»  cognizance  thou  then  tookest  upon  thee,  that  thou  mightest  be 
known  whose  thou  art,  and  to  whom  thou  appertainest. 

5.  We  are  God's  by  profession,  and  our  own  voluntary  and  free 
acknowledgment. 

We  have  taken,  and  still  do  own  him  to  be  our  Lord.  And, 
although,  in  works,  too  many  deny  even  "the  Lord  that  bought 
them  ;"  living  in  a  direct  contrariety  to  their  vows,  covenants,  and 
engagements :  yet,  in  words  and  in  profession,  all  acknowledge  him 
to  be  their  Lord  and  Master.  And,  though  Christ  might  very  justly 
upbraid  too  many  among  us,  who  are  either  professors  at  large  or 
hypocritical  dissemblers,  as  he  did  the  Jews,  Luke  vi.  46,  "  Why 
call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I  say  ?"  yet 
this  very  profession  of  his  name  is  but  the  strengthening  of  his 
title  to  us ;  and  all  those  appellations  of  our  Lord,  and  our  Master, 
our  God,  and  our  Saviour,  by  which  we  call  him,  are  but  so  many 
acknowledgments  of  his  right  unto  us.  And,  if  we  contradict  this 
profession  by  an  unholy  and  profane  life  and  conversation,  all  that 
we  shall  get  by  such  fawnings  will  be,  that  he,  whom  we  have  so 
often  acknowledged  for  our  Lord  and  Master,  may  the  more  justly 
and  the  more  severely  punish  us  for  our  disobedience.  And  consider 
again,  how  often  hast  thou  renewed  thy  baptismal  vows  !  Of  how 
many  vows  and  promises  have  thy  fears,  and  thy  dangers,  and  thy 
diseases,  and  thy  convictions,  been  both  the  cause  and  the  wit- 
nesses? Hast  thou  not,  again  and  again,  given  up  thyself  unto 
God,  and  bound  thyself  by  vow  never  to  repeal  nor  recall  it  ? 
When  death  and  danger  have  stared  thee  in  the  face,  and  all  other 
hopes  and  helps  have  failed  thee,  hast  thou  not  promised  and  sworn, 
that,  if  he  would  save  and  deliver  thee  that  once,  thou  wouldst  be  the 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


605 


Lord's,  and  serve  and  fear  him  only  ?  God  hath  heard  thy  prayers, 
and  accepted  thy  vows,  and  rescued  thee  from  thy  fears  and  dangers : 
and,  though  he  had  a  sovereign  right  and  title  to  thee  before,  upon 
other  accounts ;  yet,  to  show  how  grateful  and  pleasing  the  free-will 
offerings  of  a  devout  soul  are  to  him,  though  we  can  offer  him 
nothing  but  what  is  his  own,  yet  now  he  especially  expects  that  we 
should  give  up  ourselves  to  him  by  obedience,  as  we  have  frequently 
done  by  promise,  and  should  at  length  fulfil  what  we  have  so  often 
engaged. 

6.  Some  are  God's  in  a  more  especial  and  peculiar  manner.  His 
chosen  and  beloved  ones ;  who  have,  from  the  heart,  given  up  and 
devoted  themselves  to  the  service  of  God  ;  and  not  only  bear  his 
mark  upon  them,  in  the  enjoyment  of  external  privileges  and 
church-ordinances,  but  bear  likewise  the  stamp  of  his  image  upon 
them  in  the  inward  sanctification  and  renovation  of  their  souls. 

These,  God  "hath  set  apart  for  himself :"  Ps.  iv.  3.  They  are  his 
"  peculiar  people :"  Titus  ii.  14,  and  1  Pet.  ii.  9,  they  are  called  by 
many  special  and  discriminating  titles :  "  a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people :"  they  are  called 
his  portion,  and  the  lot  of  his  inheritance:  Deut.  xxxii.  9  ;  "The 
Lord's  portion  is  his  people  :  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance  :" 
they  are  his  jewels  :  Mai.  iii.  17.  And,  certainly,  whatever  a  man 
will  most  earnestly  plead  his  right  in,  it  will  be  his  jewels,  his 
portion,  his  inheritance,  his  peculiar  treasure  ;  those  things,  which 
are  of  the  greatest  value  and  dearest  esteem.  So  God  stands  much 
upon  his  right  to  his  own  people  and  children,  whilst  all  the  wicked 
of  the  world,  although  they  are  his,  yet  they  are  in  his  account 
vile  refuse  creatures ;  more  despicable  in  God's  eyes,  than  true 
saints  are  in  theirs  ;  the  dung  and  dross,  the  filth  and  offscouring 
of  all  things.  These,  indeed,  are  God's,  by  the  obligation  of  com- 
mon nature ;  but  his  holy  ones  are  his,  by  the  privileges  of  special 
grace.  There  is  a  strict  and  close  bond  of  union  between  Christ 
and  them:  on  his  part,  by  his  Spirit;  on  theirs,  by  their  faith. 
And,  being  united  unto  Christ  as  their  head,  they  are  likewise 
united  unto  God,  as  his :  for  "  the  head  of  Christ  is  God ;"  1  Cor. 
xi.  3. 

7.  We  are  God's  by  the  right  of  redemption. 

This  I  have  reserved  to  the  last  place,  because  it  is  the  second 
general  part  of  my  text,  as  being  the  reason  of  the  proposition. 
"  Ye  are  not  your  own,"  but  God's :  "  for  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price." 

This,  indeed,  is  a  strong  title,  that  God  hath  to  us ;  a  superaddi- 


C06 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


tion  to  the  rest.  God  did,  at  first,  create  us  in  a  state  of  perfect 
holiness  and  felicity ;  but  we  sold  ourselves  to  Satan,  and  are  be- 
come his  vassals  and  bond-slaves.  "We  have  thrown  God's  yoke 
from  off  our  neck,  and  his  burden  from  off  our  shoulders ;  and 
have  broken  his  bonds  asunder,  and  cast  away  his  cords  from  us ; 
and  have  taken  upon  us  the  yoke  of  the  devil,  the  burden  of  sin 
and  guilt,  a  load  that  would  sink  us  into  the  very  bottom  of  hell. 
TVe  stand  forfeited  to  the  divine  justice ;  liable  to  the  eternal  wrath 
of  the  great  God ;  ready  to  be  dragged  away  every  moment  unto 
torments.  But,  in  this  our  forlorn  and  desperate  condition,  that  so 
noble  and  excellent  a  piece  of  the  creation  might  not  forever 
perish,  infinite  and  sovereign  mercy  interposeth ;  prepares  a  ransom 
for  us,  which  is  paid  down  to  the  very  uttermost  farthing  of  all  that 
the  justice  of  God  could  demand ;  and  so  rescues  us  from  that 
perdition  and  misery,  into  which  we  had  plunged  ourselves. 

Now  the  love  arid  mercy  of  God,  in  redeeming  us,  is  far  more 
eminent  than  in  creating  us.  And  therefore  his  right  and  title  to 
us,  upon  this  account,  is  far  greater,  than  upon  the  other.  For, 

(1)  Creation  only  gives  us  a  being,  brings  us  only  out  of  the 
dark  shade  and  state  of  nothing :  and,  in  this  our  fallen  and  sinful 
condition,  it  only  capacitates  us  for  woe  and  misery.  But  redemp- 
tion finds  out  an  expedient,  and  opens  a  way  for  us  unto  bliss  and 
happiness. 

And  although,  perhaps,  metaphysically  considered,  it  is  better 
to  be  wretched  than  not  to  be  at  all ;  yet,  certainly,  in  a  natural 
and  moral  sense,  it  is  not  so.  For  so  saith  our  Saviour :  Matt, 
xxvi.  2-i.  "  Woe  unto  that  man,  by  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  be- 
trayed !  it  had  been  good  for  that  man,  if  he  had  not  been  born :" 
that  is,  it  had  been  better  for  him  never  to  have  had  a  being,  but 
to  have  lain  eternally  forgotten  in  the  purpose  and  decree  of  God, 
than  that  he  should  have  a  being,  an  immortal  soul  bestowed  upon 
him,  to  be  forever  most  exquisitely  tormented  for  this  horrid  sin 
of  betraying  the  life  and  blood  of  his  Lord  and  Master.  Creation 
frees  us  not  from  so  great  an  evil,  neither  confers  upon  us  so  great 
and  inestimable  benefits,  as  redemption  doth.  Alas!  what  torture 
or  vexation  is  it  to  mere  nothing,  that  it  must  eternally  remain  so  ? 
Will  not  this  be  the  hearty  wish  and  desire  of  all  the  damned 
wretches  in  hell  ?  Would  they  not  account  it  a  kind  of  salvation 
to  be  annihilated  ;  that  their  souls  and  bodies  might  fall  asunder 
and  flit  away  into  nothing,  so  that  they  might  escape  the  everlast- 
ing residue  of  their  torments?  And,  if  sores  and  botches,  and 
temporal  losses  and  afflictions,  could  so  far  transport  even  holy 


IN    HIS    ATTRIBUTES.  607 

Job,  who  yet  is  represented  unto  us  as  the  mirror  of  patience,  as 
to  cause  him  to  curse  the  day  of  his  birth,  and  to  wish  that  he  had 
never  seen  the  light ;  how  much  more  shall  we  think  will  those 
infernal  wretches,  on  whom  God  exerciseth  the  whole  skill  and 
power  of  his  wrath,  wish  that  they  had  been  toads  or  serpents, 
rather  than  men !  yea,  that  they  had  never  been  at  all,  but  had 
lain  undisturbed  in  a  dark  and  gloomy  nothing ;  since  they  shall 
have  more  sufferings  and  anguish  to  torture  them,  and  no  pa- 
tience, no  comfort,  no  mercy  forever  to  support  them !  Neither 
doth  creation  confer  upon  them  so  great  and  inestimable  benefits, 
as  redemption.  It  is  true,  we  have  an  excellent  being  and  nature 
bestowed  upon  us,  as  creatures  of  a  higher  form  than  others,  the 
chiefest  of  all  visible  and  corporeal  things :  we  are  endowed  with 
rational  and  intellectual  faculties :  and  are  capable  of  pleasures, 
not  only  such  as  brute  beasts  are,  but  of  speculative  and  mental 
delights,  which  are  far  more  noble  and  more  refined.  Yet,  alas ! 
what  are  we,  but  lords  perhaps  of  the  world,  and  all  the  while 
slaves  to  the  devil ;  miserable  drudges  to  our  own  vile  and  base 
lusts,  for  gratifying  of  which  these  excellent  natures,  which  we 
boast  and  glory  so  much  of,  must  forever  lie  under  most  incon- 
ceivable horror  and  torments  !  But  redemption  brings  us  into  a 
capacity  of  far  greater  happiness,  than  that,  from  which  we  fell : 
it  gives  us  hopes,  that,  though  we  lost  paradise,  we  may  gain 
heaven ;  yea,  and  assures  us,  that  we  shall  certainly  do  so,  if  we 
do  not  willfully  neglect  that  great  salvation,  that  is  purchased  for 
us ;  and  frowardly  choose  death  and  our  own  destruction,  before 
eternal  life  and  joy.  So  that  you  see  creation  is  a  mercy  and 
blessing  to  us,  chiefly  upon  the  account  of  redemption ;  and  we  are 
obliged  to  bless  God,  that  he  hath  by  creation  made  us  subjects 
capable  of  that  glory  and  happiness,  which  he  hath  prepared  for 
us  by  redemption. 

(2)  God's  mercy  in  redeeming  us  is  far  more  eminent  and  con- 
spicuous, than  in  creating  us ;  because  it  hath  been  far  more  ex- 
pensive to  him. 

In  creation,  there  needed  no  more  but  an  almighty  fiat :  "  Let  it 
be :  and  it  was  so."  Here  was  nothing  of  preparation,  nor  diffi- 
culty, nor  cost ;  nor  was  there  any  more  labor  or  trouble,  than 
only  to  will,  and  speak  it.  But,  in  redemption,  God  must  not  only 
act,  but  suffer ;  not  only  speak,  but  bleed.  In  creation,  there  was 
nothing  that  might  abase  or  traduce  God,  nothing  but  glorious 
demonstrations  of  his  wisdom  and  godhead  :  he  humbled  not  him- 
self, nor  descended  from  his  throne,  when  he  formed  us ;  but  he 


603 


OX  GLORIFYING  GOD 


only  spake  a  quickening  word,  and  all  creatures  presently  sprung 
up,  and  paid  their  homage  and  obeisance  to  their  great  Creator. 
But,  in  redemption,  God  himself  doth,  as  it  were,  lay  aside  his 
glory,  and  humble  himself,  first  to  become  a  creature,  and  then 
accursed :  he  must  be  wounded,  that  we  might  be  healed :  he  must 
die,  that  we  might  live:  he  must  be  abased,  that  we  might  be 
exalted.  And  therefore,  certainly,  if  love  and  good- will  are  to  be 
measured,  either  by  the  greatness  of  the  benefits  conferred  upon 
us,  or  by  the  difficulty  and  damage  that  accrue  to  the  benefactor, 
God's  mercy  in  redeeming  us,  when  miserable  and  lost  and  un- 
done, is  infinitely  more  considerable,  than  his  mercy  in  creating 
us  and  giving  us  being.  And,  yet,  if  creation  alone  gives  God  so 
great  a  right  to  us,  that  those  beings,  which  we  received  from  him, 
should  therefore  be  entirely  his;  shall  not  redemption  make  us 
much  more  his  ?  Shall  we  not  be  his,  who  hath  redeemed  us  from 
being  wretched  and  miserable ;  since  we  are  his  who  hath  given 
us  to  be  ?  And,  therefore,  well  might  the  Apostle  argue,  "  Ye  are 
not  your  own,"  but  God's :  "  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price." 

And  thus  you  see  how  manifold  titles  God  hath  to  us ;  as  he  is 
our  creator,  our  preserver,  our  governor,  and  benefactor ;  as  we  are 
his  covenant-servants,  united  unto  him,  not  only  by  his  benefits, 
but  by  his  grace ;  and,  lastly,  as  we  are  redeemed  by  him  from  the 
service  of  sin,  and  the  wages  due  unto  it. 

But,  before  I  proceed  to  consider  this  part  of  the  text  as  it 
stands  absolutely  in  itself,  give  me  leave  to  close  up  what  hath 
been  now  spoken  concerning  God's  right  unto  us,  with  two  or  three 
inferences. 

First.  See,  here,  how  dear  we  are  unto  God,  and  how  highly  he 
esteems  us,  that  he  thus  strengthens  his  right  to  us  by  so  many 
multiplied  titles. 

As  those,  who  prize  any  possession,  seek  to  confirm  it  to  them- 
selves by  all  the  ways  that  law  and  equity  can  find  out ;  and  have 
writings  upon  writings  and  evidences  upon  evidences  for  it,  that 
their  title  to  it  may  be  unquestionable :  thus  seems  God  to  deal 
with  us.  A  single  right,  for  so  dear  a  portion  and  inheritance, 
is  not  enough :  and,  therefore,  though  he  hath  made  us,  and  pre- 
serves us,  and  bountifully  supplies  us,  though  we  profess  ourselves 
to  be  his  own ;  yet,  to  prevent  all  doubts  and  suits,  he  buys  us  too. 
He  buys  what  is  his  own,  that  it  might  be  more  his  own :  and,  be- 
cause justice  and  vengeance  lay  in  their  claim  to  us,  that  the  title 
of  his  mercy  might  not  be  litigious,  that  there  might  be  nothing  ia 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


609 


himself  to  hinder  his  quiet  enjoyment  of  us,  he  pays  down  a  full 
price  to  justice,  and  satisfies  all  its  demands. 

Secondly.  See  how  unfaithful  we  are  to  him,  that  we  need  so 
many  bonds  and  engagements  laid  upon  us  to  secure  us. 

So  slippery  and  deceitful  are  our  hearts,  that  we  are  still  starting 
aside  from  him ;  and,  though  we  have  no  right  to  dispose  of  our- 
selves, yet  are  we  still  selling  or  giving  away  ourselves  to  every  lust 
and  vanity.  And,  therefore,  as  we  use  to  deal  with  those  who  are 
of  a  suspected  honesty,  lay  all  the  bonds  upon  them  that  possibly 
we  can  and  make  them  enter  into  strict  and  punctual  engagements, 
so  doth  God  with  us :  he  trusts  us  not  upon  a  single  obligation ; 
but  makes  us  enter  into  bond  upon  bond:  and  all  scarce  sufficient 
to  make  such  fickle  and  treacherous  creatures  stable  and  faithful  to 
him. 

Thirdly.  Hence  learn,  that  all  impiety  and  irreligion  are  the 
highest  wrong  and  injustice  in  the  world. 

"  Will  a  man  rob  God  ?"  saith  the  prophet  Malachi,  ch.  iii.  8,  in- 
timating, by  the  very  qviestion,  that  this  is  such  a  horrid  and  heinous 
sin,  as  that  it  is  not  easy  to  be  supposed  any  man  would  be  so  profli- 
gate a  wretch  as  to  be  guilty  of  it :  and  therefore  sacrilege,  stealing 
and  purloining  from  God,  is  justly  branded  as  one  of  the  most  foul 
and  odious  sins  that  can  be  committed.  And  yet  this  is  a  sin  more 
commonly  committed,  than  most  men  think  of.  Every  wicked  man 
is  guilty  of  sacrilege.  He  robs  God,  steals  from  him,  and  alienates 
that  which  is  properly  his  due.  Thou  stealest  thyself  from  him, 
thy  heart  and  thy  affections,  thy  love  and  thy  service :  these  thou 
givest  to  thy  lusts,  and  to  the  world ;  and  maintainest  his  sworn 
enemies  upon  his  right  and  due.  If  it  be  sacrilege,  to  convert 
things  hallowed  and  dedicate  to  profane  and  common  uses,  art  not 
thou  then  a  sacrilegious  wretch,  who  stcalest  away  thy  soul  from 
God,  which  is  by  so  many  just  titles  his  own :  and  convertest  it  not 
only  to  common,  but  filthy  and  unclean  uses  ?  The  Apostle  tells 
us,  that  we  are  the  temple  of  God :  2  Cor.  vi.  16 ;  our  hearts  are 
the  sanctum  sanctorum,  the  "holy  of  holies,"  in  this  temple;  and 
all  our  faculties  are  dedicated  things,  the  holy  utensils  for  the 
worship  and  service  of  God.  And,  what !  shall  we  pollute  this 
temple ;  set  up  idols  there ;  and  serve  our  lusts  and  follies  with 
those  very  instruments  and  vessels,  which  God  hath  made  and  pre- 
pared for  his  own  service  and  worship  ?  And,  yet,  how  many  such 
sacrilegious  persons  are  there!  The  worldling  sets  up  an  image 
of  gold  in  the  temple  of  God  :  and  therefore  covetousness  is,  by  the 
Apostle,  called  idolatry,  Colos.  iii.  5 :  Mammon  is  his  God ;  and  all 
Vol.  II.— 39 


610 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


the  hallowed  vessels  of  the  temple,  his  thoughts,  designs,  and  affec- 
tions, must  all  be  employed  in  the  service  of  this  idol.  The  sensual 
unclean  person  turns  this  temple  of  God  into  a  stew ;  and,  with  the 
heathen,  makes  his  temple  the  scene  of  all  his  impurities.  The 
beastly  druukard  makes  this  temple  the  place  of  all  his  riot  and 
excess ;  and,  with  impiety  as  great  as  Belshazzar's  makes  the  bowls 
and  vessels  of  God's  sanctuary  serve  him  only  to  quaff  and  carouse 
in.  And,  indeed,  there  is  no  sin  whatsoever,  but  it  is  complicated 
with  sacrilege.  For  what  is  sin,  but,  as  the  schools  define  it,  an 
aversion  of  the  soul  from  God,  and  an  inordinate  conversion  of  it 
to  the  creature  ?  Now  to  convert-  that  to  the  creature,  which  is 
proper  and  due  to  God,  is  to  rob  him,  to  take  away  what  he  hath 
hallowed,  to  pollute  and  profane  things  dedicate,  to  defile  his  temple. 
And,  now,  to  close  up  this,  consider  that  dreadful  threatening  of 
the  Apostle,  1  Cor.  iii.  17  ;  "If  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God, 
him  shall  God  destrov." 

II.  The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is  the  EEASON  :  "  For  ye 
are  bought  with  a  price." 

The  force  of  this  reason  I  have  already  shown  you.  I  shall  now 
only  consider  it  absolutely,  as  it  is  in  itself. 

In  these  words  is  held  forth  unto  us  the  great  mystery  of  the 
gospel,  our  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ.  I  shall  not  treat  of  it  in 
that  latitude,  that  a  full  and  complete  handling  of  this  subject 
would  require ;  but  confine  myself  to  speak  more  briefly  only  to 
these  few  heads. 

What  this  price  of  our  redemption  is. 

To  whom  this  price  was  paid,  and  of  whom  we  were  bought. 
How  the  payment  of  a  price  can  be  consistent  with  the  free 
mercy  and  grace  of  God  in  saving  us. 

What  it  is,  from  which  we  are  by  this  price  redeemed. 

i.  Let  us  consider  what  this  price  is,  which  is  paid  down 

FOR  OUR  REDEMPTION. 

And  that  is  a  price  infinitely  inestimable,  consisting  in  all  those 
dolorous  sorrows  and  sufferings  that  our  Lord  Christ  underwent  in 
the  days  of  his  flesh,  when  "it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him."' 
In  his  nativity  and  circumcision,  was  this  rich  exchequer  first 
opened ;  which  was  never  afterwards  shut,  till  he  paid  out  to  the 
very  last  farthing,  the  very  last  drop  of  his  most  precious  blood, 
as  a  full  and  satisfactory  price  of  our  redemption.  But,  though  the 
whole  course  of  his  humiliation  and  abasement  was  part  of  this 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


611 


price  which  he  paid ;  yet,  because  the  chief  and  greatest  sum  of 
it  was  told  down  to  God  in  his  death  and  last  passion,  and  all  his 
other  sorrows  and  sufferings  were  completed  in  this,  therefore  the 
Scripture  doth  principally  ascribe  our  redemption  to  the  blood  of 
Christ.  So,  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19 :  "  Ye  were  not  redeemed  with  cor- 
ruptible things,  as  silver  and  gold  But  with  the  precious  blood 

of  Christ."    His  soul  was  made  "an  offering  for  sin;"  Isa.  liii.  10. 

"  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin ;"  1  John  i. 

7,  and  many  other  places  to  the  same  import.  Now  the  blood  and 
death  of  Christ,  and  all  other  parts  of  his  offering,  carried  in 
them  a  sufficient,  yea  a  redundant  value,  to  expiate  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world ;  from  the  infinite  virtue  of  the  hypostatical  union  of 
the  divine  with  the  human  nature,  whereby  his  blood  became  the 
blood  of  God ;  his  sufferings,  the  abasement  and  humiliation  of 
God :  and  this  made  it  a  price,  not  only  equivalent  unto,  but  infi- 
nitely surpassing  and  outbidding  the  purchase,  for  which  it  was 
offered. 

ii.  Let  us  consider,  to  whom  this  price  WAS  paid  ;  and  that 
is  to  our  great  creditor,  God. 

The  Socinians,  on  purpose  to  undermine  this  fundamental  doc- 
trine of  Christ's  satisfaction,  tell  us,  that,  if  we  are  redeemed  by  a 
price  in  this  strict  and  proper  sense,  that  price  must  then  be  paid 
into  the  hands  of  Satan,  because  we  are  in  bondage  under  him : 
but  this  is  as  weak,  as  it  is  impious ;  for,  indeed,  Satan  is  not  our 
creditor ;  we  owe  him  nothing  but  hatred  and  aversion ;  neither  is 
any  man,  that  is  kept  in  ward  for  crimes  or  debts,  properly  said  to 
be  his  jailer's  prisoner,  but  the  king's  or  the  creditor's ;  so,  though 
we  are  naturally  in  bondage  under  Satan,  yet  he  is  but  our  jailer : 
we  are  not  his  prisoners ;  but  God's,  who  is  both  our  sovereign, 
and  our  creditor.  And  therefore  the  price  is  not  to  be  paid  to  him, 
by  whom  we  are  detained  :  but  to  him,  by  whose  authority  or  by 
whose  suit  we  are  detained :  and  that  is,  the  justice  of  God :  and 
therefore  Christ,  by  satisfying  the  justice  of  God,  releaseth  us  from 
under  the  power  of  Satan.  We  are  under  a  twofold  bondage  to 
the  devil :  the  one  moral,  by  our  sins  and  vices,  doing  his  work 
and  toiling  in  his  drudgery ;  and  thus  we  are  his  slaves :  the  other 
legal,  by  the  guilt  of  sin  binding  us  over  and  making  us  liable  un- 
to his  plagues  and  torments.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  both  : 
improperly,  from  the  former  ;  by  the  power  of  his  grace  breaking 
asunder  our  chains  and  fetters  in  our  conversion,  and  so  setting  us 
free  from  the  service  of  sin  and  the  devil :  most  properly,  from  the 


612 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


latter ;  by  the  infinite  virtue  of  his  merits  ransoming  us  from  that 
death,  and  woe,  and  wrath,  to  which  we  stood  exposed,  and  which 
else  the  devil  would  have  inflicted  upon  us,  as  being  the  great 
minister  and  executioner  of  divine  vengeance.  Now  we  are  not 
properly  redeemed  from  our  moral  bondage,  our  slavery  to  sin 
and  Satan,  but  conquered:  therefore  no  price  was  paid  to  him, 
under  whose  vassalage  we  were  held.  But  we  are  properly  re- 
deemed from  our  legal  bondage ;  from  our  liability  to  eternal  death 
and  sufferings  :  yet  the  price  ought  not  to  be  paid  to  Satan,  but 
unto  God,  whose  minister  and  executioner  Satan  is. 

iii.  The  third  general  inquiry  is,  How  the  payment  of  A  full 

AND  SATISFACTORY  PRICE  CAN  BE  CONSISTENT  WITH  THE  FREE 
GRACE  AND  MERCY  OF  GOD  IN  SAVING  US. 

For  the  Scripture  speaks  so  much  of  God's  mercy  and  free  grace 
in  saving  sinners,  that  some  have  thought  it  very  difficult  to  recon- 
cile those  expressions  with  the  notion  of  a  price  of  redemption, 
properly  so  called.  The  chief  sense  in  which  grace  is  said  to  be 
free,  is,  that  it  gratuitously  confers  upon  us  the  benefits  of  our 
redemption  without  merit  or  desert.  If  then  these  be  merited,  if 
an  equal  price  be  paid  down  for  them,  what  becomes  of  all  those 
magnificent  exaltations  of  free  grace,  which  the  Scripture  seems  so 
much  to  glory  in?  "I,  even  I  am  he,  that  blotteth  out  thy  trans- 
gressions for  my  name's  sake :  By  grace  are  ye  saved,"  &c.  Cer- 
tainly, what  is  so  dearly  bought  and  purchased  as  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ,  cannot  be  said  to  be  a  free  and  gratuitous  gift. 

To  this  I  answer,  in  general,  that  these  things  are  not  at  all  in- 
consistent :  and,  therefore,  it  ought  to  be  no  prejudice  to  our  most 
high  veneration  of  the  infinitely  rich  and  infinitely  free  grace  of 
God  in  our  redemption,  although  that  redemption  be  purchased  for 
us,  and  a  price  paid  down  fully  answerable  to  the  demands  of 
divine  justice. 

I  shall  endeavor  to  clear  up  this,  in  these  following  particulars. 

1.  We  are  not  so  freely  redeemed,  pardoned,  and  saved,  as  to  exclude 
all  merit  and  desert  on  Christ' 's  part. 

This  is  not  necessary  to  establish  free  grace,  that  our  Saviour 
himself  should  be  the  object  of  it.  For  God  transacted  with  his 
Son,  only  upon  the  terms  of  strict  and  impartial  justice  nor  was 
there  ever  any  one  sin,  that  he  was  pleased  to  take  upon  him- 
self, that  was  pardoned  to  him ;  but  a  plenary  satisfaction  was 
exacted  from  him,  and  justice  had  out  its  full  due  in  his  sufferings. 
Every  sin  stood  him  as  dear,  as  it  would  have  done  the  sinners 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


613 


themselves,  had  God  resolved  never  to  have  administered  mercy 
and  grace  unto  them :  and,  therefore,  saith  the  Apostle,  Col.  i.  14 ; 
"In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins:"  and  "without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission:" 
Ileb.  ix.  22 :  and,  "  This  is  my  blood....which  is  shed....for  the  re- 
mission of  sins ::'  Mat.  xxvi.  28.  All  our  sins  were  laid  upon  him, 
and  imputed  to  him ;  and  he  underwent  and  sustained  the  whole 
pressure  of  those  punishments,  that  were  due  unto  them,  and  is 
now  set  down  at  the  right-hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,  to  make 
intercession  for  us.  So  that,  though  never  any  who  was  a  sinner, 
either  through  the  corruption  of  nature  or  actual  transgression,  hath 
attained  to  the  joy  and  happiness  of  heaven,  but  only  through  the 
pardoning  grace  and  mercy  of  God;  yet  he,  who  was  the  "greatest 
sinner"  (as  Luther  made  bold  to  call  him,  and  so  he  was  by  imputa- 
tion) is  now  triumphing  in  those  regions  of  bliss,  crowned  with 
glory,  and  arrayed  with  infinite  majesty,  whose  sins  yet  were  never 
pardoned,  nor  ever  had  he  the  least  free  grace  or  mercy  shown 
him ;  but,  whatsoever  he  hath  obtained  either  for  himself  or  for 
us,  the  possession  of  it  for  himself  and  the  possibility  and  assured 
hopes  of  it  for  us,  he  hath  most  dearly  bought  and  purchased. 
Yea,  indeed,  in  respect  of  this  purchase  made  by  Christ,  we  receive 
nothing  at  all  of  free  grace  from  God ;  but,  whatever  we  have  or 
expect  is  paid  for  to  the  very  utmost  of  what  it  is  worth:  for,  as 
we  ourselves  are  bought  with  a  price,  so  is  every  thing  we  enjoy  : 
even  the  most  common  and  vulgar  blessings,  that  are  promiscuously 
distributed  among  the  sons  of  men,  all  flow  to  us  in  a  stream  of 
blood. 

2.  In  respect  to  ourselves,  our  redemption,  pardon,  and  salvation,  and 
all  the  mercies  we  enjoy,  are  of  mere  free  grace. 

No  merit,  no  price  is  required  from  us :  but  all  is  excluded  on 
our  part,  besides  a  grateful  acknowledgment  and  an  humble  ex- 
pression of  our  duty,  by  that  rich  mercy,  which  requires  these  from 
us ;  not  as  the  price  of  our  redemption,  but  only  as  a  testimony  of 
our  love  and  ready  obedience.  Alas  !  could  we  pray,  till  our  knees 
took  root  in  the  earth ;  could  we  weep  whole  rivers,  and,  after  our 
tears  were  spent,  drop  our  eyeballs  too ;  could  we  fast  ourselves 
into  ghosts,  and  sigh  away  our  souls  into  air ;  should  we  give  all 
our  goods  to  the  poor,  and  our  bodies  to  the  flames ;  yet  all  oui 
prayers,  and  tears,  and  fasting  and  alms,  and  all  the  stock  of  our 
own  righteousness;  yea  should  it  be  supposed  that  a  tax  and 
subsidy  should  be  levied  upon  the  good  works  of  all  mankind 
and  put  into  one  common  treasure  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  any 


614 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


one  particular  soul,  yet  it  would  not  be  found  a  price  rich  enough 
for  its  redemption,  nor  at  all  available  to  buy  off  the  guilt  of  the 
least  sin.  For,  whatsoever  is  required  of  us,  is  but  debt  and  duty  ; 
and  therefore  cannot  be  meritorious  :  and,  whatsoever  is  not  required 
of  us,  is  but  will-worship  and  superstitious  devotion  ;  and  therefore 
cannot  be  acceptable.  So,  then,  it  is  no  derogation  at  all  from  the 
free  grace  of  God,  that  he  pardons  and  saves  us  upon  the  interven- 
tion of  a  price :  that  our  pardon  is  bought,  and  our  inheritance  is 
purchased :  for  we  ourselves  have  not  been  at  any  part  of  the 
charge:  we  have  not  so  much  as  cast  in  one  mite  into  this  trea- 
sury ;  but  all  is  as  freely  and  gratuitously  bestowed  upon  us,  as  if 
it  had  never  been  purchased  at  all. 

3.  The  relaxing  of  the  rigor  of  the  covenant  of  works,  so  far  forth 
as  to  take  off  our  personal  obligation  to  punishment  by  the  commutation 
of  persons,  accepting  the  substitution  of  another,  of  a  surety,  of  a 
redeemer,  is  an  act  of  infinite  free  grace  and  rich  mercy. 

For,  by  the  letter  of  the  law,  "  do  this  and  live,"  implying  the 
contrary  threatening  of  death  in  case  of  disobedience,  every  sinner 
stood  bound  to  suffer  the  whole  curse  and  penalty  in  his  own 
person  :  and  God  might  forever  have  refused  to  recede  so  far  from 
his  own  right,  as  to  admit  of  any  satisfaction  made  and  tendered 
by  another ;  but  might  have  seized  upon  us,  who  were  the  trans- 
gressors, and  bound  us  over  to  answer  it  at  the  great  assize  before 
his  dreadful  tribunal,  and  to  suffer  for  it  eternal  torments  in  hell. 
Now,  0  sinner,  though  God  hath  received  a  price  and  ransom  for 
thy  soul  at  the  hands  of  another,  is  this  any  diminution  of  the 
absolute  freeness  of  his  grace  towards  thee  ?  Dost  thou  envy  that 
he  receives  satisfaction  for  thy  sins,  since  he  receives  it  not  from 
thyself?  Or,  dost  thou  grudge  and  repine  that  he  should  glorify 
his  justice  and  severity  upon  another,  since  he  intends  only  to  glo- 
rify his  mercy  and  grace  upon  thee  ? 

"Yea,"  you  will  say,  "this  indeed  is  something  of  mercy  and 
free  grace,  that  God  hath  stricken  my  name  out  of  the  bond,  and 
put  in  my  surety's,  whereas  he  might  justly  have  exacted  the  for- 
feiture from  myself :  but,  had  it  not  been  a  more  glorious  demon- 
stration of  free  grace,  absolutely  to  have  forgiven  the  whole  debt, 
and  to  have  required  no  payment,  no  satisfaction  at  all  ?  We  see 
that,  among  men,  he  is  accounted  most  bountiful,  that  forgives  the 
surety  as  well  as  the  principal.  For,  what  singular  act  of  mercy 
is  it,  to  release  the  debtor,  and  yet  rigorously  to  prosecute  his 
sponsor  and  undertaker,  from  whom  he  is  sure  to  recover  all  his 
right  and  demands  ?    If  God  had  been  pleased  thus  totally  to  part 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


615 


with  Lis  right,  and  neither  exact  it  from  us  nor  our  surety,  had  not 
this  been  a  far  more  generous  mercy,  and  a  more  glorious  demon- 
stration of  his  infinite  free  grace  ?" 
I  answer,  No.    And  therefore  assert 

4.  That  God^  free  grace  is  more  gloriously  demonstrated  in  the  re- 
demption of  the  world  through  a  price,  than  it  would  have  been,  if  he 
had  only  freely  and  arbitrarily  remitted  to  them  their  offenses  and  de- 
livered them  from  eternal  death,  without  requiring  any  satisfaction. 

And  this  will  appear  most  clearly,  if  we  consider  but  these  two 
things. 

(1)  Who  the  person  is,  that  is  appointed  our  surety  and  our 
ransom. 

Is  it  an  angel  ?  truly,  if  it  were,  this  had  been  wonderful  love, 
that  God  should  part  with  so  bright  and  glorious  an  attendant,  send 
him  down  to  earth,  cruciate  and  torment  him  for  the  sins  of  such 
vile  worms  as  we  are.  But,  oh  astonishment !  when,  not  an  angel, 
but  the  God  of  angels  ;  not  a  servant,  but  a  Son,  yea  the  Son  of 
his  eternal  love  and  delights,  is,  by  the  Father  himself,  appointed 
to  such  unspeakable  miseries  and  dolors ;  and  thrust  under  the 
sword  of  justice,  when  it  was  just  falling  upon  us,  only  that  he 
might  ward  off  the  blow,  and  save  us  from  a  ruin  so  great  and  in- 
evitable, though  it  was  to  the  death  and  ruin  of  his  only  Son  !  Now 
judge,  yourselves,  whether  it  be  not  infinitely  more  expressive  of 
the  divine  love,  to  save  us  by  devoting  his  own  Son  to  be  an  exe- 
cration and  a  sacrifice  for  us,  than  if  he  had  only,  out  of  his  abso- 
lute prerogative,  pardoned  our  sins,  and,  without  more  expense  or 
difficulty,  received  us  up  into  glory.  This,  indeed,  had  been  grace; 
but  it  had  been  more  thrifty  and  sparing,  than  that  method,  which 
God  hath  now  designed  for  our  salvation,  through  the  blood  and 
sufferings  of  Jesus  Christ.  And,  therefore,  the  Scripture  every 
where  lays  an  accent  and  emphasis  upon  this :  Rom.  viii.  32  ;  "He 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all :"  and, 
John  iii.  16,  "God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-be- 
gotten Son"  to  save  it.  God  lay  under  no  necessity  of  saving  us  at 
all,  and  much  less  lay  he  under  any  necessity  of  saving  us  in  so 
chargeable  a  manner  as  by  the  death  of  Christ :  but  yet  "  it  pleased 
the  Lord  to  bruise  him;"  to  "make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin  ;" 
and  to  cause  to  meet  together  upon  him,  all  our  iniquities  and  all 
his  plagues  and  curses.  And  wherefore  was  this  ?  Not  only  that 
justice  might  be  satisfied,  but  that  mercy  might  also  be  satisfied; 
and  free  love  and  grace  might  be  glorified  in  such  a  stupendous 
expression  of  it.    The  divine  wisdom  approves  of  this  way  of 


616 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


redemption,  because  divine  love  dictates  it  to  be  most  advan- 
tageous to  commend  itself  unto  us :  and  that  ever-adored  design 
of  a  Mediator  took  place  in  God's  eternal  councils,  that  it  might 
be  a  means,  as  well  for  the  demonstration  of  mercy,  as  for  the 
satisfaction  of  justice. 

(2)  God  himself  furnished  and  enabled  our  Eedeemer  to  pay 
down  the  whole  of  that  price,  which  he  exacted  from  him. 

For  the  Son  of  God  had  not  been  a  sufferer,  had  he  not  become 
tbe  Son  of  man.  He  had  not  been  wounded,  nor  buffeted,  nor 
crucified,  nor  bled,  nor  died :  he  had  not  had  any  stock  nor  trea- 
sury- of  merits  to  have  ransomed  us ;  had  he  not  taken  "upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant,"  had  he  not  appeared  "  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh."  And,  whence  had  he  this,  but  only  from  God's  pro- 
viding? Heb.  x.  5  ;  "  A  body  hast  thou  prepared  me."  Now  is  it 
not  as  much  free  grace,  to  furnish  our  surety  with  means  and  abilities 
to  make  satisfaction,  as  to  forgive  us  without  requiring  any  satis- 
faction at  all  ?  Yea,  let  me .  add,  that  free  grace  is  much  more 
glorious,  inasmuch  as  the  price  with  which  our  Eedeemer  is  fur- 
nished, is  more  than  sufficient  to  pay  the  debt. 

And  thus  you  see,  that  the  intervention  of  a  price  is  no  deroga- 
tion at  all  from  the  freeness  of  God's  grace;  yea,  rather,  this  method 
of  redeeming  us  mightily  enhances  his  mercy,  and  makes  it  more 
rich  and  glorious.  And  therefore  it  is  very  observable,  how  the 
Scripture  joins  these  two  together,  free  grace  and  the  purchased 
redemption,  as  if  it  would  on  purpose  stop  the  mouths  of  those, 
who,  by  pleading  the  inconsistency  of  these,  seek  to  undermine  the 
greatest  support  of  all  our  faith  and  hope,  and  the  most  dear  and 
precious  truth  of  the  Gospel,  I  mean  the  satisfaction  of  Christ  for 
our  sins.  See  Rom.  iii.  24;  "Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus :"  and  Eph.  i.  7 ; 
"  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness 
of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace."  What  can  be  more 
express,  to  reconcile  the  grace  vouchsafed  by  God,  with  the  price 
paid  for  it  by  Christ  ?  It  is  free  grace,  that  justifies  us ;  but  yet 
we  are  justified  through  redemption :  we  are  redeemed  through  his 
blood ;  yet  this  is  likewise  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace. 
And  indeed  both  are  easily  accommodated :  it  is  of  price  and  pur- 
chase, in  respect  to  Christ ;  but  it  is  of  gift  and  free  grace,  in  respect 
to  us :  free,  in  that  God  was  pleased  to  accept  a  surety  for  us ;  and 
much  more  free,  in  that  this  surety  was  his  Son. 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


617 


iv.  The  fourth  inquiry  is,  from  what  are  WE  redeemed,  by 
that  price,  which  Jesus  Christ  hath  paid  down  for  us. 

This  I  shall  briefly  show  you,  in  these  following  particulars. 

1.  We  are  redeemed  from  the  dread  wrath  and  vengeance  of  God. 

And  what  an  inestimable  mercy  is  this  ?  Vengeance  follows  a 
sinner  close  at  the  heels,  pursues  him  through  all  the  threatenings 
of  the  law,  brandishes  its  flaming  sword  over  his  head,  and  is  ready 
every  moment  to  plunge  it  into  his  very  heart.  The  poor  guilty 
sinner  trembles,  under  the  direful  expectation  of  that  fiery  indigna- 
tion, which  will  forever  consume  him :  he  flies,  but  knows  not 
whither  ;  is  destitute  of  hope,  as  he  is  of  help.  Now,  in  this  forlorn 
and  desperate  condition,  for  one  that  might  show  unto  him  a  city 
of  refuge,  and  guide  his  trembling  steps,  and  his  amazed  soul  into 
it !  Now,  for  a  messenger  of  peace,  an  interpreter,  one  of  a  thousand, 
that  might  declare  unto  man  his  righteousness !  It  is  done,  O  soul : 
Christ  Jesus  meets  the  avenger  of  blood  in  his  pursuit  of  thee, 
offers  himself  to  his  sword,  falls  and  dies  under  his  hand :  whilst 
thou  fliest  into  thy  refuge,  and  art  free  both  from  thy  fears  and 
dangers.  We  find  the  high-priest,  under  the  law,  a  notable  type 
of  Christ  in  this  particular :  for  the  slayer  was  to  abide  in  the  city 
of  refuge  till  the  death  of  the  high-priest,  and  then  to  be  set  at 
liberty :  Num.  xxxv.  28 ;  so,  by  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
High-priest,  we  are  set  at  liberty,  and  may  walk  in  safety,  being 
secured  and  warranted  from  the  wrath  of  the  avenger.  Indeed, 
the  wrath  and  justice  of  God  is  the  most  dreadful  and  for- 
midable enemy  we  can  have ;  but,  even  this  enemy,  thy  Saviour 
hath  satisfied  and  reconciled  :  he  hath  bought  out  thy  peace  for  thee ; 
and  now  thou  mayest  safely  treat  with  justice  itself,  as  thy  friend 
and  patron.  The  divine  wrath  is  pacified  ;  and  God  is  more  con- 
tented and  recompensed  by  what  thy  Redeemer  hath  suffered  for 
thee,  than  if  he  had  haled  thee  forth  to  suffer  in  thine  own  person. 
God  infinitely  more  acquiesceth  in  the  sufferings  of  his  eternal  Son, 
than  he  could  have  done  in  thine :  for  thine  could  have  paid  his 
justice  but  by  small  parcels  at  a  time,  and  therefore  must  have 
endured  eternally ;  but  Christ  Jesus  paid  down  the  whole  sum  and 
debt  at  once,  so  that  justice  could  no  longer  be  so  if  it  did  not 
perfectly  free  us  who  believe  from  any  farther  obligation  to  wrath 
and  punishment.  It  is  "Jesus,"  saith  the  Apostle,  who  hath  "de- 
livered us  from  the  wrath  to  come  :"  1  Thes.  i.  10.  And  therefore, 
O  doubting  and  trembling  Christian,  be  not  so  injurious  to  thy 
God,  as  to  fear  he  will  revenge  those  sins  upon  thee,  for  which  thy 
Redeemer  hath  so  fully  satisfied :  thou  mayest  "  go  thy  way,  eat  thy 


618 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


bread  with  joy,  and  drink  thy  wine  with  a  merry  heart,  for  God" 
hath  accepted  thee  (Ecc.  ix.  7) :  he  is  at  peace  with  thee,  and  smile? 
upon  thee.  But,  if  thy  conscience  still  lower,  and  speak  nothing 
but  thunders  and  threatenings,  tell  it  that  thou  hast  a  peacemaker: 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  shed  upon  the  cross,  hath  pacified  God ;  and 
his  blood,  sprinkled  upon  thy  conscience,  wdl  likewise  atone  and 
pacify  it  towards  thee. 

2.  We  are  redeemed  from  the  slavery  and  vassalage  of  the  devil. 

He  is  that  mighty  tyrant,  that  hunts  after  our  souls  to  destroy 
them ;  that  great  dragon,  that  casts  out  of  his  mouth  whole  floods 
of  persecutions  and  temptations  to  overwhelm  us.  And,  if  his 
rage  be  so  inveterate  against  us  here  on  earth,  how  implacable, 
think  you,  would  his  malice  be  towards  us  in  hell !  how  would  he 
triumph  in  our  eternal  perdition,  who  is  now  so  laborious  and  soli- 
citous to  procure  it !  But,  thanks  be  unto  God,  who  "  hath  deli- 
vered us  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler ;"  so  that  now,  through  the 
redemption  purchased  for  us  by  Christ  our  Lord,  we  may  safely 
defy  his  spite,  and  contemn  all  the  poor  and  impotent  effects  of  it. 

His  power  is  seen  chiefly  in  three  things ;  in  tempting,  in  accus- 
ing, in  tormenting.  But,  by  the  virtue  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  the  price  that  he  hath  paid  for  our  redemption,  this  threefold 
power  is  either  wholly  taken  from  him,  or  else  much  abated. 

(1)  His  tempting  power  is  restrained  and  cut  short. 

He  can  tenlpt  us  no  farther,  than  he  hath  a  permission  given  him 
by  that  God,  who  hath  promised,  that  we  shall  not  be  tempted 
bej'ond  what  we  are  able  to  bear,  or  that  he  will  make  a  way  for 
us  to  escape.  We  see  what  manacles  are  upon  him,  when  he  must 
first  petition  God  before  he  could  stretch  forth  his  hand  against 
Job,  or  touch  any  thing  that  he  had.  And,  therefore,  0  Christian, 
be  confident,  that,  if  he  cannot  touch  thy  body  or  estate,  much  less 
shall  he  touch  thy  soul  and  thy  conscience  by  his  horrid  tempta- 
tions and  injections,  without  the  special  leave  of  God.  And,  in  all 
his  temptations,  suppose  them  never  so  violent,  if  thou  be  but  true 
to  thyself,  they  shall  all  redound  more  to  his  shame  and  disap- 
pointment, than  to  thine.  If  thou  canst  but  resist  them,  and,  with 
a  holy  scorn  and  disdain  cast  back  his  fiery  darts  in  his  face,  and 
keep  close  to  thy  duty  and  allegiance,  all  his  temptations  shall 
but  fall  upon  himself,  and  be  reckoned  as  his  sins,  and  only  thy 
troubles. 

(2)  His  accusing  power  is  rebuked. 

Thus,  when  Satan  comes  with  a  vehement  accusation  against 
Joshua,  Zech.  iii.  2.  "  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  0  Satan ;  even  the 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


G19 


Lord,  that  hath  chosen  Jerusalem,  rebuke  thee."  Our  Redeemer 
will  be  our  advocate ;  and  though,  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
first  covenant  of  works,  which  requires  perfect  and  spotless  obe- 
dience, his  accusations  will  most  of  them  be  found  true  against  us  ; 
yet,  according  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  requires  faith  and 
.sincerity,  they  will  be  found  malicious  and  impertinent:  and  our 
Redeemer  will  bring  us  off  with  the  loud  applause  of  saints  and 
;mgels. 

(3)  His  tormenting  power  shall  be  wholly  abolished. 
The  great  end  and  design  of  the  devil  is,  only  that  he  might 
train  us  into  that  dark  region,  where  himself  hath  the  sole  juris- 
diction, there  to  satiate  his  revenge  upon  us  in  our  eternal  tor- 
ments. But  Christ,  our  Redeemer,  hath  destroyed  this  power  of 
the  devil :  he  hath  ransacked  this  dark  shop,  and  broken  in  pieces 
all  his  horrid  racks  and  instruments  of  cruelty ;  so  that,  unless  we 
ourselves  will,  not  a  soul  of  us  shall  ever  fall  into  the  hands  of  that 
merciless  executioner. 

3.  We  are  redeemed  from  the  Power  of  Sin. 

(1)  From  its  reigning  power. 

It  is  true,  that  we  cannot,  in  this  life,  be  freed  totally  from  its 
molestations.  It  is  like  the  leprosy,  that  hath  eaten  so  deep  into 
the  walls,  that  it  can  never  be  perfectly  cleansed  till  the  house 
itself  be  destroyed  and  abolished.  Yet,  every  true  Christian  is  free 
from  the  dominion  of  it.  It  may  tumultuate  and  rebel  in  the 
best ;  for  we  find  a  law  in  our  members,  warring  against  the  law 
in  our  minds;  many  uproars,  bandyings,  and  intestine  dissensions: 
but,  yet,  it  hath  lost  the  sovereignty  over  them ;  and  is  now,  not  a 
Commander,  but  a  rebel. 

(2)  We  are  redeemed,  likewise,  from  the  condemning  power  of 
sin. 

The  other  freedom  from  sin  is,  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  working 
mightily  in  us ;  but  this  is  by  the  merits  of  Christ,  effectually 
applied  unto  us :  Rom.  viii.  1 ;  "  There  is  now  no  condemnation  to 
them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  For,  certainly,  there  is  not  so 
much  malignity  in  our  sins  to  destroy  us,  as  there  is  in  the  blood 
of  Christ  to  save  us.  And,  he  having  interposed  his  infinite 
merits  in  our  behalf,  it  would  be  a  great  disparagement  to  his 
all-sufficiency,  if  thou,  who  art  but  a  poor  vile  creature,  couldst 
have  done  that,  which  he,  who  is  an  infinite  God,  could  not 
expiate. 

4.  We  are  redeemed  from  the  curse  and  malediction  of  the  law. 
All  our  trials,  crosses,  and  afflictions,  that  may  befal  us,  are 


620 


O  N    GLORIFYING  GOD 


sanctified  to  us,  and  have  nothing  of  the  curse  in  them :  for  nothing 
is  a  curse,  but  what  is  inflicted  in  order  to  the  satisfying  of  divine 
justice  upon  us.  But,  the  justice  of  God  being  fully  satisfied  in 
the  sufferings  of  our  Lord  Christ,  all  our  own  sufferings,  how  sharp 
soever  they  may  be,  are  only  for  the  exercise  of  our  graces,  the 
trial  of  our  faith  and  patience,  to  conform  us  to  the  pattern  of  our 
Saviour,  demonstrations  of  God's  holiness,  and  means  to  make  us 
partakers  of  it.  We  may  rest  confidently  assured,  that,  if  we 
believe,  there  is  nothing  of  the  venom  and  malignity  of  the  curse 
in  them ;  for  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
being  made  a  curse  for  us,"  saith  the  Apostle :  Gal.  iii.  13. 

III.  "We  have  spoken  hitherto  of  the  two  former  parts  of  the 
text ;  the  doctrine,  and  the  reason  of  it. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered,  is  the  INFERENCE  or 
COROLLARY,  which  the  Apostle  draws  from  them :  •"  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit." 

AYherein  we  have  two  parts  : 

An  exhortation  :  "glorify  God." 

A  direction  how  we  ought  to  do  it :  "  in  your  body,  and  in  your 
sj^irit." 

It  is  only  upon  the  former  of  these,  that  I  intend  to  insist. 
Possibly,  I  may  briefly  touch  and  glance  upon  the  other,  in  my 
way.  And,  as  a  foundation  of  my  following  discourse,  I  shall  lay 
down  this  plain  proposition. 

That  the  infinite  mercy  of  God  in  our  redemption  lays 
an .  obligation  upon  us  to  glorify  him  in  all  that  we  do," 
have,  and  are. 

This  proposition,  I  suppose,  reacheth  the  full  sense  and  meaning 
of  the  Apostle. 

And,  in  prosecuting  it,  I  shall  observe  this  method : 

Show  you  what  it  is  to  glorify  God. 

How  we  are  to  glorify  him. 

What  force  and  influence  the  consideration  of  our  redemption 
hath  to  oblige  us  thus  to  glorify  him. 

i.  What  it  is,  to  glorify  God. 

And,  here,  we  may  take  notice,  that  there  are  very  many  words 
used  in  Scripture,  equivalent  to  this  phrase  of  glorifying  God. 
Such  are,  "do  all  to  the  glory  of  God:"  1  Cor.  x,  31.  To  give 
glory  to  God:  Ps.  xxix.  2.    "Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


621 


unto  his  name."  To  honor  God :  1  Sam.  ii.  30.  "  Them  that 
honor  me,  I  will  honor."  To  make  God's  "  name,  and  his  praise 
glorious :"  Ps.  lxvi.  2 ;  which  is  indeed  the  most  proper  significa- 
tion of  this  word  "glorify,"  though  other  expressions  also  speak 
the  same  sense. 

So  then,  to  glorify  God,  is  to  make  him  glorious. 

"  But,  what !  is  it  in  the  power  of  any  creature  to  do  this  ?  Is 
not  God's  glory  infinite,  eternal,  and  immutable  ?  And  would  it 
not  be  an  attempt,  both  fond  and  blasphemous,  to  go  about  to 
crown  his  Deity  with  any  new  rays,  which  shone  not  in  his  essence 
frem  all  eternity  ?  For,  since  the  divine  nature  is  infinitely  sim- 
ple and  uncompounded,  whatsoever  is  in  God  must  be  God  him- 
self; and,  therefore,  we  may  as  well  create  a  new  godhead,  as 
contribute  any  new  accession  of  glory  to  that  nature,  which  is  alto- 
gether unchangeable.  How  then  can  we  be  said  to  glorify  God,  or 
to  make  him  glorious?" 

To  this  I  answer,  that  glory  is  twofold :  either  a  real  glory,  per- 
fecting the  subject  in  which  it  is ;  or  else  a  relative  glory,  which 
doth  not  perfect  the  subject,  but  only  declare  those  perfections 
which  are  already  in  it.  The  one  we  may  well  call  a  subjective, 
the  other  an  objective  glory. 

1.  As  to  real  and  subjective  glory,  certain  it  is,  that  we  cannot  so 
glorify  God,  but  God  may  and  doth  thus  glorify  us. 

We  cannot  thus  glorify  God ;  since  this  would  be  utterly  incon- 
sistent with  his  eternal  unchangeableness,  and  independence,  and 
self-sufficiency :  for,  if  we  could  add  any  real  and  absolute  per- 
fection to  his  nature,  it  would  necessarily  argue  a  preceding  defect, 
a  present  change,  and  a  perpetual  obligation  to  his  creatures ;  all 
which  are  infinitely  incompatible  with  the  divine  essence. 

But,  it  is  his  prerogative  so  to  glorify  us ;  even  by  endowing 
our  natures  with  real  and  absolute  perfections. 

(1)  In  our  creation : 

Bestowing  upon  us  rational  and  intellectual  faculties,  a  discur- 
sive mind,  and  many  other  peculiar  privileges  both  of  soul  and 
body;  and  investing  us  with  sovereignty  and  dominion  over  in- 
ferior creatures.  Upon  which  account,  the  Psalmist  tells  us,  that 
God  hath  crowned  man  with  honor  and  glory :  Ps.  viii.  5. 

(2)  In  our  restitution  from  our  lapsed  estate : 

Implanting  in  us  the  germs  of  glory,  in  our  regeneration :  for 
grace  is  glory  in  the  seed,  and  glory  is  but  grace  in  the  flower. 
Thus  the  Apostle,  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  "We  "are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory:"  that  is,  the  image  of  God  is  still  per- 


622 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


feeling  in  us  by  his  Spirit,  carrying  on  his  work  from  one  measure 
and  degree  of  grace  unto  another.  For  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian 
here  on  earth,  is  but  as  it  were  one  continued  sitting  under  the 
hand  and  pencil  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  till  those  first  lines  and  ob- 
scurer shadows,  which  were  laid  in  his  new  birth,  receive  more 
life,  sweetness,  and  beauty  from  his  progressive  sanctification.  And 
this  is  a  being  "  changed  from  glory  to  glory."  And  when  this  is 
come  to  that  perfection  as  to  need  only  the  last  hand,  and  the  com- 
pleting touch,  theD, 

(3)  God  glorifies  us  by  the  full  consummation  of  our  holiness 
and  happiness  in  heaven. 

Thus  Christ  prays,  John  xvii.  1:  "The  hour  is  come:  glorify 
thy  Son;"  and  so,  v.  5 :  "Glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self, 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was."  And 
so,  when  our  hour  is  likewise  come,  when  we  have  attained  to  the 
full  measure  of  our  stature  in  Christ  Jesus,  God  will  then  glorify 
us  with  himself;  in  that  glory,  which  he  hath  prepared  for  us 
before  the  world  was. 

Thus,  then,  God  doth  confer  real  glory  upon  us ;  which  if  we 
should  again  think  to  do  towards  him,  it  were  no  less  than  an  im- 
pious and  blasphemous  arrogance :  for  it  would  impty,  that  he 
were  a  defective,  mutable,  and  dependent  God.  And,  therefore,  in 
this  sense,  Eliphaz  speaks  excellently,  Job  xxii.  2,  3  :  "  Can  a  man 

be  profitable  unto  God  ?  Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the  Almighty,  that 

thou  art  righteous?  or  is  it  gain  to  him,  that  thou  makest  thy 
ways  perfect  ?"  Certainly,  we  can  neither  add  any  real  good  to  him 
by  our  righteousness,  nor  detract  it  from  him  by  our  wickedness : 
for  he  as  far  above  the  reach  of  our  good  works,  to  benefit  him ;  as 
he  is  above  the  reach  of  our  sins,  to  wrong  and  injure  him.  There- 
fore we  cannot  thus  glorify  God. 

2.  There  is  a  relative  gbry  of  God,  which  he  is  then  said  to  have ; 
when  his  real  and  absolute  perfections  are  declared,  and  made 
manifest  and  conspicuous  to  the  world. 

And  this  glory  perfects  not  him,  to  whom  it  is  ascribed ;  but  us, 
who  ascribe  it  to  him.  And,  thus,  God  may  and  ought  to  be  glo- 
rified by  us.  The  former  may  be  called  his  essential  glory;  this 
latter,  his  declarative  glory.  God's  essential  glory  is  nothing  else 
but  the  infinite  perfection  of  his  own  nature :  it  is  a  constellation 
and  concentration  of  all  his  '<nconceivable  attributes  of  wisdom, 
power,  holiness,  justice,  mercy,  truth,  and  the  rest,  into  one  ever- 
blessed  essence :  this  glory  is  capable  neither  of  addition,  diminu- 
tion, nor  change.    But  his  declarative  glory  is  nothing  else,  but 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


623 


the  gloss  and  shine,  the  visible  splendor  and  luster,  which  reflect 
from  his  essential  glory,  upon  the  notice  and  admiration  of  his 
creatures :  aud  this  glory  may  be  both  increased  and  lessened.  As 
to  his  attributes  themselves :  so,  God  is  glorious :  as  to  the  mani- 
festation of  them ;  so,  he  is  said  to  be  glorified. 

(1)  God  is  said  to  glorify  himself. 

And  that,  when  he  is  pleased  to  dart  down  a  ray,  either  of  his 
wisdom,  or  power,  or  justice,  or  mercy,  or  any  other  of  his  attri- 
butes, so  as  to  make  it  conspicuous  in  the  administration  of  affairs 
here  below.  And,  therefore,  we  find  our  blessed  Saviour,  sadly 
reflecting  upon  the  sorrows  and  agonies  of  his  death,  at  last  com- 
poseth  and  resigneth  himself  with  this  prayer :  "  Father,  glorify 
thy  name :"  and  it  follows,  "  Then  came  there  a  voice  from  heaven, 
saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again ;"  John  xii. 
28.  Indeed,  never  was  there  any  thing  that  God  did  in  the  world, 
that  so  illustriously  conduced  to  his  glory,  as  the  adored  design  of 
saving  it  by  his  Son :  this  brought  in  a  large  share  and  revenue 
of  glory  to  most  of  his  attributes ;  he  had  already  glorified  him- 
self in  his  wisdom  and  mercy,  by  the  birth  of  his  Son ;  and,  in  his 
power,  by  the  miracles  he  wrought ;  and  he  would  glorify  himself 
again,  that  is,  he  would  now  glorify  his  dread  justice  and  severity, 
by  the  death  he  was  to  suffer. 

(2)  Creatures  also  may  be  said  to  glorify  God. 

Brute  and  inanimate  creatures  do  it  only  passively  and  object- 
ively ;  as  they  exhibit  the  tracks  and  imprints  of  the  divine  attri- 
butes upon  them:  but  rational  and  intelligent  creatures  ought  to 
do  it  actively;  by  observing  and  ascribing  to  him  those  perfec- 
tions, which  he  visibly  manifests  in  the  ways  of  his  grace  or  provi- 
dence. When  they  see  some  eminent  effects  and  footsteps  of  his 
wisdom,  of  his  power,  of  his  goodness,  or  the  like,  in  the  manage- 
ment of  things  here  below ;  and  are  thereby  moved  piously  and 
seriously  to  acknowledge  that  God  is  wise,  powerful,  and  gracious, 
as  he  expresseth  himself  to  be :  this  ascribing  unto  God  his  attri- 
butes from  what  appears  in  his  actions,  is  our  glorifying  of  him. 
And  so,  on  the  contrary,  when  sordid,  earthy,  and  bestial  men  take 
no  notice  of  the  emanations  and  beamings-forth  of  God's  attributes, 
neither  so  as  to  have  their  hearts  affected  with  them  nor  their  lives 
conformed  to  them,  they  are  said  to  dishonor  God.  Not  that  any, 
the  most  boisterous  sinners  that  are,  can  invade  his  essence,  or  rend 
away  any  of  his  infinite  perfections  from  him :  this  glory  they 
cannot  eclipse,  for  it  shines  eternally  in  the  same  luster  ;  but  they 
do  really  eclipse  his  declarative  glory.    Which  yet  is  a  greater 


624 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


wrong  done  to  themselves,  than  to  him :  for,  as  the  sun  is  still  full 
of  light  in  itself,  when  yet  we  see  it  under  an  eclipse  hy  the  moon's 
interposing  between  us  and  it,  which  indeed  is  not  properly  so  much 
an  eclipse  of  the  sun  as  of  the  earth ;  so  the  glory  of  God  is  ob- 
scured aud  eclipsed  by  the  wickedness  of  men  :  not  that  his  essen- 
tial glory  is  at  all  prejudiced,  for  this  retains  the  same  tenor  of 
light  and  luster  forever ;  but  that  they  observe  not,  they  admire  not 
the  bright  discoveries  of  his  glorious  attributes :  and  so  they  dis- 
honor him,  not  by  depriving  God  of  any  perfection  ;  but  themselves, 
whose  highest  perfection  and  the  end  of  whose  being  it  is,  to  adore 
God,  and  to  be  made  conformable  unto  him. 

And  thus  you  see  what  it  is  to  glorify  God.  It  is  to  make  him 
glorious  :  and  that,  not  by  the  addition  of  any  new  glory  to  him ; 
but  only  by  declaring  that  glory,  which  eternally  and  unchangeably 
is  in  him. 

ii.  The  second  thing  to  be  inquired  into,  is,  How  WE  ought  to 

GLORIFY  GOD. 

The  disquisition  of  this  will  both  receive  light  from,  and  add 
light  unto,  what  went  before. 

Now,  here,  that  we  may  have  right  and  clear  apprehensions  of  a 
duty,  that  is  so  vastly  comprehensive,  and  indeed  the  whole  duty  of 
man,  Ave  must  remember  that  all  our  glorifying  of  God  is  only  in 
relation  to  his  essential  attributes,  which  are  properly  and  really 
his  glory. 

And,  therefore,  two  things  are  here  to  be  done. 

To  show  you  what  these  essential  attributes  are.  And, 

How  they  may  be  glorified  by  us. 

1.  The  essential  attributes  of  God  are  many ;  which,  though  they 
differ  according  to  our  manner  of  conception  and  expression,  yet 
are  all  really  the  same  nature  and  essence  in  God. 

I  shall  mention  only  those,  which  are  most  conspicuous,  and 
which  we  have  most  frequent  occasion  in  the  course  of  our  lives  to 
glorify.  And  such  are  these  seven  following :  Purity  and  Holiness, 
Power  and  Sovereignty,  Mercy  and  Goodness,  Equity  and  Justice, 
Wisdom  and  Omniscience,  Immensity  and  Omnipresence,  Truth 
and  Veracity.  There  are,  indeed,  many  more ;  as  Eternity,  Un- 
changeableness,  Simplicity,  and  Oneness,  &c. ;  but  of  these,  because 
they  are  not  so  conversant  about  human  affairs,  I  shall  not  now 
particularly  speak. 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


625 


2.  These  attributes  may  be  glorified,  iu  general,  two  ways ;  either 
by  adoration,  or  else  by  declaration. 

(1)  "We  ought  to  glorify  God  by  a  most  humble  and  devout 
adoration  of  his  infinite  attributes  and  perfections. 

Seriously  to  ponder  them  in  our  hearts,  to  consider  their  beauty 
and  excellence,  to  admire  those  expressions  of  them  which  God  is 
pleased  to  vouchsafe  us ;  and,  when  we  see  any  notable  instance, 
either  of  the  divine  power,  or  wisdom,  or  goodness,  or  justice  in 
the  dispensations  of  his  providence,  then  to  prostrate  ourselves  in 
the  most  humble  veneration  of  our  souls,  and  ascribe  it  unto  God, 
acknowledging  that  his  perfections  are  gloriously  discovered  in 
those  effects,  and  with  ravished  and  inflamed  hearts  singing  unto 
him  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb,  Rev.  xv.  3 ;  "  Great  and 
marvelous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty :  just  and  true  are 
thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  0  Lord, 
and  glorify  thy  name  ?  for  thou  only  art  holy :"  this  is  to  glorify 
God.  And,  not  only  thus  to  observe  and  to  acknowledge  the 
appearance  of  God's  attributes,  but  to  have  our  affections  likewise 
suited  and  proportioned  to  them ;  as,  when  God  displays  his  dread 
justice  and  severity,  either  against  ourselves  or  others,  then  to  fear 
and  tremble  before  him  ;  when  he  magnifies  the  riches  of  his  mercy 
and  goodness,  to  rejoice  and  praise  his  holy  name ;  .and  so,  in  the 
like  instances,  which  I  intend  more  particularly  to  prosecute  here 
after :  this  reverend  observing  of  the  manifestations  of  God's  attri 
butes  and  conforming  our  affections  proportionably  unto  them,  is 
one  chief  spiritual  method  of  glorifying  God,  whereby  we  do 
secretly,  yet  effectually,  advance  his  honor  in  the  inmost  retire- 
ments and  recesses  of  a  devout  soul. 

(2)  There  is  another  way  of  glorifying  God ;  and  that  is,  by 
declaration  of  his  infinite  perfections. 

And  this  is  twofold ;  either  by  our  words,  or  by  our  works. 

[1]  We  ought  to  glorify  God,  by  declaring  his  attributes  in  our 
words  and  discourses ;  setting  forth  his  holiness,  wisdom,  power, 
justice,  in  the  most  serious  and  affecting  manner  that  we  are  able, 
so  as  to  beget  a  high  and  honorable  esteem  of  them  in  those  that 
hear  us. 

And,  therefore,  1  Pet.  iv.  11,  the  Apostle  exhorts  us,  but  espe- 
cially ministers,  "  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles 

of  God  that  God,  in  all  things,  may  be  glorified."    Hence,  David 

often  calls  his  tongue  his  glory :  Ps.  lvii.  8  ;  "  Awake  up,  my 
glory  :  awake,  psaltery  and  harp  :"  and,  Ps.  cviii.  1 ;  "  I  will  sing 
and  give  praise,  even  with  my  glory."    And  why  is  this  member 
Vol.  II.— 40 


fi26 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


especially  called  our  glory,  but  because  it  is  the  fittest  instrument 
for  our  glorifying  of  God  ?  "  Therewith  bless  we  God,  even  the 
Father,"  saith  the  Apostle :  James  iii.  9. 

And  this,  indeed,  is  the  glory  of  our  glory,  and  the  crown  of  our 
excellence,  when  we  employ  so  noble  a  part  in  so  noble  a  work ; 
still  to  be  celebrating  his  name,  and  setting  forth  his  praise.  And, 
indeed,  what  more  excellent  theme  can  there  be  for  our  discourse, 
than  God  ?  a  theme,  that  will  more  adorn  and  beautify  our  Ian 
guage,  than  that  can  adorn  and  extol  him  :  a  theme,  that  can  ne  ver 
be  exhausted ;  but,  the  more  we  speak  of  God,  still  the  more  we 
may,  new  discoveries  still  emerging  and  rising  up  to  our  admiring 
view.  And,  whilst  we  affectionately  endeavor  to  exalt  the  majesty, 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God  in  our  discourses,  if  we  speak 
not  more  elegantly,  yet  certainly  we  shall  speak  more  pertinently 
and  to  the  purpose,  than  the  most  florid  trifler  that  abuseth  a  great 
deal  of  wit  and  rhetoric  about  toys  and  nothings.  This  kind  of 
holy  and  serious  speech  will  advance  us  as  much  above  the 
CDmmon  rank  and  pitch  of  other  men,  as  speech  itself  doth  advance 
man  above  the  condition  of  brute  beasts. 

And  yet,  alas  1  how  many  are  there,  that  turn  this  their  glory 
into  shame ;  whose  tongues  are  rather  sponges  to  wipe  out  and 
deface  the  glory  of  God,  than  pencils  to  delineate  and  express  it ! 
who  scarce  ever  speak  of  God,  but  in  an  oath  ;  nor  make  mention 
of  his  name,  but  when  they  curse  and  ban  by  it !  Their  black 
mouths  are  full  of  the  soot  of  hell,  and  their  tongues  set  on  firo 
of  those  infernal  flames.  They  seem  to  have  already  learnt  the 
language  of  hell ;  and  are  well  fitted,  forever  to  converse  with 
those  damned  wretches,  who  have  no  other  use  of  God,  but  only  to 
blaspheme  and  curse  him.  And,  to  their  own  shall  they  go :  and, 
forever  blaspheme,  out  of  the  exquisite  anguish  of  their  torments ; 
as  here  they  did,  out  of  mere  gallantry  and  humor. 

Others,  again,  though  they  neither  whet  nor  draw  their  tongues 
against  God,  yet  are  they  very  shy  of  speaking  either  of  him  or 
ibr  him ;  and  would  rather  make  any  thing  the  subject  of  their 
discourse,  than  that  God,  who  hath  endowed  them  with  so  excel- 
lent a  faculty.  Hence,  how  much  time,  how  much  converse  is 
lost  among  men;  whilst  idle  tales  and  raillery,  and  such  like  un- 
ooncerning  vanities,  busy  their  minds  and  tongues :  and  no  man 
thinks  or  speaks  of  that  God,  who  is  intimately  present  with 
them,  and  one  of  the  company  !  So  that  we  may  very  justly  take 
up  that  complaint  of  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  xii.  2  ;  "  They  speak  vanity 
every  one  with  his  neighbor." 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


627 


There  is,  indeed,  a  great  deal  of  Christian  prudence  and  discre 
tion  requisite  in  this  particular.  For,  as  the  amiableness  of  al) 
duties  consists  in  the  right  timing  and  placing  of  them,  so  espe- 
cially of  this  holy  and  spiritual  discourse.  And,  therefore,  Solo- 
mon tells  us,  Prov.  xxv.  11,  that  "a  word,  fitly  spoken,  is  like 
apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver :"  and,  there  is  a  time  when 
the  prudent  should  keep  silence :  Amos  v.  13.  Indeed,  the  men- 
tion of  the  great  God  ought  not  to  be  trivially  made ;  nor,  by  an 
imprudent  zeal,  importunely  and  abruptly  crowded  in,  when  we 
may  rationally  conclude  it  will  be  so  far  from  glorifying  of  God, 
as  only  to  create  a  contempt  and  nauseating  in  the  hearers. 

However,  a  man,  that  is  spiritually  skillful  in  this  affair,  will 
watch  his  opportunities :  and,  if  he  hath  been  exercised  in  this 
holy  art,  it  is  very  seldom,  that,  in  a  long  converse,  he  should  fail 
of  a  fit  occasion  pertinently  to  introduce  heavenly  discourse ;  and 
make  that  which  began,  perhaps,  about  poor  earthly  affairs,  yet  to 
end  in  God,  and  the  contemplations  and  praises  of  his  eternal 
attributes :  for  somewhat  of  God  is  considerable  in  every  thing  of 
which  we  can  speak,  either  his  power,  or  wisdom,  or  goodness.  It 
should  be  our  care,  not  to  lodge,  but  only  to  bait  our  thoughts  and 
our  discourses  at  creatures,  and  so  quickly  pass  through  them  unto 
God :  only  let  the  hints  be  taken  wisely  and  seasonably.  Indeed 
our  discourses  should  be  like  Jacob's  ladder :  though  the  bottom 
of  them  stand  upon  the  earth,  yet  the  top  of  them  should  reach 
into  heaven.  We  find  our  Saviour  very  frequent  in  this  practice, 
still  taking  occasion  from  the  things  of  this  world  to  waft  over  his 
discourse  to  things  of  another  world.  What  a  most  excellent 
spiritual  discourse  doth  he  draw  out  of  Jacob's  well,  John  iv. ! 
And,  now  again,  by  a  miracle  of  his  wisdom,  as  once  before  by  a 
miracle  of  his  power,  he  turns  water  into  wine :  so,  from  common 
and  ordinary  bread,  he  takes  occasion  to  set  before  them,  and 
to  break  unto  them  "the  bread  of  life:"  John  vi.  And  herein 
every  true  Christian  should  be  piously  ingenious;  to  take  his 
advantage  from  earthly  occurrences,  to  transfer  his  thoughts  and 
discourse  to  those  attributes  of  God,  which  appear  most  conspicu- 
ous and  illustrious  in  them.  Thus,  if  any  discourse  happen  con- 
cerning any  wonderful  revolutions  in  the  affairs  of  the  world,  how 
easy  and  how  natural  is  it  to  slide  off  from  this,  into  the  serious 
consideration  of  the  infinite  wisdom  and  sovereignty  of  God,  in 
guiding  and  governing  all  things  here  below,  according  to  his 
eternal  and  immutable  counsels !  If  it  be  concerning  any  remark 
able  and  exemplary  plague  brought  upon  a  wicked  person  or 


628 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


people,  doth  not  this  naturally  prompt  us  to  speak  of  the  divine 
justice  and  the  strict  severity  of  God,  who  will  certainly  cause 
men's  sins  to  find  them  out  ?  If  it  be  of  any  prosperous  success 
or  blessing  bestowed  upon  his  church,  or  any  particular  person 
who  is  a  sincere  and  upright  servant  of  God,  doth  not  this  ad- 
minister to  us  a  fair  and  pertinent  occasion  to  magnify  the  infinite 
mercy  of  God,  who  will  not  suffer  virtue  and  piety  to  lie  always 
unregarded,  but  sometimes  will  as  conspicuously  own  it  in  this 
world,  as  he  will  gloriously  crown  it  in  the  world  to  come?  So,  I 
say,  there  is  scarce  any  thing  of  which  we  can  discourse,  but  the 
divine  attributes  are  so  interwoven  and  appear  so  plainly  in  it, 
that  we  may  thence  take  very  obvious  hints  to  raise  our  medita- 
tions and  discourses  unto  heavenly  objects. 

That  is  the  first  way  of  glorifying  God,  by  declaring  his  glory 
in  our  words  and  discourses. 

[2]  There  is  another  way  of  glorifying  him ;  and  that  is,  by  our 
works  and  actions. 

And,  indeed,  this  is  the  chief  and  principal  way  of  glorifying 
God ;  and  that,  which  is  the  most  free  from  suspicion  of  guilt  and 
hypocrisy.  We  may  flourish  over  the  attributes  of  God,  with 
many  excellent  notions  and  expressions  of  them :  yet  all  other  ex- 
pressions may  prove  deceitful ;  but  those,  which  are  made  in  men's 
lives.  Hence  it  is,  that  our  Saviour  instructs  us  in  the  most 
effectual  course  to  promote  the  glory  of  God :  Mat.  v.  16 ;  "  Let 
your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven ;"  and  John  xv. 
8;  "Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit." 
Many  empty,  talkative  professors  there  may  possibly  be,  who 
would  fain  pass  for  trees  of  righteousness  and  plants  of  renown ; 
and  yet  bear  nothing  but  leaves,  an  external  show  and  a  flourish- 
ing outside :  these  they  wear  for  their  own  ostentation  and  glory ; 
but  are  wholly  deficient  in  that,  which  is  most  conducive  to  the 
glory  of  God,  "the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are  by  Jesus  Christ  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God:" 
Phil.  i.  11. 

This,  therefore,  being  the  chief  way  of  glorifying  God,  setting 
forth  and  declaring  his  attributes  by  our  works  and  actions,  I  shall 
the  more  largely  insist  on  it. 

Now  there  are  two  ways,  in  general,  to  glorify  the  divine  attri- 
butes by  our  actions. 

First,  by  conforming  ourselves  to  the  likeness  and  similitude  of 
them. 


IN  HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


629 


And  tli is  we  ought  to  do,  in  respect  to  the  communicable  attri- 
butes of  God's  nature :  such  as  his  holiness,  and  mercy,  and  jus- 
tice, and  wisdom,  and  truth.  These  are  called  communicable 
attributes,  because  they  may  be,  in  some  respect  and  measure, 
found  also  in  the  creatures.  And,  to  endeavor  a  resemblance  to 
God  in  these,  is  the  tendency  of  grace  in  us,  and  the  effect  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  making  us  in  this  sense  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature.  And,  the  more  perfectly  we  transcribe  our  original,  the 
more  lively  these  lineaments  of  God  are  portrayed  upon  the  soul, 
the  more  do  we  thereby  glorify  him :  for  it  is  his  honor  to  be 
imitated,  in  what  is  inimitable  by  us.  Certainly,  it  is  a  sign  that 
we  love  and  esteem  whatsoever  we  strive  and  endeavor  to  resem- 
ble :  and  count  that  excellent  and  perfect,  which  we  would  have 
found  in  ourselves :  and,  therefore,  as  it  is  a  pleasure  to  any  man, 
to  observe  others  how  they  eye  and  imitate  his  actions,  because  it 
is  a  testimony  of  honor  and  respect  which  they  give  him  ;  so  is  it 
a  delight  to  God,  to  observe  the  endeavors  of  a  holy  soul  in  imi- 
tating his  perfections,  for  this  is  a  sign  and  evidence  that  they  do 
highly  venerate  them. 

Secondly.  We  glorify  God,  by  performing  those  duties  unto 
which  his  attributes  oblige  us. 

For  there  are  many  incommunicable  attributes  of  God,  the  imi- 
tation of  which  it  were  impiety  or  folly  for  us  to  attempt.  Such 
are  his  absolute  eternity,  both  before  and  after  all  time  :  his  infinity 
and  immensity,  filling  all  places,  yea  infinitely  exceeding  all :  the 
perfect  simplicity  of  his  nature,  his  immutability  and  unchangeable- 
ness,  and  his  independence  and  self-sufficiency.  In  none  of  these, 
can  we  be  like  unto  God.  Yet  these  proper  and  incommunicable 
attributes  enforce  and  lay  upon  us  many  duties,  by  the  conscien- 
tious performance  of  which  we  ought  to  glorify  God :  for  we  are 
bound  to  glorify  him,  not  only  in  his  holiness,  and  justice,  and 
goodness;  but  in  his  eternity,  unchangeableness,  omnipotence,  and 
omniscience,  although  indeed  in  a  different  manner.  The  former 
we  ought  to  glorify,  by  conforming  ourselves  to  them  :  the  latter 
we  ought  to  glorify,  by  performing  the  duties  unto  which  they 
oblige  us. 

Let  us  therefore  consider,  in  particular,  how  we  ought  to  glorify 
God  in  several  of  his  attributes. 

1st.  I  shall  begin  with  his  holiness  and  purity. 
This  is  an  attribute,  than  which  none  is  more  frequently  ascribed 
unto  God  in  Scripture:  "the  Holy  God,"  and  "the  Holy  One  of 


630 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


Israel."  Yea  it  is  spoken  of,  as  if  all  the  rays  of  God's  glory  were 
contracted  into  this  one  attribute  :  "  glorious  in  holiness  :"  Exod. 
xv.  11.  And,  therefore,  if  God  accounts  his  holiness  his  most 
shining  and  illustrious  attribute,  it  is  but  reasonable  that  we  should 
glorify  him  in  that,  wherein  he  esteems  himself  most  glorious  :  for 
what  is  it  to  glorify  God,  but  to  express  how  glorious  he  is  ?  And 
shall  we  not  therefore  especially  glorify  him  in  that,  wherein  he  is 
most  glorious  ? 

If,  then,  you  would  glorify  God  in  his  holiness,  you  must  do  it 
by  being  conformable  to  it.  This  is  no  arrogance,  nor  proud  pre- 
sumption ;  but  your  stated  duty :  for  God  hath  prefixed  his  holi- 
ness, as  the  example  and  motive  of  yours.  So  "we  have  it,  Lev.  xi. 
4A  •  "  Ye  shall  be  holy,  for  I  am  holy :"  which  is  again  repeated 
and  pressed  upon  them,  chap.  xix.  2,  and  chap.  xx.  7 ;  "Ye  shall 
be  holy  :  for  I  the  Lord  your  God  am  holy  :"  which  the  Apostle 
likewise  quotes  and  transcribes,  1  Pet.  i.  15,  16;  "As  he,  which 
hath  called  you,  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion :  as  it  is  written,  be  ye  holy ;  for  I  am  holy." 

(1st)  Now  the  true  notion  of  holiness,  is  a  separation  from  all 
sin  and  impurity. 

This  is  the  holiness  of  God ;  in  whose  most  pure  essence  there 
is  not  the  least  shadow  of  any  thing  that  is  culpable,  nor  can  there 
be.  And  this  holiness  thou  oughtest  to  glorify,  by  resembling- 
it  as  perfectly  as  thy  finite  human  nature  can  bear  so  bright  an 
impress. 

[1st]  Other  attributes  of  God  may  be  glorified,  whether  thou 
wilt  or  no. 

He  hath  glorified  his  Almighty  power,  in  creating  this  great 
world  out  of  nothing.  He  hath  glorified  his  wisdom,  in  the  beau- 
tiful order  and  harmonious  government  of  the  world ;  conducting 
all  things  sweetly  and  powerfully,  by  his  own  counsels,  to  his  own 
ends.  He  hath  glorified  his  goodness,  by  spreading  a  bountiful  table 
for  all  living  things,  and  richly  providing  for  all  their  necessities. 
These  and  other  of  his  attributes  he  hath  abundantly  glorified  :  and 
he  might  have  so  done,  although  mankind  had  never  been  created ; 
but  the  earth  had  been  only  filled  with  brute  creatures,  and  heaven 
with  angels  to  observe  them.  But,  there  is  no  method  to  glorify  his 
holiness  here  below,  which  he  accounts  the  chiefest  part  of  his 
glory,  and  the  most  precious  jewel  in  his  diadem ;  no  method  I 
say  to  glorify  this,  but  only  by  our  being  holy  and  pure,  in  con- 
formity to  his  holiness.  And,  what !  wilt  thou  suffer  God's  chief 
glory  to  lie  obscure  and  neglected?    Shall  he  be  glorified  in  every 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


631 


attribute  and  perfection  of  his  nature,  but  only  that  wherein  he  is 
most  transcendently  glorious  ? 

[2dly]  Thou  ownest  and  acknovvledgest  thyself  to  be  God's  :  at 
least  I  am  sure  thou  wouldest  willingly  be  found  so  at  the  last  and 
great  day. 

And,  what !  dost  thou  think  that  God  will  claim  thee  to  be 
his,  when  thou  wearest  the  devil's  mark  and  brand  upon  thee  ? 
Whose  image  and  superscription  dost  thou  bear  ?  God's  image, 
by  which  he  knows  his  own,  is  holiness  stamped  upon  them.  God 
doth,  as  it  were,  strike  a  tally,  when  he  sanctifies  any  soul :  he 
communicates  his  holiness  to  it ;  and,  in  that,  his  image  and  simili- 
tude :  nor  will  he  own  that  person,  at  the  last  day,  who  cannot 
produce  this  token,  this  tally,  and  prove  himself  to  be  God's  by  his 
conformity  unto  him.  Now,  O  sinner,  thou,  that  wallowest  in  the 
filth  of  all  manner  of  pollutions,  canst  thou  ever  hope  to  be  owned 
by  God,  as  one  of  his,  when  thou  retainest  all  the  characters  of 
the  devil  deeply  imprinted  on  thee  ?  What  badge,  what  cogni- 
zance hast  thou,  to  make  it  known  that  thou  art  God's  ?  A  human 
nature,  gospel  ordinances,  and  privileges  ?  And  so  have  thousands 
had,  who  are  now  in  hell.  Wherein  is  thy  likeness  and  similitude 
unto  God  ?  Possibly,  thou  resemblest  him  in  thy  knowledge  and 
understanding ;  and  hast  a  great  measure  of  wisdom  and  prudence 
bestowed  upon  thee:  possibly,  thou  resemblest  him  in  power  and 
authority ;  and  he  hath  stamped  that  part  of  his  image  upon  thee, 
exalting  thee  in  dignity  and  honor  above  others :  possibly,  thou 
resemblest  him  likewise  in  thy  beneficence ;  and  art  kind  and 
charitable,  and  helpful  to  those  who  stand  in  need  of  thee.  It  is 
well.  But,  yet,  this  is  not  that  image,  that  God  will  own  thee  by. 
He  requires  a  nearer  resemblance  of  himself,  in  thy  holiness  and 
purity ;  and,  whatsoever  else  thou  mayest  think  to  produce  will 
stand  thee  in  no  stead ;  for,  "  without  holiness,  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord." 

(2dly)  Now,  holiness  and  purity  expresseth  itself  against  sin  two 
ways :  in  the  hatred  of,  and  in  the  flight  from  it. 

[1st]  Therefore  glorify  God  in  his  holiness,  abhorring  and  hating 
every  sin.  Hate  it,  wheresoever  it  is  found;  but,  especially,  in 
thyself.  Hate  it,  in  others :  hate  their  vices,  but  yet  love  their 
persons ;  both  which  thou  wilt  best  perform,  if  thou  laborest  by 
rebukes,  exhortations,  admonitions,  and  counsels,  to  destroy  sin 
in  them.  But,  especially,  hate  it  in  thyself:  for,  certainly,  if  thou 
hatest  a  toad  or  a  serpent  wherever  it  be,  thou  hast  more  reason  to 
hate  it  crawling  in  thine  own  bosom. 


632 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


[2(11)-]  Eschew  and  avoid  all  sin  for  the  future ;  yea,  all  the  ap- 
pearances, and  all  the  occasions  of  it.  Dread  nothing  so  much  as 
a  polluted,  denied  conscience. 

And,  whilst  thou  thus  sincerely  endeavorest  to  keep  thy  soul 
pure  and  spotless,  thou  may  est,  with  unspeakable  joy,  expect  that 
God  will  glorify  his  mercy  upon  thee,  who  thus  glorifiest  his  holi- 
ness in  thyself. 

2dly.  Another  attribute  of  God,  which  we  ought  especially  to 
glorify,  is  his  mercy  and  goodness. 

Indeed,  these  two  words,  of  mercy  and  goodness,  are  often  pro- 
miscuously used,  to  signify  one  and  the  same  gracious  disposition 
of  God  towards  his  creatures.  Yet,  if  we  more  accurately  consider 
it,  there  seems  to  be  this  difference  between  them :  that  goodness 
is  of  a  much  larger  extent  and  latitude  than  mercy.  For  mercy, 
properly,  denotes  misery  in  the  object  towards  which  it  is  ex- 
pressed :  but  goodness  may  be  as  well  expressed  towards  the 
happy,  as  towards  the  wretched  and  miserable.  It  was  an  effect 
of  God's  infinite  goodness,  to  create  the  world ;  to  continue  the 
glorious  angels  in  that  blessed  estate,  in  which  they  now  stand  ;  to 
preserve  the  frame  of  nature  in  its  course,  and  every  creature  in 
its  being :  but  this  is  not  properly  called  mercy  ;  because  it  doth 
not  suppose  any  antecedent  misery,  from  which  it  frees  and  res- 
cues them.  Briefly,  therefore,  those  free  and  gratuitous  favors, 
which  God  bestows  upon  his  creatures,  if  they  were  wretched 
before,  are  expressions  of  his  mercy ;  if  they  were  not  wretched, 
are  expressions  of  his  goodness :  and  therefore,  our  creation  and 
preservation  are  properly  effects  of  the  divine  goodness,  because 
these  benefits  do  not  suppose  us  lying  under  any  misery,  nor  do 
they  deliver  us  out  of  it ;  but  our  redemption  and  salvation  are 
effects  of  the  divine  mercy  properly  so  called,  because  these  are 
conferred  upon  us  when  we  were  lost,  ruined,  and  undone,  with  a 
purpose  to  deliver  us  from  that  abyss  of  woe  and  misery  into  which 
we  had  plunged  ourselves.  But,  because  the  acts,  both  of  God's 
mercy  and  goodness,  are  one  and  the  same,  being  only  modified 
according  to  the  divers  considerations  of  their  objects,  therefore 
we  may  well  treat  of  them  as  one  and  the  same  attribute  in  the 
divine  nature. 

Now  this  merciful  goodness  of  God  is  one  of  the  most  radiant 
and  sparkling  gems  in  his  crown :  and,  when  God  would  be  seen 
by  us  in  all  his  state  and  splendor,  he  arrays  himself  with  this 
attribute.    And,  therefore,  when  Moses  had  attained  such  holy 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


633 


freedom  with  God  as  to  entreat  him  to  show  him  his  glory, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  18,  it  is  remarkable  that  God  condescends  to  his  re- 
quest, and  tells  him,  v.  19:  "I  will  make  all  my  goodness  pass 
before  thee :"  he  grants  bis  position  ;  but  withal  informs  him,  that 
he  could  not  see  his  essential  glory,  for  that  is  too  dazzling  an 
object  for  frail  and  mortal  eyes  to  bear :  "  Thou  canst  not  see  my 
face:  for  there  shall  no  man  see  me,  and  live:'"  v.  20.  But  when 
God  would  show  himself  in  the  brightest  and  most  illustrious  glory 
that  a  mortal  man  can  behold,  he  selects  out  and  puts  on  this  attri- 
bute of  his  goodness  :  and,  accordingly,  ch.  xxxiv.  6,  he  passeth  by 
in  pomp,  and  magnificently  proclaims  his  name,  "The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God  :"  What !  the  Lord  God  great  and  terrible,  that  formed 
all  things  by  the  word  of  his  mouth,  and  can  destroy  all  things 
by  the  breath  of  his  nostrils  ?  that  rides  upon  the  wings  of  the 
wind,  and  makes  the  clouds  the  dust  of  his  feet  ?  that  rends  the 
mountains  in  sunder,  and  makes  the  hills  shrink  from  his  presence  ? 
that  overturneth  kingdoms,  and  brings  decreed  destruction  upon  all 
the  beauty  and  stability  of  mundane  affairs  ?  No :  though  God  be 
very  glorious  in  these  expressions  of  his  power  and  majesty ;  yet 
this  is  not  that  name,  which  he  -chiefly  delights  to  honor :  but, 
"The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering, 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth  ;  Keeping  mercy  for  thousands  ; 
forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin." 

Thus  you  see  God  owns  his  mercy  and  goodness,  as  his  dearest 
attribute  and  his  peculiar  glory :  he  seems,  as  it  were,  to  esteem 
and  value  himself  upon  it :  and  therefore,  certainly,  we  ought  to 
glorify  him  in  that,  wherein  he  accounts  himself  so  glorious. 

But  how  may  we  glorify  God  in  his  mercy  and  goodness  ? 

I  answer,  these  four  ways. 

(1st)  By  endeavoring  to  assimilate  ourselves  unto  it ;  laboring 
after  an  universal  goodness,  in  all  our  converse  and  demeanor. 

Then  is  God's  goodness  glorified,  when  we  endeavor  to  transcribe 
and  copy  it  forth  in  ourselves.  Every  true  Christian  ought  to  be 
so  deeply  tinctured  with  the  serious  consideration  of  the  mercy  and 
goodness  of  God,  till  he  is  transformed  into  the  very  image  and 
likeness  of  it.  This  will  render  it  visible  and  conspicuous  unto 
men.  How  should  we  know  that  the  sun  is  so  bright  and  glorious 
a  creature,  if  the  air  were  not  all  strewed  and  powdered  with  its 
light  ?  Our  eyes  discern  the  light  of  the  sun,  by  the  light  of  the 
air  through  which  it  diffuses  and  scatters  its  rays,  and  turns  all  that 
vast  body  into  light  and  splendor. 

And  so,  truly,  when  thou  thyself  art  turned  into  mercy  and 


634 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


goodness,  others  will  behold  the  mere}-  and  goodness  of  God  shining 
forth  in  thee,  and  be  induced  to  give  God  the  glory.  And  that, 
upon  a  double  account : 

First.  "Whilst  thou  art  beneficent  and  good  to  others,  they  cannot 
but  gratefully  acknowledge  the  mercy  of  God,  in  so  sweetly  dis- 
posing and  inclining  thy  heart  to  those  actions  of  love  and  kindness 
towards  them. 

And,  indeed,  this  thou  oughtest  to  propound  to  thyself  as  thy 
utmost  end,  in  all  the  offices  of  charity  and  humanity  that  thou  dost 
unto  others,  that  God  may  have  the  praise  and  glory  of  all.  And, 
therefore,  if  thou  relievest  the  poor,  or  rescuest  the  oppressed,  or 
remittest  thy  due  to  those  whom  a  rigorous  exacting  of  it  would  ruin, 
and  dost  it  with  an  intent  that  thou  thyself  mayest  be  praised  and 
extolled  for  it,  and  not  God ;  this  is  so  far  from  being  charity,  that 
it  is  sacrilege  :  for  all  mercy  and  compassion  in  us,  is  but  the  mercy 
of  God  communicating  itself  to  others  through  us ;  as  all  light  in 
the  air,  is  but  the  light  of  the  sun  shining  through  it.  And,  there- 
fore all  the  good  thou  dost  or  canst  do,  thou  dost  it  upon  God's 
stock ;  and,  certainly,  if  thou  employest  his  stock,  it  is  but  reason 
that  he  should  have  the  interest ;  which  if  thou  withholdest  from 
him,  and  assumest  to  thyself,  thou  robbest  God  of  his  right ;  and, 
whilst  thou  art  bountiful  in  communicating  his  goodness  unto 
others,  thou  art  likewise  unjust  in  taking  his  praise  and  glory  to 
thyself.  It  is  a  most  commendable  piety  in  those,  who,  when 
they  have  given  alms  to  relieve  the  bodily  necessities  of  the  poor, 
have  likewise  given  a  better  alms  to  their  souls,  in  exhorting  them 
not  so  much  to  thank  them  but  God,  who  hath  both  enabled  and 
inclined  them  to  do  it.  And,  indeed,  though  we  are  bound  to 
acknowledge  and  respect  those,  who  have  been  kind  and  munificent 
to  us ;  yet  we  ought  especially  to  bless  and  praise  God,  who  hath 
inspired  and  moved  them  to  those  actions,  and  derived  his  uni- 
versal and  extended  goodness  through  them  unto  us :  this  is  the 
way  to  make  their  goodness  glorify  God's  goodness,  when  we  take 
notice  how  the  mercy  of  God  appears  in  their  mercy  to  us :  and 
therefore  it  is  remarkable,  when  Jacob  addresseth  himself  unto 
Esau,  and  had  found  favor  in  his  sight,  he  tells  him,  Gen.  xxxiii. 
10 ;  "  I  have  seen  thy  face,  as  though  I  had  seen  the  face  of  God, 
and  thou  wast  pleased  with  me :"  that  is,  in  the  courteous  and 
reconciled  countenance  of  his  brother,  he  discerned  the  favor  and 
gracious  dealing  of  God  with  him.  So  should  we  say,  when  we 
partake  of  any  benefit  or  goodness  from  men :  "  In  such  a  one's 
goodness,  I  have  seen  the  goodness  of  God:  in  his  bounty,  I  have 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


635 


seen  the  bounty  of  God."  And  thus,  by  assimilating  ourselves 
unto  God  in  this  attribute,  we  shall  give  occasion  to  grateful  and 
considerate  persons  frequently  to  make  such  reflections,  which  will 
highly  conduce  to  his  praise  and  glory. 

Secondly.  Showing  mercy  and  doing  good  unto  others  will 
glorify  God,  as  it  may  cause  them  to  reflect,  that,  if  there  be  so 
much  goodness  in  a  creature,  how  infinitely  more  is  there  then  in 
the  Creator. 

This  is  a  rational  and  easy  inference,  which  those,  who  are  any 
way  ingenuous,  cannot  fail  to  make  when  they  behold  that  benevo- 
lence, and  bounty,  and  readiness  to  help  and  assist  others,  which 
appears  in  you.  And,  therefore,  saith  our  Saviour,  Mat.  v.  16 : 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  We  shall 
thus  glorify  him,  by  giving  others  a  happy  occasion  to  conclude, 
that,  if  there  be  so  much  mercy  and  goodness  in  the  creature,  then 
certainly  there  is  infinitely  more  in  God  himself:  if  a  river  pours 
forth  such  abundance  of  waters  to  refresh  the  dry  and  parched 
earth,  how  boundless  must  the  treasury  of  the  great  deep  be,  from 
whence,  as  Solomon  tells  us,  they  are  all  supplied !  Now  think 
with  thyself,  0  Christian !  what  a  vast  sum  and  revenue  of  glory 
will  come  in  to  God,  when,  by  thy  beneficence  and  liberality,  thou 
shalt  give  a  worthy  occasion  of  extolling  his ;  and,  though  thou 
canst  resemble  it  but  in  part,  according  to  the  stinted  measures  of 
thy  finite  nature  and  ability,  yet  shalt  glorify  it  entirely,  by  caus- 
ing others  to  adore  the  infinite  riches  of  it  in  the  divine  nature. 

Now  that  our  mercy  and  goodness  may  be  like  unto  God's,  it 
must  have  in  it  these  four  qualifications. 

[1st]  It  must  be  a  general  goodness,  universally  respecting  all. 

For  God's  is  so.  Ps.  cxlv.  16;  "Thou  openest  thy  hand,  and 
satisfiest  the  desire  of  every  living  thing."  He  spreadeth  his 
cherishing  wings  over  all  the  creation ;  and,  with  his  rich  bounty, 
rejoiceth  all  the  works  of  his  hands.  And,  if  thou  wilt  glorify 
him,  thou  must  act  proportionably  within  thy  sphere  ;  and  do  good 
unto  all,  according  to  the  opportunities  and  abilities  that  God  hath 
bestowed  upon  thee :  thy  mercy  is  not  like  God's  if  thou  sufferest 
any,  who  make  their  applications  to  thee,  and  whom  thou  canst 
relieve,  to  go  away  with  the  pressure  of  their  wants  and  necessities 
upon  them.  And,  as  though  this  field  were  not  large  enough  for 
the  exercise  of  our  mercy,  and  mankind  were  too  few  for  us  to  do 
good  unto,  God  hath  required  that  we  should  show  mercy  and 
goodness  to  the  very  beasts;  Prov.  xii.  10:  "A  righteous  man 


636 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


regardeth  the  life  of  his  beast."  And,  so  far  doth  he  esteem  this 
sweet  and  compassionate  temper  in  us,  that  he  chooseth  rather  to 
dispense  with  his  own  immediate  service  and  worship,  than  to  hin- 
der us  from  any  opportunities  of  doing  good  to  any  creature  :  still 
preferring  mercy  before  sacrifice ;  and  accounting  the  life  of  one 
beast  saved,  a  more  acceptable  service,  than  the  death  of  many 
beasts  sacrificed. 

[2dly]  It  must  be  a  free,  undeserved  goodness,  to  be  like  unto 
God's.  " 

For  his  is  so.  Yea,  so  undeserved,  that  he  lays  it  forth  upon 
those,  who  have  deserved  his  wrath  and  vengeance:  "He  maketh 
his  sun  to  shine  on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth  ram  on  the 
just  and  on  the  unjust :"  Mat.  v.  45.  And,  if  we  would  glorify 
God  by  our  likeness  to  him  in  this  attribute,  our  goodness  must 
proceed  by  the  same  measures.  Possibly,  some  have  abused  and 
affronted  us  ;  and  now  it  is  in  our  power  to  revenge  ourselves  upon 
them :  but  know,  that  the  Divine  providence  hath  given  thee  an 
opportunity  for  revenge  ;  jet  the  Divine  mercy  requires  that  thou 
shouldst  not  only  forgive  the  injury,  but  requite  it  with  courtesies 
and  kind  offices :  thou  oughtest  not  to  diminish  the  least  part  of 
that  good,  which  thou  canst  do  them  ;  upon  consideration  of  wrongs 
and  contumelies,  which  thou  hast  received  from  them.  This,  in- 
deed, is  a  high  and  transcendent  pitch  of  goodness ;  yet  this  is  but 
that,  which  our  Saviour  very  instantly  presseth  upon  his  disciples, 
as  the  very  mark  and  badge  by  which  they  may  be  known  to  be 
the  children  of  God.    See  Mat.  v.  44 — ±8,  and  Luke  vi.  27—37. 

[3dly]  Our  goodness,  that  it  may  be  like  unto  God's,  must  be 
wholly  disinterested. 

We  must  not  carry  on  any  selfish  designs  by  it ;  nor  seem  to  do 
others  good,  but  really  intend  only  our  own  advantage  :  this  is  but 
to  make  a  benefit  a  bait,  which  whilst  others  take,  they  are  them- 
selves taken.  God's  gooduess  is  more  generous ;  expecting  no 
recompense  to  be  made :  for  how  can  we  be  profitable  to  him  ?  Or 
what  can  we  return  him,  that  is  not  his  own?  And,  although  his 
favors  towards  us  be  many  and  great,  yet  he  is  pleased  to  reckou 
that  we  acquit  ourselves  of  our  obligations,  if  we  return  him  but 
acknowledgment  and  praise.  And,  if  we  wuld  glorify  God,  such 
must  our  goodness  be.  Our  Saviour  hath  taught  us  to  scorn  that 
sordid  way  of  laying  snares  for  other  men's  courtesies,  by  ours  to 
them  :  Luke  xiv.  12,  13  ;  ''  "When  thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  supper, 

call  not  thy  rich  neighbors  ;  lest  they  also  bid  thee  again,  and  so  a 

recompense  be  made  thee."    And,  whosoever  he  be,  that  is  good 


IN    HIS    ATTRIBUTES.  637 

and  bountiful  to  others  upon  such  a  mean  design,  he  doth  but  barter 
and  truck  benefits,  not  bestow  them. 

[•ithly]  Our  goodness  must  be  discreet,  likewise :  and  though  it 
ought  to  be  universal,  it  must  be  discriminating  too :  for  even  God's 
is  so. 

He  doth  good  unto  all ;  yet  not  equally.  Some  there  are,  who 
pass  only  under  the  general  influences  of  his  common  bounty ;  and, 
though  he  give  a  liberal  allowance  to  these,  yet  he  bestows  the 
treasures  of  his  grace  and  mercy  and  the  inheritance  of  his  glory 
on  those,  who  are  the  excellent  ones,  and  whom  he  hath  made 
worthy ;  hence  God  is  said  to  be  "  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  espe- 
cially of  those  that  believe :"  1  Tim.  iv.  10.  And,  if  we  would 
glorify  God,  we  must  imitate  him  in  this  particular  also.  Though 
our  goodness  ought  to  be  general ;  and,  so  far  as  we  are  able,  we 
should  tread  where  God  hath  passed  on  before  us :  yet  we  ought, 
likewise,  to  put  a  difference,  as  he  hath  done  ;  and  to  make  a  deeper 
impression  of  our  charity  and  goodness  upon  some,  than  upon 
others.  Hence  the  Apostle  exhorts  us,  Gal.  vi.  10;  "As  we  have 
opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men,  especially  unto  them  who 
are  of  the  household  of  faith."  All,  that  are  in  want,  challenge 
relief  from  thee,  according  to  thine  ability :  but,  seest  thou  any, 
that  are  poor  in  outward  respects,  but  yet  rich  in  faith  ?  Thou  art 
obliged,  under  a  double  bond,  to  supply  and  provide  for  them ;  both 
as  they  are  partakers  of  the  same  common  human  nature,  and  much 
more  as  they  are  partakers  of  the  divine  and  heavenly  nature.  And 
fear  not,  lest  such  an  enlarged  bounty  and  goodness,  as  I  have  de- 
scribed to  you,  should  inevitably  ruin  and  beggar  you ;  for  Chris- 
tian prudence  must  here  dictate  to  you  the  measures  unto  which 
your  ability  can  extend :  the  only  danger  is,  lest  you  should  take 
them  too  short.  Nor  is  it  to  imitate  God,  if,  by  some  few  profuse 
acts  of  charity  (for  there  may  be  lavishness  even  in  this),  I  say, 
it  is  not  to  imitate  God,  if,  by  some  few  acts  of  charity,  you 
render  yourselves  incapable  of  doing  more :  for  God  is  good  unto 
us ;  yet  so,  as  he  still  keeps  the  stock  in  his  own  hands,  and  doth 
not  exhaust  himself  to  replenish  us :  but  sit  down,  and  impartial^ 
consider  what  is  necessary  for  thyself  and  thine,  in  the  rank  and 
station  in  which  the  providence  of  God  hath  set  thee ;  and  whatso- 
ever abounds,  thou  oughtest  not  to  look  upon  as  thine,  but  as  God's 
and  the  poor's  :  thou  art  only  a  trustee  for  their  use ;  and,  if  thou 
withholdest  it  from  them,  thou  art  no  better  than  a  thief  and  a 
robber,  and  stealest  even  that  which  the  law  of  man  calls  thine. 
Indeed,  it  were  very  strange,  if  the  most  of  us  could  not  cut  off 


638 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


some  superfluous  and  unnecessary  expenses,  and  lay  them  up  into 
a  treasury  for  good  works :  we  see  how  sparing  and  thrifty  some 
men's  covetousness  is ;  who  will  pare  away  the  very  edges  of  de- 
cency and  fitness,  only  that  they  may  amass  their  sordid  sums  to- 
gether, when  all  the  use  they  can  make  of  their  wealth  is  but  to  look 
upon  it :  and  why  should  not  piety  and  charity  teach  us  as  much 
thrift,  as  vice  and  covetousness  ?  But  only  that  men  are  grossly  fool- 
ish in  this  particular ;  looking  upon  whatsoever  is  laid  out  this  way, 
as  lost,  and  no  longer  theirs ;  whereas,  indeed,  had  they  but  faith,  and 
half  that  religion  which  they  may  pretend  unto,  they  would  know, 
that,  that  only  is  lost  which  is  unduly  kept,  and  that  safest  laid  up 
which  is  well  laid  out.  And,  if  thou  caust  but  purchase  the  glory 
of  God,  though  by  the  greatest  expense,  either  by  relieving  or  en- 
couraging his  servants,  know  it  is  the  most  gainful  bargain  that 
ever  thou  madest :  and  faith  will  tell  thee,  that  thou  hast  but  re- 
mitted thy  wealth  to  heaven,  where  it  shall  be  punctually  paid  thee 
with  abundant  interest ;  and,  in  the  meanwhile,  God  hath  given 
as  many  bonds,  as  he  hath  made  promises,  to  secure  thee. 

This,  therefore,  is  the  first  way  of  glorifying  God's  mercy  and 
goodness,  by  our  resemblance  to  it ;  cherishing  in  ourselves  a 
generous,  free,  disinterested,  and  discreet  goodness  towards  others. 

I  have  the  longer  insisted  upon  this,  because  I  see  it  wofully 
neglected  amongst  Christians ;  who  fall  so  infinitely  short  of  imi- 
tating God  in  the  mercifulness  and  goodness  of  his  nature,  that 
they  look  upon  it  as  a  piece  of  religion  to  be  sour,  morose,  and 
supercilious,  and  too  frequently  proud  despisers  of  others.  Some 
are  unjust  in  their  dealings,  and  take  all  advantages  to  defraud  and 
ci  rcumvent  their  brethren ;  and  are  so  far  from  doing  what  love 
and  charity  require,  that  they  answer  not  the  rules  of  law  and 
equity.  Some,  if  they  seek  not  the  ruin  of  others,  yet  are  ready 
to  rejoice  at  it ;  and,  with  a  devilish  kind  of  delight,  please  them- 
selves, either  with  the  miscarriages  or  mishaps  of  their  brethren. 
Others',  again,  love  to  sow  discords,  and  to  stir  up  strife  between 
brethren ;  that,  when  they  are  all  in  a  flame  and  combustion,  they 
may  sit  by  and  warm  themselves.  "What  shall  I  say  concerning 
these  ?  Is  this  to  imitate  God  ?  Is  this  to  copy  forth  his  universal 
goodness  ?  Or,  do  they  not  rather  give  a  sad  occasion  to  others, 
to  open  their  black  mouths,  and  to  blaspheme  God ;  imputing  all 
their  cruelty,  injustice,  and  un mercifulness,  to  their  profession,  and 
to  their  religion ;  than  which  there  is  no  one  thing  that  doth  more 
contradict  it  ?  If,  therefore,  you  have  any  respect,  any  tenderness 
for  the  glory  of  God,  I  beseech  and  charge  you,  0  Christians,  by 


IN  HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


639 


your  beneficence,  charity,  and  ready  goodness,  to  redeem  the  honor 
of  God,  which  hath  deeply  suffered  through  your  defaults ;  and  to 
stop  the  mouths  of  those,  to  whom  religion  is  odious  enough  by 
nature,  but  rendered  despicable,  as  well  as  odious ;  and  to  whom 
the  name  of  a  saint  and  a  professor  is  made  a  by-word,  only  to  de- 
note a  covetous,  niggardly,  cruel,  and  oppressive  person,  by  the 
lives  of  too  many  who  walk  quite  contrary  to  their  rule  and  to 
their  great  exemplar.  For,  in  this,  God  hath  set  you  no  lower  a 
pattern  than  himself;  Luke  vi.  36:  "Be  ye  merciful,  as  your 
Father  also  is  merciful." 

(2dly)  We  ought  to  glorify  the  mercy  of  God,  by  endeavoring 
to  render  ourselves  fit  objects  for  his  mercy  to  be  laid  out  upon. 

Certainly,  he  little  honors  the  mercy  of  a  prince,  who  will  not 
render  himself  capable  of  it.  And,  let  me  tell  you,  it  is  the  great- 
est scorn  and  contempt  you  can  cast  upon  the  rich  and  free  mercy 
of  God,  that,  when  he  hath  so  gloriously  proclaimed  it,  and  told 
you  upon  what  terms  you  may  be  made  partakers  of  it,  you  should 
refuse  to  come  up  to  those  terms,  as  if  it  were  not  so  much  worth, 
as  the  price  at  which  God  offers  it.  What  is  it,  that  God  expects 
from  you  ?  It  is  only  repentance,  and  reformation  of  life  ;  a  sin- 
cere and  universal  obedience  to  his  laws :  upon  the  performance 
of  this,  his  mercy,  his  Christ,  himself,  his  heaven,  his  all,  are 
yours;  Prov.  xxviii.  13 :  "Whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  his 
sins,  shall  have  mercy."  And,  what !  wilt  thou  stick  at  this  ?  If 
God  had  required  some  great  thing  of  you,  the  utter  ruin  and  im- 
poverishing of  your  estates,  the  macerating  and  torturing  of  your 
bodies,  the  plucking  out  of  your  right  eyes  and  cutting  off  your 
right  hands,  even  in  a  literal  sense,  would  you  not  have  done  it, 
that  you  might  obtain  mercy  and  salvation  at  the  last  ?  See  what 
terms  those,  who  were  convinced  of  their  misery,  and  of  their  ab- 
solute need  of  mercy  to  save  them,  do  of  themselves  voluntarily 
offer  unto  God ;  far  more  grievous  and  extreme  than  any  which  he 
hath  required ;  Micah  vi.  6,  7 :  "  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before 

the  Lord,  and  bow  myself  before  the  High  God  ?  Will  the  Lord 

be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers 
of  oil  ?  shall  I  give  my  first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of 
my  body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ?"  Certainly,  these  seem  to  value 
mercy,  when  they  bid  so  high  for  it,  though  they  were  ignorant  of 
the  right  way  of  obtaining  it.  And  now,  when  God  shall  inform 
us,  that  all  he  requires  of  us  is  but  "  to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy, 
and  to  walk  humbly  with  him,"  it  is  a  most  heinous  affront  and 
disparagement  to  his  mercy,  if  we  will  not  come  up  to  these  terms 


6i0 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


which  are  so  easy  and  equitable ;  yea,  and  have  enough  in  them- 
selves to  recommend  them  to  us,  although  there  were  no  farther 
benefit  to  be  expected  by  the  performance  of  them.  Be  persuaded, 
therefore,  0  Christians,  to  glorify  the  mercy  of  God  by  repentance, 
obedience,  and  a  holy  life.  Declare  to  all  the  world,  that  you  have 
a  high  valuation  and  esteem  of  the  infinite  mercy  of  God,  by  being 
willing  to  perform  that  for  obtaining  it,  which  others  detract  and 
refuse.  They  must  needs  have  very  slight  and  undervaluing 
thoughts  of  mercy,  who  will  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  mortify  one 
sin,  to  deny  themselves,  in  any  of  their  secular  advantages  and 
concerns,  to  suffer  a  scoff  or  a  jeer  for  that  holiness  and  piety 
which  alone  can  bring  them  within  the  reach  and  under  the  influ- 
ences of  mercy :  but  he,  that  can  with  a  bold  and  generous  resolu- 
tion break  through  all  these  little  difficulties,  that  can  suffer  what- 
soever God  lays  upon  him,  and  do  whatsoever  God  requires  from 
him,  he  it  is,  that  glorifies  mercy  ;  because  by  this  he  demonstrates 
that  he  thinks  it  worth  having,  at  what  price  and  rate  soever  it  be 
set.  Clemens  Alexandrinus  hath  an  excellent  passage  in  his  Pro- 
treptic :  "  The  Lord,"  saith  he,  "  shows  us  mercy  and  saves  us,  as 
though  he  could  make  no  other  use  nor  advantage  of  us,  than  as 
he  doth  save  us."  Now  thou,  who  wilt  not  glorify  the  mercy  of 
God,  endeavoring  by  a  holy  and  obedient  life  to  promote  thine 
own  salvation,  what  dost  thou  but  frustrate  the  great  end  for  which 
he  hath  made  thee,  which  is  the  glory  of  his  mercy ;  and  therefore 
dost,  in  a  high  measure,  affront  and  dishonor  him  ? 

(3dly)  "When  thou  art  thus  fitted  and  prepared  for  mercy,  then 
glorify  it  by  a  confident  and  firm  reliance  upon  it. 

To  venture  upon  the  mercy  of  God,  whilst  thou  yet  continuest 
impenitent  in  thy  sins,  is  a  most  bold  and  desperate  presumption: 
but,  to  venture  thy  soul  and  thy  eternal  salvation  upon  his  mere 
goodness  and  mercy,  whilst  thou  art  careful  to  lead  a  holy,  pious, 
and  obedient  life,  is  so  far  from  being  presumption,  that  it  is  the 
best  and  most  effectual  way  to  glorify  it.  And  therefore  thou,  O 
Soul,  who  fearest  the  Lord  and  desirest  to  approve  thyself  unto 
him  in  uprightness  and  sincerity,  why  walkest  thou  with  such  a 
drooping  and  dejected  countenance  ?  Why  sufferest  thou  thy  con- 
science to  be  clouded  with  fears  and  racked  with  horrors  ?  Is  it 
not  an  infinite  disparagement  to  the  rich  mercy  of  God,  to  fear  that 
he  will  damn  thee,  whilst  thou  fearest  to  provoke  him  ?  "Who  would 
think  that  thou  servest  a  merciful  and  gracious  God,  when  they  see 
thee  solicitous  to  perform  thy  duty  to  him ;  and  yet  anxious  and 
distrustful  concerning  the  acceptance  of  it  ?   These  thy  perplexities 


IN  HIS  ATTKIBUTES. 


641 


and  despondencies  do  highly  dishonor  God,  fright  men  from  his 
service,  and  do  little  less  than  brand  him  with  the  black  and  odious 
note  of  cruelty  and  tyranny.  Is  this  the  way  to  allure  men  to  the 
profession  and  practice  of  holiness,  when  they  see  that  verified  in 
thee,  the  suspicion  of  which  hath  so  often  scared  them  from  it,  viz.. 
that  they  must  forever  quit  all  their  pleasant  days,  and  be  eaten  up 
with  dismal  discontents  and  the  rust  of  melancholy  ?  Let  those 
thus  slavishly  fear  God  and  despair  of  his  mercy,  whose  sins,  and 
impenitence  in  them,  fit  them  for  nothing  but  wrath  and  destruc- 
tion :  but,  for  a  holy,  pious  Christian,  the  desires  of  whose  soul  are 
towards  God,  and  his  endeavors  correspondent  to  his  desires,  for 
such  an  one  to  despond  of  mercy,  is  the  greatest  disgrace  and  dis- 
honor that  he  can  cast  upon  God :  for,  if  there  be  any  such  attribute 
belonging  unto  his  nature  as  mercy,  it  is  certainly  thine ;  and,  if 
there  be  not,  think  then  what  a  God  dost  thou  serve !  Clear  up, 
therefore,  0  Christian :  scatter  all  thy  dark  and  gloomy  thoughts : 
smooth  out  thy  wrinkled  conscience  :  and,  whilst  thou  perseverest 
in  a  careful  and  sincere  obedience  unto  his  commands,  cast  thyself 
boldly  upon  his  mercy ;  and,  believe  it,  it  will  never  sink  under 
thee,  nor  suffer  thee  to  sink  into  that  hell  which  thou  now  fearest. 
Doubt  nothing :  thou  canst  not  perish,  so  long  as  the  mercy  of  God 
endureth.  And,  whilst  thou  thus,  with  an  humble  confidence,  layest 
the  whole  weight  and  stress  of  thy  soul  upon  it,  thou  dost  more 
glorify  God,  than  those  doubting  and  perplexed  souls,  who  always 
serve  him  suspiciously,  and  dare  scarce  approach  near  him  lest  he 
should  devour  them :  certainly,  this  is  so  contrary  to  the  nature  of 
God,  who  is  love  and  goodness  itself  to  those  that  serve  him,  that 
he  cannot  but  take  it  ill,  when  they  seem  to  account  of  him  no 
otherwise  than  an  ireful  and  ravenous  deity.  Fear  not :  this  is  no 
presumption,  but  a  holy  faith,  a  filial  freedom  of  spirit,  which  is 
most  acceptable  unto  God.  He  delights  in  the  services  of  those, 
who  address  themselves  unto  him  with  an  open  heart  and  a  cheerful 
soul :  Ps.  cxlvii.  11 ;  "  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear 
him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy." 

(Ithly)  Another  way  by  which  we  ought  to  glorify  the  mercy 
and  goodness  of  God,  is,  by  praising  him  for  all  the  effects  and 
expressions  of  it. 

Ps.  1. 23;  "Whoso  offereth  praise  glorifieth  me."  Praise  is  God's 
tribute ;  the  only  impost,  that  he  lays  upon  all  his  benefits  :  it  is  all 
the  return,  that  he  expects  from  us.  Certainly,  they  are  guilty  of 
foul  and  black  ingratitude,  who  would  defraud  God  even  of  this 
small  acknowledgment.  Our  whole  lives  are  thick  set  with  mercies : 

Vol.  II.— 41 


642 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


wheresoever  we  turn,  we  find  ourselves  encompassed  and  surrounded 
with  "blessings.  Now  what  canst  thou  do  less  than  lift  up  thy  heart 
and  thy  voice  to  God,  and  give  him  thanks  ?  This  God  is  pleased 
to  account  a  glorifying  of  him,  because  it  owneth  his  free  goodness 
to  be  the  original  of  all :  and,  therefore,  when  the  ten  lepers  were 
cleansed,  and  only  one  of  them  returned  to  return  thanks  for  his 
cure,  our  Saviour,  Luke  xvii.  18,  saith,  "  There  are  not  found,  that 
returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this  stranger."  Reflect  now 
upon  the  sum  and  stock  of  thy  mercies.  Hast  thou  riches,  or 
health,  or  repute,  or  friends,  or  all  of  these  ?  Ascribe  them  to  the 
mercy  of  God,  which  hath  so  plentifully  furnished  thee  with  all 
these  mercies :  say,  "  Lord,  I  have  received  them  all  from  thy 
bounty,  and  I  desire  to  return  the  thankful  acknowledgment  of  all 
to  thy  glory.  Accept  of  that  share,  which  alone  is  worthy  of  thee  ; 
even  my  humble  thanks  and  praise  for  them."  Whilst  thou 
thus  praisest  God  for  his  goodness,  thou  payest  him  his  tribute : 
all  the  rest  is  thine ;  which  thou  mayest  enjoy  and  use  with 
comfort. 

And  thus  1  have,  at  large,  shown  you  how  you  ought  to  glorify 
God  in  his  mercy  and  goodness :  viz.,  by  your  conformity  unto  it ; 
preparing  yourselves  to  be  fit  vessels  of  it ;  trusting  and  relying 
upon  it ;  and  blessing  and  praising  him  for  it. 

3dly.  Another  attribute,  which  we  are  to  glorify,  is  the  divine 
immensity  and  omnipresence. 

That  this  is  an  essential  attribute  and  property  of  the  divine 
nature,  both  Scripture  and  reason  do  abundantly  testify.  He  per- 
vades all  beings,  is  excluded  out  of  none,  neither  included  in  any ; 
1  Kings  viii.  27  :  "  Behold,  the  heaven,  and  heaven  of  heavens, 
cannot  contain  thee  ;"  and,  certainly,  if  God  cannot  be  contained 
in  them,  but  his  essence  dilates  and  expands  itself  infinitely  be- 
yond and  above  them,  into  that  endless  and  boundless  space  in 
which  never  any  thing  was  created  nor  doth  exist  but  God  only, 
much  less  then  can  he  be  contained  within  the  compass  of  any 
other  finite  and  created  being. 

Now  we  ought  to  glorify  this  attribute  of  God's  omnipresence, 

(1st)  By  our  reliance  and  dependence  upon  him,  in  all  our  fears 
and  dangers. 

Art  thou  surrounded  with  dangers  on  every  side,  and  in  the 
very  jaws  of  death  and  destruction  ?  Yet  consider,  that  thy  God, 
who  is  everywhere  present,  is  likewise  present  with  thee  there ; 
and  there  is  no  danger  so  great  nor  imminent,  that  can  fright  him 


IN   HIS  ATTEIBUTES. 


643 


from  thee :  he,  who  hath  been  a  sun  to  thee  in  thy  prosperity, 
will  now  be  a  shield  to  thee  in  thine  adversity.  Indeed,  we  ought 
not  rashly  to  run  headlong  upon  dangers,  when  we  have  no  call  to 
expose  ourselves  to  them :  this  is  not  to  trust  God,  but  to  tempt 
him  :  and  therefore  our  Saviour  well  answered  the  devil,  when  he 
impudently  bid  him  cast  himself  down  from  the  pinnacle  of  the 
temple,  because  God  would  give  his  angels  charge  to  bear  him  up 
in  their  hands  that  he  should  not  dash  his  foot  against  a  stone,  "  It 
is  written,  thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God ;"  for  it  is  tempt- 
ing God,  when  we  rely  upon  his  presence  and  protection  to  pre- 
serve us  from  those  dangers,  into  which,  upon  that  presumption,  we 
voluntarily  and  needlessly  precipitate  ourselves.  But  if,  either  in 
the  way  of  thy  ordinary  employment  or  else  in  some  special  and 
extraordinary  cases,  thou  art  called  to  do  that,  which  perhaps  may 
be  attended  with  danger  and  hazard,  refuse  it  not ;  but  glorify  the 
omnipresence  of  God  and  his  power,  by  depending  upon  him,  who 
will  always  be  nearer  unto  thee  than  dangers  can  be.  "We  show 
ourselves  to  be  very  irrational  and  childish,  in  being  secure  and 
confident  in  some  places  and  at  some  times,  but  timorous  and  fear- 
ful at  others :  as  if  to  be  alone  or  in  the  dark  were  more  justly 
dreadful,  than  to  be  in  the  company  of  our  friends  at  noon-day.  Is 
not  God  everywhere  present,  at  all  times  ?  God  beholds  us  clearly 
in  the  most  gloomy  night :  "  Darkness  and  light  are  both  alike  to 
him :"  neither  can  any  evil  have  power  over  us,  one  time  more 
than  another,  without  his  permission ;  and  why  then  should  our 
fears  ?    Isa.  xli.  10  :  "  Fear  thou  not ;  for  I  am  with  thee  :  be  not 

dismayed ;  for  I  am  thy  God  yea,  I  will  help  thee ;  yea,  I  will 

uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness  :"  and,  again, 

v.  14:  "Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob  I  will  help  thee,  saith  the 

Lord,"  and  no  foot  of  violence  shall  crush  thee :  so,  again,  Isa. 

xliii.  2  :  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  fire  and  through  the 

waters,  I  will  be  with  thee."  And,  in  the  confidence  of  this  om- 
nipresence of  God,  the  Psalmist  resolves  not  to  be  terrified  with 
the  most  dreadful  shapes  and  apparitions  of  danger :  Ps.  xxiii.  4 : 
"  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death," 
though  death  and  danger  should  meet  me  full  in  their  most  dismal 
shapes,  yet  "  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me."  A  great 
reason  why  we  are  so  frequently  overtaken  with  these  low  and 
unbecoming  fears,  is,  because  we  do  not  sufficiently  steep  our 
thoughts  in  the  consideration  of  this  attribute  of  God's  omnipre- 
sence :  and  so  we  skulk,  and  tremble,  and  betray  a  great  deal  of 
base  and  degenerate  fear :  as  though  we  lived  without  a  God  in 


644 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


the  world,  and  there  were  no  supreme  mind  present  with  us  to  help 
and  relieve  us ;  but  we  were  left  wholly  to  shift  for  ourselves.  It  is 
the  observation  of  a  heathen  philosopher,  (and  I  think  it  is  Plu- 
tarch,) "  that  if  brute  beasts  be  animated  and  encouraged  by  the 
presence  of  a  man,  because  he  is  of  a  superior  nature  to  them ; 
how  much  more  should  man  himself  be  encouraged  by  the  pre- 
sence of  the  great  God  with  him !"  Glorify  him,  therefore,  by  a 
bold  and  courageous  encountering  of  all  dangers,  to  which  his 
providence  or  his  law  shall  call  thee  :  and  let  it  appear,  that  thou 
canst  despise  all  those  bugbears  and  hideous  specters  of  dangers, 
which  affright  others ;  because  God  is  present  with  thee,  and  he  is 
able  to  deliver  thee. 

(2dly)  "We  ought  to  glorify  this  attribute  of  God's  omnipresence, 
by  our  constantly,  maintaining  communion  and  fellowship  with 
him. 

Thou  canst  not  say,  "  Alas !  God  is  in  heaven  above,  and  I  am 
here  upon  the  earth ;  and  what  converse  or  intercourse  can  I  main- 
tain with  his  Divine  Majesty  ?"  No :  believe  it,  God  is  present 
with  thee  wheresoever  thou  art,  and  as  much  within  thee  as  thy 
soul  is  in  thy  body.  He  is  not  a  God  afar  off :  but  he  is  near  unto 
thee,  ev.en  in  thy  heart,  and  in  the  very  center  of  thy  being :  and 
therefore  thou  mayest  converse  with  him,  by  the  silent  whispers  of 
thy  thoughts.  When  the  heart  doth  but  breathe  and  pant  towards 
God,  when  it  conceives  thoughts  too  big  and  quick  to  be  uttered, 
thoughts  which  dart  themselves  like  lightning  out  of  our  bosom 
into  his;  even  this  is,  in  the  account  of  God,  as  truly  solid  and 
substantial  communion  with  him,  as  the  performance  of  the  more 
solemn  and  conspicuous  duties  of  religion.  This  is  converse  with 
God ;  a  converse,  which  no  place,  no  employment,  no  condition  of 
life  can  possibly  hinder.  Be  your  affairs  never  so  weighty  and 
urgent,  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  .crowd  so  close  together, 
as  to  leave  no  room  for  heavenly  thoughts  to  come  in  between  them. 
Be  you  in  what  company  you  will,  if  you  cannot  turn  the  discourse 
heavenward,  yet  you  may  well  turn  your  thoughts  thither.  For 
ejaculations  are  winged  messengers :  or,  if  they  were  not,  yet  God 
is  always  present  with  us,  and  lays  his  ear  to  our  very  hearts ;  and 
hears  the  voice  of  our  thoughts  more  distinctly,  than  we  can  hear 
the  voice  of  one  another's  words. 

(3dly)  Glorify  God's  omnipresence,  by  continually  demeaning 
yourselves  with  an  humble  and  reverential  fear  before  him. 

Wheresoever  you  are,  imprint  this  consideration  chiefly  upon 
your  hearts  :  "  Now  I  am  with  God :  he  is  present  with  me,  in  the 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


645 


city,  in  the  field,  in  the  room,  in  the  congregation,  in  my  closet,  in 
all  my  ways  and  converse  in  the  world.  And,  what!  can  I  be 
vain,  and  frothy,  and  light,  when  I  am  before  a  Majesty  so  great 
and  glorious !  If  the  presence  of  some  earthly  prince  strike  an 
awe  and  reverence  into  us  when  we  come  before  him,  how  much 
more  should  the  consideration  of  God's  presence  awe  us,  in  com- 
parison with  whom  all  the  glory  of  the  greatest  monarchs  upon 
earth  is  but  a  silly  piece  of  pageantry  I"  Now  those,  who  would 
express  honor  towards  another,  will  not  willingly  do  any  thing  that 
is  distasteful  to  him,  or  unworthy  of  his  presence.  And  let  me  tell 
you,  that  there  is  only  one  thing  unworthy  of  the  presence  of  God ; 
and  that  is,  sin :  though  thou  art  poor,  or  diseased,  and  the  most 
despicable  creature  among  the  sons  of  men,  so  that  they  account  it 
a  kind  of  disparagement  to  them  to  be  present  with  thee ;  yet  God 
is  present  with  thee,  and  thinks  it  no  dishonor,  for  there  is  nothing 
in  this  unworthy  of  his  glory  :  but,  if  thou  art  a  sinful,  lewd,  de- 
bauched, and  vicious  wretch,  thereby  indeed  thou  dishonorest  the 
presence  of  God,  and  dost  that  which  is  unworthy  for  him  to  be- 
hold ;  for  God  is  "  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and  cannot 
look  on  iniquity,"  as  the  prophet  speaks,  Hab.  i.  13.  If,  therefore, 
you  would  glorify  this  attribute  of  God,  let  your  conversation  be 
always  as  in  his  sight  and  under  his  eye,  with  all  gravity  and 
seriousness,  with  all  reverence  and  submission,  with  all  purity  and 
holiness.  And  those,  who  so  honor  his  common  presence  with 
them  here  on  earth,  he  will  honor  with  his  glorious  presence  in 
heaven. 

4thly.  Another  attribute,  that  we  are  to  glorify,  is  the  wisdom 
and  omniscience  of  God. 

Indeed,  his  wisdom  and  omniscience  do  somewhat  differ.  For 
omniscience  respects  only  the  bare  act  of  God's  intention,  whereby 
he  knows  and  sees  all  things :  but  wisdom  is  a  practical  knowledge ; 
and  denotes  counsel,  in  the  government  and  guidance  of  all  things 
to  his  own  prefixed  and  foreordained  ends.  Yet,  because  they  are 
so  near  alike,  I  shall  speak  of  them  together. 

Now  God's  wisdom  and  knowledge  may  be  glorified  by  us,  many 
ways. 

(1st)  By  our  endeavors  to  increase  in  wisdom  and  knowledge. 

All  wisdom  is  a  bright  ray  of  the  deity  darted  down  into  the 
soul :  it  is  the  light  of  a  rational  creature,  and  doth  mightily  assimi- 
late us  unto  God,  for  "  God  is  light ;"  and  the  more  light  we  have 
beaming  into  our  understandings,  the  more  expressly  do  we  bear 


646 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


the  resemblance  and  image  of  God.  Certainly,  a  dark  and  ignorant 
soul  can  never  glorify  God :  for,  as  light  is  necessarily  required  to 
all  reflections ;  so,  there  can  be  no  representation  of  the  glory  of 
God  .made  in  that  soul,  that  is  clouded  over  and  smutted  with  igno- 
rance and  error.  Yea,  indeed,  knowledge  is  necessary,  not  only  to 
our  glorifying  God  in  this  attribute,  but  in  all  the  rest :  for,  as  an 
ignorant  man  cannot  extol  the  wisdom  of  God,  because  he  is  not 
capable  of  perceiving  the  glorious  discoveries  thereof,  either  in  the 
methods  of  his  grace  or  providence  (and,  therefore,  when  the  Psalmist 
had  spoken  with  admiration  of  the  works  and  counsels  of  God,  he 
tells  us,  Ps.  xcii.  6 ;  "A  brutish  man  knoweth  not ;  neither  doth  a 
fool  understand  this ;")  so  neither  can  he  adore  the  goodness,  power, 
or  mercy  of  God,  because  he  observes  not  those  effects  of  them  in 
which  they  are  to  be  venerated  and  adored.  A  blind  man  may  as 
aptly  commend  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  the  beauty  and  variety 
of  colors,  the  orderly  and  regular  motion  of  the  stars  and  planets 
as  an  ignorant  man  declare  the  glory  of  God's  attributes  which  he 
could  never  observe ;  for  what  blindness  is  to  the  eye,  the  same  is 
ignorance  to  the  soul. 

(2dly)  "We  ought  to  glorify  the  wisdom  of  God,  by  relying  upon 
it  when  we  are  in  straits  and  difficulties,  and  can  find  no  way  to 
extricate  ourselves. 

TV  ben  our  affairs  are  so  entangled,  that  we  can  get  no  end  by 
which  to  unravel  them,  then  especially  we  should  commit  our- 
selves to  that  sovereign  wisdom  before  which  all  difficulties  shall 
vanish,  and  whatsoever  seemed  most  intricate  and  perplexed  shall 
become  most  plain  and  open.  And,  therefore,  when  affairs  seem 
to  run  quite  contrary  both  to  our  hopes  and  to  all  probability  of 
success,  let  us  then  glorify  the  wisdom  of  God,  by  intrusting  him 
with  the  conduct  of  all,  and  quietly  and  contented!}'  waiting  the 
issue.  There  are  some  links  in  the  chain  of  providence,  that  seem 
not  well  to  hang  together ;  and  yet  even  these  are  so  ordered  by 
the  great  Artificer,  that  they  most  forcibly  draw  in  one  the  other. 
And,  as  we  see  the  wheels  of  a  clock  or  watch  move  all  with  con- 
trary motions  to  each  other,  and  yet  by  these  contrary  motions 
they  make  it  go  right :  so,  likewise,  all  the  contrary  motions  and 
revolutions,  that  we  see  in  these  inferior  engines,  are  so  wisely 
contrived  by  the  first  cause  and  mover  of  them  all,  that,  however 
odd  and  perplexed  they  may  appear,  yet  they  are  all  subservient 
to  each  other  and  to  the  regular  proceeding  of  God's  design :  the 
great  machine  of  the  world  would  not  go  right,  if  they  should 
move  any  otherwise.    "What  could  seem  more  directly  to  thwart 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


647 


Joseph's  advancement,  and  the  fulfilling  of  those  prophetic  dreams 
which  presaged  him  so  much  honor,  than  to  be  sold  for  a  slave, 
and  imprisoned  for  a  malefactor  ?  But,  upon  these  strange  occur- 
rences was  built  the  whole  fabric  of  his  advancement.  Certainly, 
Providence  hath  secret  methods  of  its  own,  which  we  cannot 
trace.  And  therefore  let  us  glorify  God,  by  relying  on  his  wisdom 
in  the  worst  of  events,  when  our  own  cannot  direct  us  ;  because  we 
know  not  but  that  these  things  may  tend  to  our  good  and  advan- 
tage. And,  when  our  hopes  and  designs  seem  dead,  withered,  and 
dried,  past  all  semblance  and  human  probability  of  reviving ;  yet 
if  then  our  faith  should  be  questioned,  as  the  Prophet  was,  (Ezek. 
xxxvii.  3,)  "  Son  of  man,  can  these  bones  live  ?"  we  ought  to  return 
the  same  answer  that  he  doth,  "  0  Lord  God,  thou  knowest." 

(3dly)  We  ought  to  glorify  the  omniscience  of  God,  by  the  sin- 
cerity of  all  our  ends  and  actions. 

God  inspects  our  very  hearts,  and  distinctly  sees  the  first  flutter- 
ing and  hovering  of  our  thoughts  and  desires :  if  there  be  but  the 
thinnest  film  or  shadow  of  an  imagination  flitting  there,  his  all- 
seeing  eye  seizeth  on  it :  the  divine  knowledge  pierceth  into  the 
darkest  corners  and  most  secret  recesses  of  the  soul ;  and  looks 
through  that  obscure  vault,  where  all  our  unfledged  thoughts  lie 
confusedly  tumbling  one  upon  another :  he  sees  our  thoughts,  that 
lie  sleeping  in  the  abyss  and  center  of  the  soul,  long  before  they 
begin  to  heave  and  emerge  to  the  top  and  surface  of  it :  "  Thou  un- 
derstandest  my  thought,"  saith  the  Psalmist,  "  afar  off."  Ps.  cxxxix. 
2.  Now  if  we  would  glorify  this  searching  and  comprehensive  om- 
niscience, let  us  be  careful  to  approve  all  our  thoughts,  and  desires, 
and  designs,  in  uprightness  and  integrity  unto  God:  then  is  it  a 
sign  that  we  believe  him  to  be  an  all-knowing  God,  when  we  dare 
not  to  dally  with  lascivious  fancy,  nor  suffer  any  impure,  covetous, 
malicious  thoughts  and  affections  so  much  as  once  to  breathe  upon 
the  soul ;  when  we  dare  not  commit  any  sin  in  secret,  although 
the  thickest  curtains  of  night  and  darkness  be  drawn  about  us ; 
when  we  dare  not  perform  holy  duties  in  a  cold  and  heartless 
manner,  and,  with  bended  knees  and  elevated  hands  and  all 
seemingly  devout  postures,  solemnly  mock  the  great  God,  whilst 
the  mind  all  the  while  wanders  after  vanity,  and  nothing  is  less 
heeded  by  us  in  our  duties  than  that  God  to  whom  we  would 
be  thought  to  perform  them.  In  these  three  things,  doth  the 
sincerity  of  a  true  Christian  most  of  all  appear:  viz.,  in  not 
daring  to  allow  himself  in  sinful  thoughts ;  in  not  daring  to  allow 
himself  in  secret  sins;  in  not  daring  to  perform  holy  duties 


643 


OX   GLORIFYING  GOD 


slightly  and  superficially.  Now  what  other  reason  can  there  be, 
why  he  should  so  carefully  abstain  from  these  sins,  which  if  he 
did  indulge  he  might  jet  carry  a  fair  show  and  be  well  reputed 
of  by  men,  but  only  that  he  knows  God  seeth  not  as  men  see  ? 
They  can  but  look  upon  the  outward  features  of  religion,  and,  if 
they  be  comely  and  well  complexioned,  ought  in  charity  to  judge 
the  best :  but  God  looks  into  the  very  vitals  of  the  soul ;  and  dis- 
covers hypocritical  professors  to  be  like  hectical  persons,  rotten 
and  unsound  within,  when  outwardly  they  appear  healthy  and  well 
colored.  Indeed,  every  hypocrite  doth  most  heinously  disparage 
this  attribute:  for,  were  he  verily  persuaded  that  he  hath  to  do 
with  an  all-seeing  and  an  all-knowing  God,  would  he  dare  any 
more  to  harbor  unclean,  sensual,  and  revengeful  thoughts  and 
affections,  than  to  perpetrate  those  sins  in  act  to  which  these  tend  ? 
"Would  he  dare  suffer  his  heart  to  run  over  with  gall  and  bitter- 
ness, and  think  all  well,  whilst  his  tongue  dropped  honey  ?  Would 
he  dare  sin  in  secret,  though  he  could  lock  himself  up  in  the  center 
of  the  earth,  and  wrap  himself  in  impenetrable  darkness,  any  more 
than  in  the  sight  of  the  sun,  and  the  confluence  of  people  ?  "Would 
he  dare  offer  unto  God  the  husk  and  shell  of  a  duty ;  and,  in  the 
mean  time,  whilst  perhaps  he  is  praying,  his  heart  and  soul,  which 
God  chiefly  regards,  shall  be  engaged  in  deep  discourse  and  com- 
munication with  the  devil  ?  Did  he  believe,  that  he  is  always 
under  the  eye  of  an  all-knowing  God ;  a  God,  who  searcheth  the 
heart  and  trieth  the  reins ;  a  God,  that  looks  through  our  souls 
more  clearly  than  we  can  through  the  air,  and  accurately  discerns 
and  observes  every  mote  and  atom  stirring  there ;  could  he  be  so 
grossly  foolish  as  to  think,  that  he  would  be  put  off  with  such 
mimical  and  apish  shows,  instead  of  solid,  real,  and  substantial 
piety,  consisting  chiefly  in  the  conformity  of  the  soul  and  affections 
unto  the  divine  purity  ?  But  the  truth  is,  every  hypocrite  is  an 
atheist :  and  though,  for  some  sordid  ends,  he  may  fawn  upon  God 
and  flatter  him,  yet  he  disbelieves  his  glorious  attributes,  and  none 
more  than  this  of  his  omniscience ;  and,  in  his  heart,  speaks  the 
same  blasphemy  with  those  wretches,  Ps.  lxxiii.  11 ;  "  How  doth 
God  know?  and  is  there  knowledge  in  the  Most  High?"  and 
therefore  satisfies  himself  with  plausible  shows  and  fair  pretences, 
and  seeks  to  hide  his  nakedness  under  the  fig-leaves  of  an  external 
and  counterfeit  sanctity;  and  all  his  religion  and  devotion  is 
indeed  but  putting  tricks  upon  God,  whom  he  thinks  it  is  as  easy 
to  delude,  as  to  juggle  with  men.  If,  then,  you  would  glorify  the 
omniscience  of  God,  let  all  your  thoughts,  and  affections,  and  de- 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


sires,  and  ends,  every  motion  both  of  your  outward  and  inward 
man,  be  ordered  as  in  his  sight  and  under  his  observation.  Say 
with  thyself,  "  How  shall  I  allow  such  vain  and  foolish  surmises  ? 
How  can  I  yield  to  this  temptation,  though  it  offer  me  all  the  ad- 
vantages of  secrecy  and  retirement  ?  How  can  I  content  myself 
to  make  the  service  of  God  only  a  lip-labor,  or  a  bodily  exercise  ? 
No :  my  God  looks  upon  me,  and  ponders  my  heart  and  my  ways  : 
that  God,  whose  eye  is  more  effectual  to  deter  me  from  any  sinful 
and  unworthy  act,  than  if  the  eyes  of  all  the  angels  in  heaven  or 
of  men  on  earth  were  fixed  upon  me.  My  God  and  my  conscience 
are  a  theater  to  me :  they  are  more  than  if  all  the  world  besides 
saw  me ;  and,  in  comparison  with  these,  to  sin  in  the  open  view 
of  all  the  world  is  but  to  sin  in  secret."  Such  reflections  as  these 
declare  that  thou  dost  highly  adore  and  honor  the  omniscience  of 
God,  when  thou  art  thus  careful  to  approve  thyself,  in  all  thy  co- 
gitations and  actions,  to  his  all-seeing  eye. 

(4thly)  Another  way  to  glorify  the  omniscience  of  God,  is,  by  a 
frequent  and  conscientious  performance  of  duties  in  secret. 

When  there  is  no  other  witness  to  behold  us  but  God  and  our 
own  souls,  then  let  us  pour  out  our  hearts  and  unbosom  all  our 
wants  and  desires  before  him.  And  indeed  that  Christian,  who 
hath  deeply  imprinted  this  attribute  upon  his  thoughts,  will  find 
it  a  most  powerful  and  effectual  means,  as  to  keep  him  from  sin- 
ning in  secret,  so  to  quicken  him  to  pray  in  secret.  Hypocrites 
will  often  be  very  pompous  and  splendid  in  the  performance  of 
public  duties,  where  they  have  a  ring  of  people  to  admire  and 
celebrate  their  gifts,  and  from  whom  they  may  think  to  raise  a 
reputation  for  their  parts  and  piety :  this  will  make  them  to 
expatiate  and  pour  forth  such  a  torrent  of  raptures  and  heavenly 
expressions,  that  they  themselves  may  seem  to  be  ravished  with 
spiritual  joy  and  sweetness,  and  their  auditors  may  be  really  so : 
but  all  this  may  be  only  ostentation,  not  devotion ;  not  because 
God  observes  them,  but  because  men  observe  them  :  and  therefore 
our  Saviour  makes  it  the  proper  character  of  a  pharisaical  hypo- 
crite, to  pray  only  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the  corners  of  the 
streets,  (as  the  custom  was  in  those  days,)  that  they  might  "  be  seen 
of  men :"  Mat.  vi.  5 :  they  made  a  mere  stage-play  of  religion ; 
and  then  acted  best,  when  they  were  most  crowded  with  spec- 
tators :  but  follow  these  men  home  to  their  houses,  to  their 
closets ;  and,  if  we  had  but  a  cranny  through  which  to  behold  them 
in  their  retirements,  how  seldom  or  never  addressing  themselves  to 
God,  and  praying  unto  him  in  secret,  when  they  think  no  eye  sees 


650 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


them  but  God's !  for  they  pray,  not  so  much  that  God  may  hear 
them,  as  men ;  and,  whatsoever  they  seem  with  so  much  earnest- 
ness and  importunity  to  beg  of  him,  yet  indeed  the  only  thing  they 
pray  for  is,  that  they  may  be  admired  and  applauded.  But,  a  truly 
pious  and  sincere  Christian  is  not  only  zealous  and  affectionate  in 
public  duties  in  the  congregation,  and  in  private  duties  in  his  own 
family,  where  he  hath  witnesses  of  his  devotion ;  but  he  considers 
that  he  prays  to  God  and  not  to  men :  and,  therefore,  when  he  is 
withdrawn  from  the  sight  and  notice  of  others,  he  applies  himself 
unto  God  with  the  same  zeal  and  fervency  of  spirit  as  before ;  well 
knowing,  that,  in  duties  performed  unto  God,  the  secrecy  or  pub- 
licity of  them  ought  to  make  no  difference  in  our  affections.  And 
therefore  observe,  that,  so  much  as  thou  dost  abate  thy  holy  warmth 
and  fervency  in  secret  duties,  which  used  to  carry  thee  out  with 
great  enlargement  and  vigor  when  thou  hast  joined  with  others ;  so 
much  of  hypocrisy  is  miugled  with  thy  serving  God.  Our  Saviour 
hath  given  us  our  rule :  Mat.  vi.  6  ;  "  But  thou,  when  thou  prayest, 
enter  into  thy  closet :  and,  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to 
thy  Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret, 
shall  reward  thee  openly."  Let  me,  therefore,  0  Christians,  persuade 
you  to  a  more  constant  and  zealous  performance  of  secret  duties ; 
for  this  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  infallible  marks  of  a  sincere 
heart,  that  can  be  given.  That  Christian  cannot  be  a  hypocrite,  that 
is  but  careful  to  keep  up  a  lively  and  vigorous  communion  with 
God  in  secret :  whereas,  let  thy  duties  else  be  what  they  will,  never 
so  many  and  never  so  gaudy,  if  they  be  only  performed  in  the  view 
and  sight  of  others,  and  thou  art  not  frequent  in  addressing  thyself 
to  God  in  secret,  let  me  tell  thee,  it  is  very  possible,  yea  and  very 
suspicious  too,  that  thou  art  but  a  painted  hypocrite,  a  mere 
gilded  professor  ;  that  outwardly  lookest  smooth  and  shining,  but 
inwardly  art  full  of  nothing  but  corruption  and  purulency.  Go  home, 
therefore,  O  Christian :  enter  into  thy  closet ;  and,  there,  when  none 
but  thou  and  thy  God  are  together,  freely  unlock  thy  heart,  and  pour 
out  thy  soul  before  him.  What !  hast  thou  no  sins  to  confess,  no 
wants  to  be  supplied,  no  mercies  to  beg,  no  complaints  to  make,  no 
tears  to  shed,  but  what  it  is  fit  others  should  be  privy  to  ?  Certainly, 
if  thou  hast  not,  it  is  a  sign,  that  thou  art  but  too  much  a  stranger 
at  home,  and  very  little  conversant  with  thine  own  soul.  However, 
do  it  that  thou  mayest  glorify  God :  for  he  is  "  thy  Father,  which 
seeth  in  secret ;"  and  thou  canst  by  no  way  more  honor  his  om- 
niscience, than  by  thus  acknowledging  that  he  sees  and  hears  thee, 
when  there  is  no  one  else  that  can  see  and  hear  thee. 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


651 


(5thly)  Thou  glorifiest  the  omniscience  of  God,  when,  under 
lying  slander's  and  false  accusations,  thou  canst  command  and  calm 
all  the  turbulencies  of  thy  passions,  by  appealing  to  the  all-seeing 
eye  of  God,  who  knoweth  the  innocence  of  thy  soul. 

Indeed,  this  is  the  great  support  of  a  true  Christian  when  he  is 
wrongfully  aspersed,  that  he  can  retire  inwardly  into  the  retreat  of 
a  clear  conscience :  that  he  can  remit  his  cause  to  God,  and  leave 
his  vindication  to  him,  who  knows  how  he  is  traduced  and  wronged. 
It  will  be  a  greater  comfort  to  us,  that  God  knows  us  innocent ;  than 
a  trouble  and  vexation,  that  wicked  men  conspire  to  report  us 
guilty.  Indeed,  if  they  could  persuade  God  to  believe  them  too, 
it  might  be  just  cause  of  grief  and  disquiet :  but  what  great 
matter  is  it,  though  a  company  of  vain,  giddy,  and  unreasonable 
men  take  up  and  spread  abroad  lying  rumors  concerning  us  ?  Thou 
art  not  to  stand  or  fall,  according  to  their  votes  :  and,  though  their 
slanderous  tongues  may  blot  out  thy  good  name  here  on  earth,  yet 
they  can  never  blot  thy  name  out  of  the  book  of  life.  And,  there- 
fore, herein  honor  the  omniscience  of  God,  by  bearing  up  cheerfully 
and  boldly  ;  and,  if  they  will  cast  dirt  upon  thee,  let  it  be  their  own, 
and  not  thine :  this,  though  it  may  make  thee  look  more  unlovely 
in  the  eyes  of  men,  yet  it  will  not  do  so  in  the  eyes  of  God.  Show 
by  thy  generous  despising  of  all  their  malicious  censures  and  re- 
proaches, that  thou  dost  more  respect  and  value  the  omniscience  of 
God,  who  knows  thee  innocent ;  than  all  the  slanders  of  men,  who 
report  thee  guilty.  Thus  Jeremiah  appeals  unto  God:  Jer. xx.  10, 
12  ;  "I  heard  the  defaming  of  many.. ..report,  say  they,  and  we  will 
report  it....but,  0  Lord  of  Hosts,  thou  that  triest  the  righteous,  and 
seest  the  reins  and  the  heart....unto  thee  have  I  opened  my  cause." 

5thly.  Another  attribute  of  God,  which  we  are  to  glorify,  is  his 
truth  and  veracity. 

This  is  an  essential  property  of  the  divine  nature ;  and  therefore 
he  is  styled  a  "  God  of  truth  :"  Ps.  xxxi.  5  ;  and  a  "  God,  that  can- 
not lie :  Tit.  i.  2,  and  Heb.  vi.  18,  it  is  said  it  is  "  impossible  for 
God  to  lie." 

Truth,  or  veracity,  is  nothing  else  but  the  conformity  of  our 
speeches  to  the  being  of  things :  as,  when  we  affirm  that  which  is 
or  deny  that  which  is  not,  then  are  our  speeches  true.  And,  there- 
fore, it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie ;  for  he  cannot  speak  things 
otherwise  than  they  be,  who  speaks  them  into  being. 

Now  the  first  aad  general  way  of  glorifying  the  truth  of  God, 
is,  by  imitating  him  \i  this  attribute,  and  speaking  truth  one  to 


652 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


another.  St.  Peter  hath  given  us  a  rule,  which,  though  in  a  more 
restrained  and  appropriate  sense,  it  may  especially  concern  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  the  dispensers  of  the  word  of  truth ;  yet, 
I  see  not  but  that  it  may  properly  appertain  unto  all  men :  1  Pet. 

iv.  11 :  "  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God  

that  God,  in  all  things,  may  be  glorified,  through  Jesus  Christ :" 
that  is,  let  his  speeches  be  as  true  and  certain,  as  if  they  were 
divine  oracles.  Many  indeed  there  are,  who  speak  like  the  oracles 
of  Apollo ;  ambiguously,  equivocally,  and  falsely :  but,  to  speak 
like  the  oracles  of  God,  is  to  declare  things  as  they  are,  simply  aud 
nakedly.  And,  if  thou  either  knowest  not  the  things  in  question, 
or  upon  some  prudential  considerations  art  unwilling  to  disclose 
them,  either  an  acknowledgment  thereof  or  a  modest  silence  must 
be  chosen  by  thee,  without  any  crafty  or  guileful  windings  and 
circumlocutions  prejudicial  to  the  truth.  By  this  means,  saith  the 
Apostle,  God  will  be  glorified :  as  indeed  he  is,  whensoever  we 
endeavor  to  imitate  him  in  his  communicable  attributes  and  per- 
fections. 

But,  more  particularly,  God's  truth  is  especially  seen  in  three 
things.  In  his  predictions,  promises,  and  threatenings ;  all  which 
we  ought  to  glorify. 

(1st)  Glorify  the  truth  and  veracity  of  God  in  his  predictions, 
by  adoring  his  faithfulness  in  the  wonderful  accomplishment  of 
those  many  prophecies,  which  have  already  been  exactly  and 
punctually  fulfilled. 

And,  indeed,  when  we  consider  those  prophetic  passages  in  the 
Old  Testament  concerning  Christ ;  the  whole  history  of  whose 
birth,  the  whole  course  of  whose  life,  and  the  whole  tragedy  of 
whose  death,  were,  so  many  ages  before,  clearly  foretold,  some 
declared  by  express  prophecy,  some  signified  by  typical  prefigura- 
tions ;  we  cannot  but  admire  the  wonderful  exactness  of  divine 
veracity,  in  so  critically  accomplishing  every  particular  of  what 
he  had  so  long  before  declared  should  come  to  pass.  And,  truly, 
it  is  one,  among  many  other  excellencies  of  the  gospel  of  St.  Mat- 
thew, that  he  doth  so  plainly  accommodate  the  historical  passages 
concerning  our  Saviour's  birth,  life,  and  death,  to  the  prophetic 
predictions  of  them  in  the  Old  Testament :  his  birth,  by  a  virgin : 
Isa.  vii.  14 ;  the  place  of  it,  Bethlehem :  Micah  v.  2  ;  God's  calling 
him  back  out  of  Egypt:  Hos.  xi.  1 ;  the  bloody  massacre  of  the 
infants  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  15 ;  the  actions  of  his  forerunner,  John  the 
Baptist :  Isa.  xl.  3  ;  his  dwelling  in  Capernaum  :  Isa.  ix.  1,  2  ;  and 
so,  throughout  the  whole  contexture  of  the  history  of  Christ,  the 


IN   niS  ATTRIBUTES. 


653 


evangelist  compares  the  prophecies  with  the  actual  accomplish- 
ment of  them,  for  the  firmer  establishing  of  our  faith ;  and  the 
clearer  evidence  that  he  was  the  true  Messiah,  whom  that  God, 
who  cannot  lie,  had  foretold  should  come  in  the  fulness  of  time. 
As  for  those  predictions  concerning  the  state  of  the  Church  here 
On  earth,  which  have  not  as  yet  received  their  accomplishment, 
and  therefore  are  the  more  dark  and  obscure  unto  us,  many  of 
which  are  contained  in  the  Revelations,  Ave  ought  to  glorify  the 
truth  and  veracity  of  God,  by  an  unwavering  belief,  that  they  also 
shall  be  punctually  fulfilled  in  their  due  season,  and  that  not  a 
word  which  he  hath  spoken  shall  fall  to  the  ground  in  vain. 

(2dly)  Glorify  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God  in  his  promises, 
by  a  confident  expecting  of  those  blessings,  which  he  hath  engaged 
himself  to  bestow  upon  us,  if  we  be  careful  to  perform  the  condi- 
tions upon  which  his  promises  are  made. 

If  the  condition  be  fulfilled  on  our  part,  the  promise  shall  cer- 
tainly be  fulfilled  on  God's.  Hath  he  promised  eternal  life  to  those 
who  believe?  Assure  thyself,  that,  if  thou  believest,  thou  shalt 
as  certainly  inherit  it,  as  if  thou  wert  even  now,  glorified :  for  it  is 
"eternal  life,  which  God,  that  cannot  lie,  hath  promised."  Or, 
hath  he  promised  any  temporal  mercy  and  good  things  ?  That  he 
will  provide  for  thee,  and  protect  thee  ?  Even  these  promises  are 
conditional  also,  if  so  be  they  may  be  for  thy  good  and  his  glory, 
which  if  he  who  is  the  all-wise  God  sees,  thou  shalt  infallibly 
obtain  whatsoever  thou  desirest ;  if  not,  thou  mayest  very  well  be 
contented,  for  thou  dost  but  desire  a  harm  and  damage  to  thyself. 
Here,  then,  glorify  God,  by  resting  thy  soul  and  casting  all  thine 
affairs  upon  his  promises.  Thou  hast  his  truth  and  veracity  bound 
to  make  them  good ;  and  that,  certainly,  is  such  a  precious  pawn, 
as  that  he  never  hath  nor  ever  will  forfeit  it. 

(3dly)  Glorify  God's  veracity  in  his  threatenings ;  trembling  at 
the  dreadful  denunciations  of  his  judgments,  both  temporal  and 
eternal,  against  ohstinate  and  impenitent  sinners. 

Which  if  thou  dost  in  truth  and  sincerity  of  heart,  this  will 
fright  thee  from  the  commission  of  those  sins,  against  which  those 
heavy  plagues  and  judgments  are  threatened :  for,  let  him  pretend 
what  he  will,  that  man  doth  not  believe  that  God  is  true  in  all  his 
threatenings,  who  yet  will  dare  to  continue  one  day  or  hour  longer 
in  his  sins  impenitently.  If  neither  the  mercies  nor  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord  can  persuade  us  to  a  holy  life,  we  do  but  virtually  and 
interpretatively  give  God  the  lie ;  and  do  not  believe,  that  he  is 
either  faithful  to  his  promises,  or  just  and  true  to  his  threatenings. 


05-i 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


6thly.  Another  attribute  in  God,  which  we  ought  to  glorify,  is 

his  Almighty  power  and  sovereignty. 

Indeed,  there  is  a  difference  between  these  two.  For, 

First.  Power  denotes  only  a  natural  strength  and  ability  to  do 

a  thing ;  but  sovereignty  includes  in  it  a  legal  right  and  authority. 

And, 

Secondly.  Power  may  be  found  separate  from  authority.  And, 
so,  indeed,  it  is  in  the  greatest  princes  and  potentates  on  earth;  all 
whose  might  and  strength  above  other  men  consists,  not  in  their 
natural,  but  only  in  their  civil  and  political  power  and  jurisdic- 
tion. And  so,  likewise,  in  God,  his  power  and  his  sovereignty 
bear  not  the  same  date,  neither  are  they  of  equal  duration :  for 
God  was  infinite'  in  power  eternally  before  the  creation  of  the  world  ; 
and,  had  he  never  exerted  his  power  in  any  of  those  wonderful 
effects  of  it  which  we  behold,  yet  he  had  been  forever  the  same 
Almighty  God  that  now  he  is :  but  sovereignty  and  dominion  are 
ascribed  unto  him,  in  time ;  and,  in  the  very  notion  of  them,  do 
necessarily  presuppose  the  being  of  some  subjects,  over  which  he 
is  the  sovereign  Lord.  Again, 

Thirdly.  God's  power  is  of  a  much  larger  extent  than  his  sove- 
reignty. For  his  power  extends  unto  all  things  possible,  since  he 
is  able  to  create  many  more  worlds,  and  far  more  noble  and  excel- 
lent creatures  in  this,  than  he  hath  done :  but  his  sovereignty  ex- 
tends only  to  things  actual.  Whence  our  Saviour  argues,  Luke 
xx.  38 ;  "  He  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,"  (*.  e.  those,  who  so  die  as 
utterly  to  perish  and  come  to  nothing,  as  the  Sadducees  thought 
the  souls  of  men  did,)  "but  of  the  living,  for  all  live  unto  him." 

The  power  of  God  is  an  absolute  essential  attribute  of  the  divine 
nature ;  forever  invariably  appertaining  to  him,  whether  he  ex- 
press it  in  any  acts  of  creation  and  providence  or  no ;  but  sove- 
reignty is  a  relative  denomination,  resulting  from  God's  temporal 
acts  of  disposing  and  governing  his  creatures,  according  to  the 
counsels  of  his  own  will  and  the  rule  of  his  immutable  justice. 
But,  because  these  two  are  so  near  allied,  his  sovereignty  being 
founded  upon  his  power,  and  his  power  expressed  in  the  acts 
of  his  sovereignty  and  dominion,  I  shall  therefore  consider  them 
together. 

That  God  is  glorious  in  this  attribute  of  his  power,  the  Scripture 
doth  everywhere  abundantly  attest;  styling  him  the  Almighty 
God,  and  ascribing  strength  and  power  unto  him.  Yea,  and  that 
he  accounts  it  a  very  considerable  part  of  his  glory,  see  Ps.  lxii. 
11 ;  "  God  hath  spoken  once,  yea  twice  have  I  heard  this,  that 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


655 


power  belongeth  unto  God ;"  and  Ps.  xxix.  1 :  "  Give  unto  the 
Lord,  0  ye  mighty,  give  unto  the  Lord  glory  and  strength :"  aa 
if  he  had  said,  You,  that  are  the  great  and  mighty  ones  upon 
earth,  who  make  whole  nations  obedient  to  your  beck  and  tremble 
at  your  frown,  yet  boast  not  yourselves  of  the  greatness  of  your 
power :  there  is  a  Supreme  God  above,  who  if  you  "  speak  of 
strength,  lo,  he  is  strong :"  Job  ix.  19 :  a  God,  whose  hand  and 
whose  voice  can  shake  both  heaven  and  earth  out  of  their  place, 
and  make  the  haughtiest  potentates  lick  the  dust  before  him.  As- 
cribe, therefore,  unto  him  praise  and  glory,  by  ascribing  unto  him 
might  and  power ;  not  only  that  stinted  and  limited  power  with 
which  you,  who  are  but  his  under  officers,  are  invested ;  but  a 
strength  and  power  infinitely  surmounting  yours,  who  conceit 
yourselves  so  mighty.  For  your  power  can  come  into  no  compa- 
rison with  God's  power ;  no,  nor  hold  out  against  that  which  is 
accounted  his  very  weakness ;  1  Cor.  i.  25 :  "  The  weakness  of 
God  is  stronger  than  men." 

How  then  shall  we  glorify  this  almighty  power  of  the  great 
God? 

(1st)  By  an  humble  and  awful  adoration  of  it ;  in  all  those  won- 
derful effects,  whereby  God  hath  expressed  the  infinite  greatness  .of 
his  power. 

And,  here,  thou  canst  not  want  objects,  if  thou  hast  but  an 
affection  and  piety  to  venerate  God  in  them.  The  whole  world, 
and  every  creature  in  it,  is  a  most  evident  demonstration  of  the 

divine  power :  "  His  eternal  power  and  godhead  are  clearly  seen  

by  the  things  that  are  made  :"  Eom.  i.  20.  Cast  but  thine  eyes  to 
that  vast  expanse  of  the  heavens  :  what  a  beautiful  canopy  dost  thou 
there  behold  ;  all  studded  with  gems :  and  almost  every  star  in  that 
general  muster  of  the  heavenly  host,  far  greater  than  the  whole 
earth !  Consider  this  solid  and  massy  globe  on  which  we  live,  how 
it  hangs  immovably  in  the  midst  of  an  ocean  of  soft  and  yielding  air, 
through  which  all  other  bodies  easily  cut  their  passage :  what  founda- 
tions, what  pillars  hath  it  to  rest  upon  ;  but  only  that  almighty  word, 
which  first  fixed  it,  and  still  preserves  it  in  its  place  and  station  ? 
Consider  the  various  kinds  of  creatures,  that  God  hath  breathed  forth 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth  in  divers  shapes  and  sizes ;  some  vol- 
uminous, some  contracted ;  in  both  which  his  power  is  equally 
seen,  but  his  art  and  skill  rather  glorious  in  the  latter.  Whence  is 
all  this  frame  and  complicated  machine  of  the  world,  made  up  of 
so  many  different  parts,  and  yet  all  set  together  in  such  an  admirable 
order  and  harmony  ?    If  we  run  it  up  to  its  first  original,  we  shall 


656 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


find  all  tilings  to  have  been  once  a  mere  nothing.  And  was  it  not 
infinite  power,  that  could  constrain  nothing  to  yield  so  many,  and 
such  beautiful  beings  ?  That  the  heavens  should,  out  of  nothing, 
spread  abroad  their  liquid  crystals,  which  Elihu  therefore  most 
elegantly  and  naturally  compares  to  "  a  molten  looking-glass  ?"  Job 
xxxvii.  18.  That  the  earth  should,  out  of  nothing,  gather  all  its 
thick  parts  together ;  and,  as  the  sediment  of  the  world,  compact 
and  settle  itself  in  the  center  of  the  universe  ?  Certainly  these,  and 
infinite  others,  are  most  stupendous  demonstrations  of  his  infinite 
power.  Nay,  not  only  these  great  things,  but  the  smallest  and  most 
despised  works  of  God,  declare  that  he  is  almighty :  "  Magnus  in 
magnis,  nec  minor  in  minimis :"  there  is  not  the  least  spire  of  grass, 
that  sprouts  out  of  the  earth :  not  the  least  fly,  that  is  animated  by 
the  sun  ;  but  it  may  be  a  sufficient  conviction  of  the  folly  of  atheism, 
and  cause  us  to  fall  down  and  adore  that  God.  who  created  and 
formed  it.  Glorify,  therefore,  the  power  of  God,  by  a  serious  and 
pious  contemplation  of  these  his  wonderful  works.  Wheresoever 
you  go,  and  whatsoever  you  see  and  converse  with,  you  have  this 
book  open  before  }rou,  wherein  you  may  read  enough  to  .admonish 
and  instruct  you  in  this  attribute.  It  is  time  well  spent,  and  thought 
well  employed,  when,  from  the  works  of  creation  and  providence, 
from  the  frame  of  the  world  and  the  government  of  it,  the  various 
kinds  of  creatures  which  ye  behold  and  the  various  revolutions  of 
affairs  which  ye  hear  of  abroad,  you  return  into  your  own  hearts, 
and  season  them  with  awful  thoughts  and  reflections  on  the  almighty 
power  of  the  great  God. 

(2dly)  Glorify  the  power  and  sovereignty  of  God,  by  using  that 
power  and  authority,  which  he  hath  given  you,  in  subordination 
unto  his. 

Art  thou  a  magistrate  or  a  parent,  or  master  of  a  family  ?  Ex- 
ercise thine  authority,  as  one,  that  is  entrusted  with  it  by  the  great 
Sovereign  of  heaven  and  earth.  Exercise  it  so  as  thou  wouldest 
suppose  God  himself  would  do,  were  he  immediately  to  govern 
those,  whom  he  hath  now  committed  to  thy  charge :  for  God  hath 
given  thee  authority,  that  thou  shouldest  rule  in  his  stead :  thou 
art  deputed,  under  him,  in  the  place  wherein  he  hath  set  thee.  And, 
certainly,  it  is  a  great  dishonor  and  disparagement  to  the  sove- 
reignty of  God,  if  thou,  who  art  entrusted  with  the  management  of 
it,  shouldest  use  it  to  quite  contrary  purposes  to  what  God  himself 
would  do.  If  thou  either  encouragest  sin  and  wickedness,  or  con- 
nivest  at  it  in  those  who  are  subject  to  thee ;  what  is  this,  but,  by  a 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


657 


practical  kind  of  blasphemy,  to  make  God's  authority  patronize 
what  it  would  punish  ? 

(3dly)  Glorify  the  power  of  God,  by  relying  on  him  for  safe- 
guard, and  deliverance  out  of  all  thy  dangers. 

When  Nebuchadnezzar  threatened  those  three  heroes  with  his 
burning  furnace,  unless  thay  would  fall  down  and  worship  his 
golden  image,  see  with  what  an  undaunted  courage  they  answer 
the  menaces  of  the  enraged  king :  Dan.  iii.  16 ;  "  We  are  not  careful 
to  answer  thee  in  this  matter."  Whence  this  confidence,  to  despise 
the  threats  of  so  great  a  king,  and  the  terrors  of  so  cruel  a  death ; 
but  only  that  they  glorified  the  infinite  power  of  God,  who  could 
preserve  them,  either  from  the  flames  or  in  them  ?  v.  17  ;  "  If  it  be 
so,  our  God,  whom  we  serve,  is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning- 
fiery  furnace."  So,  likewise,  in  all  the  dangers  to  which  you  can  be 
exposed  for  the  sake  of  God  and  of  a  good  conscience,  glorify  his 
almighty  power,  who  is  able  to  deliver  in  the  greatest  extremities, 
and  will,  if  it  be  best,  find  a  way  for  you  to  escape. 

(4thly)  Glorify  the  almighty  power  of  God,  by  fearing  to  provoke 
his  wrath  against  you. 

For  who  knoweth  the  power  of  his  wrath  ?  as  the  Psalmist 
speaks,  Ps.  xc.  11.  Indeed,  a  weak  impotent  anger,  that  can  only 
vent  itself  in  exclamations  and  railings,  is  justly  ridiculous  and 
contemptible :  but  who  would  not  tremble  to  provoke  that  God, 
whose  anger,  as  it  is  always  just,  so  it  is  almighty,  and  able  to 
wreak  its  revenge  upon  the  stoutest  sinners  in  their  eternal  ruin 
and  destruction  ?  It  is  a  most  desperate  folly  to  incense  that  God, 
whom  we  cannot  withstand:  therefore  the  Apostle  expostulates, 
1  Cor.  x.  2  :  "  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ?  are  we  stronger 
than  he?"  as  if  he  should  say,  "Indeed,  if  thou  canst  try  it  out 
with  the  Almighty,  if  thou  canst  wrest  the  sword  of  his  justice  out 
of  his  hands,  if  thou  canst  dash  thyself  against  the  Kock  of  Ages 
and  be  not  broken  in  pieces,  then  thou  mayest  go  on  boldly  in  thy 
sins,  and  prosper :  but,  alas !  for  thee,  a  weak,  feeble  creature,  who 
art  "  crushed  before  the  moth,"  as  Job  speaks,  whose  life  is  "  but 
a  vapor,"  a  poor  thing  who  art  just  not  nothing  only  by  the  creating 
word  of  God ;  it  is  a  most  deplorable  madness  for  thee  to  muster 
up  thy  forces,  and  set  thyself  in  battle-array  against  that  great 
God,  who  can  look  thee  dead  and  speak  thee  into  hell.  And,  yet, 
such  is  our  wretched  stupidity,  that  we  dare  this  great  and  mighty 
God  to  the  combat,  every  day  and  hour :  every  sin  we  commit  is 
a  challenge  and  defiance  sent  to  heaven :  we  defy  his  power  and 
wrath,  and  dare  the  Almighty  to  do  his  worst.  Certainly,  did 
Vol.  II.— 42 


658 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


sinners  but  seriously  consider  the  infinite  power  of  God,  would 
they  not  fear  lest  the  very  next  sin  they  commit,  some  remarkable 
vengeance  should  be  inflicted  upon  them  ?  Lest  God  should  sud- 
denly smite  them  through ;  cause  the  earth  to  open  its  mouth,  and 
swallow  them  up  quick  into  hell ;  and  make  them  know,  by  their 
own  woeful  experience,  that  dread  power  and  justice,  which  they 
now  so  vilify  and  despise  ?  Be  persuaded,  therefore,  0  Christians, 
to  glorify  this  power  of  the  great  God,  by  your  holy  fear  and 
caution  not  to  provoke  and  arm  it  against  yourselves.  It  is  our 
Saviour's  counsel,  Mat.  x.  28,  "  Fear  him,  which  is  able  to  destroy 
both  body  and  soul  in  hell :  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him."  Know, 
that,  when  thou  makest  light  of  sin,  thou  dost  but  contemn  the 
power  and  wrath  of  God :  so  often  as  thou  swearest,  or  liest,  or  com- 
mittest  any  other  known  wickedness,  so  often  thou  openly  declarest 
that  thou  accountest  the  wrath  of  God,  hell,  and  everlasting 
torments  but  a  trifle,  not  worth  the  regard  of  a  generous  and 
daring  sinner.  And  thou,  who  perhaps  art  scared  from  the  com- 
mission of  many  a  sin,  through  fear  of  the  magistrate's  power  to 
punish  thee,  but  boldly  committest  others  which  cannot  fall  under 
his  power  or  cognizance,  what  else  dost  thou,  but  openly  testify 
that  the  power  of  God  is  not  so  tremendous  and  dreadful,  as  the 
power  of  a  weak  worm  like  thyself?  And  what  a  scorn  and  re- 
proach dost  thou  hereby  cast  upon  that  glorious  attribute !  But, 
if  thou  wouldest  glorify  it,  declare  to  all  the  world,  that  thou  own- 
est  his  infinite  power,  which  is  able  to  destroy,  to  damn  thee  every 
moment,  by  thy  holy  fear  to  offend  so  great  and  so  terrible  a  God. 

(5thly)  Glorify  the  power  and  sovereignty  of  God,  by  a  constant 
and  conscientious  obedience  to  all  his  laws. 

He,  who  is  the  great  Sovereign  of  the  world,  must  needs  have 
prescribed  us  some  rules  to  direct  us  in  our  obedience.  And  this 
he  hath  done  in  his  word,  which  is  the  statute-book  of  his  king- 
dom :  in  the  Scriptures  is  contained  the  whole  body  and  system 
of  those  laws,  which  our  great  King  hath  enacted.  Now  the  best 
way  for  us  to  acknowledge  the  sovereignty  of  God,  is,  by  yielding 
all  ready  and  cheerful  obedience  to  those  laws,  which  he  hath  im- 
posed on  us.  Then  do  we  indeed  declare  that  we  own  him  for  our 
sovereign,  when  we  resign  ourselves  in  an  universal  obedience 
unto  him,  and  are  careful  to  perform  whatsoever  he  hath  enjoined 
us ;  as  well  those  duties  which  immediately  concern  the  service  of 
our  Lord  and  Master,  as  those  which  concern  our  fellow-subjects 
and  servants :  but,  if  we  willingly  fail  in  the  observance  of  any 
of  these,  we  shake  his  yoke  from  off  our  necks,  and  withdraw  our- 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


659 


selves  from  under  his  jurisdiction  and  command.  And  thou,  who 
thus  disownest  him  from  being  thy  sovereign  Lord,  will  at  last  find 
him  to  be  thy  severe  judge;  and,  although  thou  now  refusest  to 
submit  thyself  to  the  power  of  his  grace,  thou  shalt  be  forced  to 
bow,  and  sink,  and  eternally  perish  under  the  power  of  his  wrath. 

7thly.  Another  (and  it  is  the  last  of  which  I  shall  speak)  attri- 
bute of  the  divine  essence,  which  we  ought  to  glorify,  is  his  justice 
and  equity. 

Now,  although  there  be  no  other  attribute  more  conversant  with 
mankind  than  this  of  the  divine  justice,  yet  neither  is  there  any 
that  is  of  a  more  abstruse  speculation,  or  more  entangled  with  per- 
plexed doubts  and  difficulties,  whensoever  we  attempt  a  sckolasti- 
cal  disquisition  of  it.  It  is  like  the  sun,  nothing  more  seen  than 
its  light,  nothing  less  seen  than  itself:  the  most  apparent,  and  yet 
the  most  hidden ;  the  most  obvious,  and  yet  the  most  abstruse  per- 
fection of  the  divine  nature. 

It  is  not  pertinent  to  my  present  design,  to  engage  in  those  many 
critical  distinctions  and  disputes,  which  are  by  divers  diversely 
given  us  concerning  the  justice  of  God :  my  work  is  more  imme- 
diately practical. 

(1st)  Yet  because  we  ought  to  have  right  apprehensions  of  that 
object,  which  we  are  to  glorify ;  and  we  cannot  glorify  God  as  a 
just  God,  unless  we  have  beforehand  conceived  some  proper  notions 
what  this  justice  is  ;  therefore  take  notice  briefly,  that  the  justice 
of  God  is  twofold. 

[1st]  His  essential  justice  ;  which  is  nothing  else  but  the  infinite 
rectitude  of  his  nature,  according  to  his  own  eternal  ideas  of  him- 
self. 

This  is  not  that,  which  we  are  now  taking  into  consideration. 
For  as,  among  men,  that,  which  Aristotle  calls  the  vofi^ov  Sixaioewrif, 
an  universal  justice  respecting  the  conformity  of  every  action  of 
our  lives  to  law  and  reason,  is  not  so  much  any  one  virtue,  as  all ; 
so,  likewise,  this  essential  and  absolute  justice  of  God  is  not  so 
much  any  one  attribute  of  the  divine  nature,  as  a  complexion  of 
them  all :  for  it  is  the  due  habitude  and  proportion  of  God's  infinite 
perfections  to  the  only  rule  of  them,  which  is  himself. 

[2dly]  There  is  a  moral,  or  relative  justice  in  God,  which  respects 
his  transactions  and  dealings  with  his  creatures. 

Now,  as  among  men,  justice  is  that  virtue,  which  habitually 
sways  them  to  render  to  every  one  his  own ;  so,  likewise,  in  God 
towards  men,  that  disposition,  which,  if  we  may  so  speak,  inclines 


660 


OX    G  L  O  R  I  F  Y  I  X  G  GOD 


him  to  render  to  every  one  his  own,  is  that  which  we  call  ihe 
justice  of  God.    Here  two  things  are  to  be  observed. 

a.  The  foundation  of  his  justice  is  his  sapience  and  will. 

For  God  lies  under  no  obligation  to  his  creatures,  antecedent  to 
the  free  determinations  of  his  own  will.  It  is  just  with  God,  to 
punish  some  men  with  eternal  torments :  why  ?  Because  they  are 
sinners,  and  punishment  is  their  due;  and,  therefore,  in  inflicting 
it,  he  doth  but  render  unto  them  what  is  their  own.  But,  if  you 
ask  farther,  whence  it  proceeds  that  wrath  and  punishment  should 
be  their  due,  we  can  give  no  other  answer  to  this,  but  only  because 
the  will  of  God  hath  so  constituted  and  ordained  it,  as  a  congruous 
reward  for  such  actions.  So  that  whatsoever  God  wills  is  just  and 
equal ;  not  simply  as  he  wills  it  only,  but  as  his  will  is  guided  by 
his  infinite  wisdom,  which  dictates  such  proceedings  to  be  fitting 
and  conformable  to  the  divine  nature;  and  therefore  God  wills 
them  as  just.  For,  because  the  divine  wisdom  sees  it  congruous 
that  obstinate  and  impenitent  sinners  should  be  eternally  punished, 
therefore  the  divine  will  determines  to  punish  them,  and  their 
punishment  is  an  act  of  justice. 

b.  The  rule  of  divine  justice  is  his  word. 

For  God  proceeds  according  to  this  word,  in  all  his  dealings 
with  us.  His  word  contains  in  it  both  promises  and  threatenings ; 
and,  to  fulfil  both,  God  hath  obliged  himself  by  his  truth  and  ve- 
racity. And,  consequently,  either  the  mercy  promised  or  the 
punishment  threatened  is  our  due,  according  as  we  either  obey  or 
transgress  his  word :  and,  these  being  our  due,  it  is  but  justice  in 
God  to  render  them  unto  us  according  as  our  works  have  been. 
Indeed,  the  schools  have  well  determined,  that  there  can  be  no 
commutative  justice  in  God:  i.  e.,  such  justice,  as  consists  in  an 
equal  exchange  of  things  between  party  and  party,  giving  and 
taking  a  like  value :  for  the  Apostle  hath  told  us,  Rom.  xi.  35 : 
"  "Who  hath  first  given  to  him  ?  and  it  shall  be  recompensed  unto 
him  again.  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all 
things." 

But  there  is  a  distributive  justice  in  God,  whereby,  as  a  judge, 
he  recompenseth  us  proportionabty  to  our  actions ;  which  justice 
is  regulated  by  the  promises  and  threatenings  of  his  word. 

And  it  is  twofold :  remunerative  justice,  which  assigns  us  a 
blessed  reward,  according  to  our  faith  and  obedience ;  and,  puni- 
tive justice,  which  inflicts  upon  us  eternal  and  insupportable  pun- 
ishments, according  to  our  impenitence  and  rebellions. 

And  both  these  the  Apostle  mentions  together,  2  Thess.  i.  6,  7 : 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


661 


"  It  is  a  righteous,"  or  a  just  "  thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribu- 
lation to  them  that  trouble  you :  And  to  you,  who  are  troubled, 
rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven." 

And  thus  I  have)  as  plainly  as  I  could  with  so  much  brevity 
shown  you  what  this  attribute  of  the  divine  justice  is. 

(2dly)  Let  us  next  consider  how  it  ought  to  be  glorified  by  us. 

[1st]  The  first  and  chief  way,  is,  by  our  conformity  to  it. 

For  justice  and  equity  is  a  communicable  attribute  of  the  divine 
nature :  and  the  best  way  to  glorify  such,  is  not  only  to  represent 
them  in  ourselves,  by  admiring  and  adoring  them ;  but  to  represent 
them  in  ourselves,  by  transcribing  and  imitating  them.  Then  dost 
thou  glorify  the  justice  of  God,  when  thou  endeavorest,  within  thy 
sphere  and  according  to  thy  proportion,  to  be  thyself  just.  God 
is  just  in  rendering  to  every  man  his  own ;  whether  it  be  his  own 
by  merit,  or  by  mercy,  by  desert,  or  by  promise  :  He  renders,  saith 
the  Apostle,  "  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds :"  Rom.  ii.  6 : 
according  to  the  merit  of  their  deeds :  so,  he  renders  "  indignation 
and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  to  every  soul  of  man  that 
doeth  evil:"  and,  according  to  the  mercy  of  his  promise,  he  ren- 
ders "  glory,  honor,  and  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good." 
Imitate  God,  in  rendering  to  every  one  their  own :  keep  nothing 
from  them  which  is  their  due,  except  it  be  the  retribution  of  evil 
for  evil ;  for  this  recompense  God  hath  reserved  to  himself. 

Now  that  is  said  to  be  another  man's,  to  which  he  hath  a  title. 
And,  if  the  title  remain  in  him,  but  the  possession  in  thee,  so  long 
thou  art  unjust,  and  dishonorest  God,  as  well  as  wrongest  thy  bro- 
ther ;  as  thou  detainest  from  him  what  is  rightfully  his,  contrary 
to  his  will  and  desire. 

There  are  two  things,  that  give  a  man  a  title  to  any  possession  ; 
law,  and  conscience.    First.  Human  Laws. 

God's  laws  are  the  rule  of  his  justice  towards  m.en,  and  men's  laws 
are  the  rule  of  their  justice  one  towards  another.  These  set  bounds  to 
our  property,  and  determine  what  is  ours,  and  what  not:  and,  whoso- 
ever he  be,  that  breaks  through  this  fence,  and  either  violently  or 
fraudulently  seizes  upon  that,  which  the  laws  under  which  he  lives 
hath  assigned  to  his  brother,  he  is  an  unjust  person,  that  transgres- 
seth  not  only  the  laws  of  men,  but  that  sovereign  law  of  God,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  steal."  God's  law  commands  us  not  to  take  what  is  an- 
other's ;  but  man's  law  shows  us  what  is  another's ;  man's  law  makes 
property,  and  God's  law  secures  it :  else,  why  may  not  any  enter  into 
your  houses,  and  take  thence  what  best  likes  them  ?  For  what  makes 
it  yours,  more  than  theirs  ?  Is  it,  that  you  have  acquired  it  ?  By  the 


662 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


same  reason  it  will  be  as  rightfully  theirs,  when  they  have  gotten 
it :  and  so  the  whole  earth  would  be  filled  with  violence,  and  ra- 
pine, and  confusion,  did  not  laws  determine  what  is  yours,  and 
what  not ;  and  parcel  out  the  common  goods  of  nature,  assigning 
to  every  one  his  share,  which  for  another  to  invade  and  take  from 
him,  is  rapine  or  deceit.  And,  therefore,  it  is  an  unjust  thing,  to 
alienate  any  possession  of  another,  upon  pretence  that  it  is  super- 
fluous, or  may  be  employed  to  better  uses,  or  that  the  owners  are 
wicked  and  undeserving:  for,  be  the  persons  never  so  wicked, 
their  estates  never  so  redundant  or  misemployed,  what  they  hold 
is  as  much  their  own,  as  those  few  things  which  perhaps  thou  art 
owner  of,  and  are  barely  necessary  for  the  sustentation  of  thy  life ; 
and,  if  thou  shouldest  attempt  to  deprive  them  of  any  part  thereof, 
it  is  as  much  injustice,  as  if  any  should  attempt  to  take  from  thee 
the  only  piece  of  bread  by  which  thou  livest.  Indeed,  the  laws, 
under  which  we  live,  may  and  often  do  alter  the  property :  so  that 
what  was  mine  before,  ceaseth  to  be  so  when  the  law  hath  assigned 
it  to  another ;  and  I  am  unjust  and  guilty  of  theft,  if  I  detain  it 
from  him :  it  is  no  longer  mine,  but  his,  when  the  same  authority, 
that  gave  me  title  to  it  before,  hath  now  transferred  that  title  from 
me  to  him.  .  Hence  we  have  that  exhortation  of  the  Apostle,  an 
exhortation  very  needful  to  be  pressed  upon  us  in  these  unjust 
days,  wherein  men  are  utterly  unwilling  to  be  guided  by  any  laws 
besides  their  self-will  and  self-interest ;  Eom.  xiii.  7 :  "  Eender, 
therefore,  to  all  their  dues  ;  tribute,  to  whom  tribute  is  due  ;  custom, 
to  whom  custom ;  fear,  to  whom  fear ;  honor,  to  whom  honor." 
You  see  here,  that  tribute  and  custom  are  called  dues :  and  what 
else  makes  them  due,  but  only  the  law  of  man?  And,  certainly, 
if  the  law  of  man  can  make  a  tribute  out  of  mine  estate,  or  a 
custom  out  of  my  goods,  to  be  due  to  another,  suppose  the  prince 
or  any  other  magistrate,  am  not  I  guilty  of  injustice  and  theft,  if 
I  detain  it  from  him ;  yea,  altogether  as  much  as  if  I  should  steal 
from  him,  what  already  he  hath  in  his  possession?  Thus  you  see 
how  human  laws  confer  right,  and  title ;  and,  therefore,  we  are 
bound  in  justice,  to  render  to  every  one  according  to  their  pre- 
scription. 

Secondly.  But,  there  may  be  several  cases,  unto  which  the  law 
cannot  particularly  reach,  wherein  we  may  be  unjust  towards 
others.  For,  not  only  the  law,  but  conscience  may  confer  a  title 
upon  others :  and  this  ought  to  oblige  us,  when,  many  times,  the 
law  cannot. 

Thus,  what  thou  hast  promised  to  another,  thou  standest  bound 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


663 


to  perform,  although  possibly  he  cannot  prove  that  promise  by  any 
other  witnesses,  than  those  thousand  of  thine  own  conscience.  And 
many  other  such  like  instances  may  be  made,  wherein  conscience  and 
equity  require  thee  to  render  that  unto  another,  which,  perhaps,  law 
and  judicial  process  cannot  compel  thee  to  do :  but,  yet,  if  thou  art 
in  thine  own  conscience  persuaded,  that  thy  brother  hath  a  better 
right  and  title  to  what  thou  possessest  than  thyself,  although  pos- 
sibly he  knows  not  of  it,  or  could  never  recover  it  by  a  legal  course, 
yet  justice  binds  thee  to  render  it  to  him  :  it  is  his ;  and  the  proper 
office  and  effect  of  justice  is,  to  render  to  every  one  his  own. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the  kinds  of  justice ;  which  are 
two,  commutative  or  distributive. 

a.  "We  ought  to  glorify  God  by  a  commutative  justice ;  rendering 
to  every  one  his  due,  in  our  bargains,  sales,  and  commerce :  wherein 
we  ought  to  observe  an  exact  equality,  between  what  we  give,  and 
what  we  take  ;  otherwise  we  cannot  but  be  unjust,  and  wrong  either 
ourselves  or  others. 

This  is  a  duty,  which  the  very  light  of  nature  and  the  dictates 
of  reason  enforce  upon  us :  that,  upon  which  the  frame  of  all  cor- 
respondence and  transactions  in  the  world  doth  depend  :  and,  who- 
soever he  be,  that  openly  transgresseth  the  rules  of  this  justice,  is 
looked  upon  as  an  infamous  person ;  shunned  and  avoided  by  all, 
as  one  not  fit  for  human  conversation :  neither,  indeed,  is  he ;  for 
this  kind  of  injustice,  if  it  were  grown  into  common  practice,  would 
soon  turn  the  world  into  a  wilderness,  and  men  into  savage  beasts, 
ravening  and  preying  one  upon  another ;  and  nothing,  that  we  pos- 
sessed, could  be  secured  from  violence  or  fraud.  Neither  is  this 
justice  only  a  dictate  of  the  law  and  light  of  nature,  but  God  hath 
added  many  sanctions  to  it  by  his  express  commands ;  especially 
that  serious  and  weighty  one,  1  Thess.  iv.  6  ;  "  Let  no  man  go  beyond 
or  defraud  his  brother  in  any  matter ;  because  that  the  Lord  is  the 
avenger  of  all  such."  And  indeed  there  is  scarce  any  one  sin  that 
is  more  injurious  unto  God,  as  well  as  unto  men,  than  this  of  fraud 
and  injustice  :  it  wrongs  him  in  many  of  his  attributes :  it  heinously 
affronts  his  sovereignty:  when  a  little  inconsiderable  gain  shall 
tempt  us  to  violate  his  laws,  and  despise  his  authority,  and  hearken 
to  the  imperious  commands  of  our  own  base  and  sordid  covetous- 
ness,  rather  than  to  the  commands  of  the  great  God:  it  calls  in 
question  his  fidelity,  nay  rather,  it  plainly  demonstrates  that  we  do 
utterly  disbelieve  it;  for,  did  we  think  that  there  were  any  truth, 
cither  in  his  threatenings  or  his  promises,  should  we  be  so  foolish,  as, 
for  a  present  petty  gain,  to  forfeit  the  hopes  of  a  future  inheritance 


664 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


and  inexhaustible  treasures  in  heaven;  or  to  incur  the  certain 
danger  of  eternal  destruction  in  hell,  where  we  shall  woefully  refund 
all  that  we  have  either  gotten  or  kept  unjustly  ?  It  directly  con- 
tradicts the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God,  which  teacheth  and  obligeth 
us  to  be  so  far  from  wronging  others,  as  to  be  bountiful  and  benefi- 
cent to  them  :  and,  therefore,  in  all  respects,  injustice  towards  men 
is  a  high  injury  done  against  God  himself.  And,  yet,  how  common  a 
sin  is  this  in  the  world !  Are  not  all  places  rilled  with  sad  complaints 
of  wrong,  violence,  and  oppression :  each  snatching  what  they  can 
from  others  ;  and  taking  all  advantages,  either  from  the  weakness 
or  inadvertence  of  their  brethren,  to  overreach  and  defraud  them  ? 
A  sin,  shall  I  say,  unworthy  of  Christians  ?  Yea,  unworthy  of  men ; 
contrary  to  the  very  constitution  of  civil  societies :  but  infinitely 
shameful  and  opprobrious  in  those  that  profess  the  gospel,  who,  by 
this  means,  bring  an  indelible  blot  and  reproach  upon  religion ;  and, 
by  their  extortion,  oppression,  and  inj  ustice,  open  the  mouths  of  too 
many,  to  blaspheme  the  holy  name  of  God,  whilst  they  look  upon  an 
eminent  and  glorious  profession  only  as  a  more  cleanly  art  to  cheat 
and  cozen.  Be  persuaded,  therefore,  O  Christians,  to  glorify  the 
justice  of  God,  by  the  justice  and  equity  of  your  dealings  with 
men.  Let  it  appear  by  all  your  actions,  that  you  do  acknowledge 
there  is  a  just  God  in  heaven ;  a  God,  who  critically  observeth  all 
that  you  do,  and  who  will  render  unto  you  according  to  your 
works  :  and  that,  for  the  awe  and  reverence  of  his  impartial  justice, 
you  dare  not  do  any  thing  that  is  unjust  towards  men.  This  is  the 
way  to  glorify  him,  far  more  effectually  than  by  all  the  encomiums 
and  verbal  representations,  which  thou  canst  make  of  his  justice  : 
for,  how  can  others  be  persuaded  that  thou  dost  believe  there  is  a 
just  God,  whilst  thou  thyself,  notwithstanding  all  thy  professions, 
art  unjust,  cruel,  covetous,  taking  or  detaining  from  others  what 
is  their  due,  as  if  the  only  reward  thou  expectedst  were  to  live 
upon  the  spoil  ?  Are  these  proper  actions  to  convince  them,  that 
there  is  a  just  God,  or  that  thou  dost  think  him  so?  Nay,  rather, 
will  it  not  prove  a  strong  temptation  to  them,  to  call  the  justice  of 
God  into  question,  when  they  see  thee  so  long  escape  unpunished ; 
and  to  conclude,  as  many  upon  the  like  account  have  done,  that  cer- 
tainly the  world  is  not  guided  by  sovereign  justice  and  equity,  but 
only  by  mere  chance  and  casualty  ?  The  only  way  to  work  a 
reverential  esteem  of  the  justice  of  God  in  the  minds  of  men,  is,  to 
be  as  punctual  in  our  dealings  with  them,  as  we  would  desire  they 
should  be  with  us ;  yea,  to  be  as  just  to  them,  as  we  would  desire 
God  should  be  merciful  to  us.    This  will  convince  the  world,  that 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


665 


certainly  there  is  a  supreme  justice  that  overawes  us,  that  we  dare 
not  take  those  advantages,  which  the  ignorance  or  oversight  of 
others  puts  into  our  hands  to  defraud  them ;  and  that  we  do  indeed 
believe,  that  there  is  a  day  coming,  wherein  a  thousand  witnesses 
shall  be  produced  to  testify  what  agreements  and  compacts  we 
have  made,  where  the  false  weights  shall  be  themselves  weighed, 
and  the  scanty  measures  themselves  meted,  by  a  standard  that  is 
infallibly  true,  and  all  the  controversies  of  right  and  equity  shall 
be  decided  to  the  eternal  shame  and  horror  of  those  who  have 
done  the  wrong. 

b.  We  ought  tc  glorify  the  justice  of  God  by  our  distributive 
justice  ;  rendering  uuto  all  men  the  rewards  and  punishments,  that 
are  due  unto,  their  actions. 

This  part  of  justice  belongs  not  to  private  Christians,  but  only 
to  the  magistrate  :  for  he  is  God's  executive ;  and  rewards  and 
punishments  are  consigned  over  unto  him  :  Eom.  xiii.  3,  4.  If  thou 
dost  well,  "  he  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good :  but,  if  thou 
do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid ;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in 
vain  :  for  he  is  the  minister  of  God ;  a  revenger,  to  execute  wrath 
upon  him  that  doeth  evil."  Indeed,  a  magistrate's  office  should 
be  a  clear  type  and  representation  of  the  justice  of  God,  and  human 
judicatories  emblems  of  the  great  and  last  assize ;  and  the  ad- 
ministration of  justice  here  should  bear  an  exact  proportion  to 
that  strict  justice  which  God  will  execute,  when  all  the  world  shall 
appear  before  him  to  receive  their  doom.  There  should  not  an 
offender  escape  deserved  punishment,  especially  those,  who  are 
presumptuous  and  peremptory  upon  their  greatness  and  the  emi- 
nence of  their  quality,  who  make  it  their  sport  to  baffle  the  law 
and  outface  justice.  God's  justice  is  impartial;  and  spares  neither 
the  poor  for  pity,  nor  the  rich  for  fear :  but  will  eternally  retribute 
to  every  one,  according  to  what  he  has  done.  And  if  thou,  to 
whom  he  hath  committed  the  administration  of  his  justice,  shalt 
dispense  it  with  respect  of  persons  ;  either  moved  with  commisera- 
tion, or  interest,  or  base  fear,  or  any  other  by  or  sinister  end ;  thou 
highly  dishonorest  him,  distributing  that  for  the  justice  of  God, 
which  is  but  the  injustice  and  partiality  of  man.  It  hath  been  an 
old  complaint,  that  laws  were  but  like  cobwebs;  which  served  in- 
deed, to  hamper  the  smaller  flies,  whilst  the  greater  and  stronger 
securely  break  through  them.  Let  it  be  your  care  and  endeavor 
to  remove  this  obloquy  ;  and,  by  a  severe  animadversion,  not  only 
on  poor  trembling  offenders,  but  on  haughty  and  audacious  crimi- 
nals, who  think  to  outbrave  authority  with  their  greatness,  make 


666 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


it  appear  that  you  look  upon  yourselves  as  the  dispensers  of  God's 
justice,  which  respects  them  no  more  than  the  most  contemptible 
wretch  that  lives  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 

[2dl  v]  When  the  divine  justice  hath  found  thee  out,  then  thou 
oughtest  to  glorify  it,  by  a  free  and  full  confession  of  thine  offences. 

Now  there  are  two  ways,  in  which  the  justice  of  God  doth  find 
out  sinners : 

Sometimes,  by  inflicting  remarkable  plagues  and  judgments 
upon  them:  plagues,  that  carry  in  them  a  great  correspondence 
and  alliance  to  the  sins  they  have  committed,  so  that  they  cannot 
but  read  their  very  crimes  in  their  punishments.  And, 

Sometimes,  by  detecting  their  crimes  which  they  thought  were 
committed  in  secret,  and  bringing  them  to  condign  punishment 
for  them.  And,  indeed,  strange  are  the  instances,  that  might  be 
given,  of  God's  marvellous  providence  in  this  particular;  especially 
in  bringing  murder  and  bloodshed  to  light. 

o     o  o 

Now,  one  or  other  of  these  ways,  men's  sins  and  God's  justice 
will  usually  find  them  out.  " Be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out:" 
Numb,  xxxii.  23.  And,  therefore,  in  these  cases,  glorify  the  justice 
of  God,  by  a  free  and  full  confession  of  thy  guilt. 

a.  If  God  lay  any  sore  plague  and  judgment  upon  thee,  go  and 
humble  thyself  and  confess  thy  sin  unto  him  in  secret ;  and  pray 
unto  him  chiefly  that  he  would  take  away  thy  sin,  and  then  thy 
punishment. 

Or,  if  this  will  not  give  sufficient  ease  to  thine  afflicted  con- 
science, take  unto  thee  some  serious,  prudent  Christian;  inform 
him  how  the  case  stands,  between  God  and  thy  soul:  beg  the 
assistance  of  his  advice  and  prayers.  This  is  the  Apostle's  direc- 
tion, James  v.  16  :  "Confess  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray 
one  for  another,  that  ye  may  be  healed."  This  is  the  way  to  give 
God  the  glory  of  his  justice,  when  thou  shalt  fall  down  and  ac- 
knowledge, that  what  he  hath  brought  upon  thee  is  just  and  right- 
eous, and  the  due  reward  of  thy  sins.  And,  indeed,  God  doth 
many  times  inflict  such  peculiar  punishments  upon  us,  which  do 
indicate  and  point  out  our  sins;  as  it  were  on  purpose  to  extort 
his  glory  from  us,  in  our  confession  of  his  justice.  Sometimes,  he 
punisheth  us  after  the  same  manner,  in  which  we  have  offended 
him.  We  have  a  famous  instance  for  this  in  Adonibezek,  Judges 
i.  7  :  "  Threescore  and  ten  kings,  having  their  thumbs  and  their  great 
toes  cut  off,  gathered  their  meat  under  my  table ;"  and  he,  suffer- 
ing the  like  from  the  Israelites,  acknowledgeth  the  justice  of  God 
in  thus  repaying  his  cruelty :  "as  I  have  done,  so  God  hath  re- 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


667 


quited  me."  Thus  God  dealt  with  the  Egyptians:  they  cruelly 
murder  the  male  children  of  the  Israelites ;  and,  therefore,  God 
slays  all  their  first-born.  And,  sometimes  again,  judgments  carry 
a  likeness  unto  the  sin,  though  not  in  the  very  same  thing,  yet  in 
many  circumstances  of  it :  as  when  God  smites  men  in  the  same 
subject,  object,  time,  instruments,  or  members  of  sinning:  thus 
David  grows  proud  of  the  number  of  his  subjects ;  and,  therefore, 
God  sweeps  them  away  by  a  pestilence,  and  makes  him  subtract 
threescore  and  ten  thousand  from  the  account :  he  dotes  on  Absa- 
lom, and  God  ordains  Absalom  to  rebel  against  and  endeavor  to. 
dethrone  him  :  so,  that  very  hand,  which  Jeroboam  stretched  forth 
to  lay  hold  on  the  prophet,  God  withers  and  dries  up.  Now  if  any 
such  judgment  hath  befallen  you,  that  carries  on  it  the  very  stamp 
and  impression  of  the  sin  for  which  God  inflicts  it,  adore  and  glo- 
rify his  justice  ;  fall  down  before  him,  and  confess  that  he  is  right- 
eous and  holy  in  all  that  he  hath  brought  upon  you. 

b.  If  the  divine  justice  hath  so  found  thee  out,  as  to  detect  thee, 
and  bring  thee  to  temporal  punishment  for  thy  crimes,  then  glorify 
it,  by  a  free  and  public  confession  of  them  to  all  the  world. 

Strive  not  to  cover  the  sore,  which  God  lays  open ;  but  take  to 
thyself  the  shame  of  thine  iniquities,  and  give  God  the  glory  of 
his  justice,  by  acknowledging  thy  guilt,  and  admiring  his  most 
wise  and  righteous  methods  in  discovering  thee,  when  thou 
thoughtest  thy  wickedness  had  been  hid  in  darkness  and  secrecy  : 
so  that  others  may  hear  ;  and  fear  to  offend  that  God,  who  can,  by 
such  unknown  ways  of  his  providence,  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness.  Thus,  when  Achan  was  miraculously  dis- 
covered by  lot,  Joshua  exhorts  him,  chap.  vii.  19  :  "My  son,  give, 
I  pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and  make  confession 
unto  him  ;  and  tell  me  now  what  thou  hast  done:  hide  it  not  from 
me:"  which  accordingly  we  find  he  did,  and  we  may  therefore 
hope  well  of  his  pardon.  It  is  a  most  desperate  folly  of  many 
stupid  wretches,  to  persist  obstinately  in  denying  those  crimes  of 
which  they  are  evidently  convicted ;  and,  that  their  names  may 
escape  the  infamy,  bind  the  guilt  of  them  fast  upon  their  souls  for- 
ever. 

[3dly]  If  thou  art  unjustly  wronged  and  oppressed  by  others, 
glorify  the  justice  of  God,  in  committing  thy  vindication  to  him. 

Seek  not  to  revenge  thyself ;  for,  by  so  doing,  thou  dost  but  take 
thy  cause  out  of  God's  hands,  who  is  better  able  to  plead  it  for 
thee.  If  thou  studiest  how  to  recompense  evil  for  evil,  thou  dis- 
paragest  the  justice  of  God,  and  suspectest  that  it  will  not  do  thee 


668 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


right ;  and,  therefore,  thou  wilt  seek  to  carve  out  to  thyself  what 
amends  thou  canst.  Certainly  he  doth  most  of  all  honor  the 
justice  of  God,  who,  when  he  hath  suffered  wrongfully,  doth,  with- 
out any  farther  care  or  solicitude,  recommend  his  cause  to  God. 
Nor  can  I  approve  those,  who,  when  they  are  injured,  do  indeed 
betake  them  to  God ;  but  it  is  with  bitter  curses  and  direful  im- 
precations against  those,  who  have  injured  them,  praying  for  wrath 
and  vengeance  to  fall  upon  them :  what !  think  we  that  the  wrath  of 
God  must  take  fire  at  ours  ;  and  that  he  must  dart  down  his  thun- 
derbolts, according  to  the  guidance  and  direction  of  our  passions  ? 
This  were  to  make  the  justice  of  God  servile  to  our  affections,  and 
an  instrument  for  our  revenge":  Indeed,  we  do  often  meet  in  Scrip- 
ture with  such  dreadful  imprecations,  where  the  saints  of  God  de- 
vote his  and  their  implacable  enemies  to  utter  ruin  and  destruction : 
yet  this  is  no  warrant  for  us  to  use  them  too.  For,  as  our  Saviour 
Christ  rebuked  his  disciples  who  were  vexed  at  the  affront  they 
received  from  a  village  that  would  not  entertain  them,  and  there- 
fore entreated  him  to  call  for  fire,  as  Elias  did,  to  come  down  and 
consume  them,  (their  zeal  was  all  in  a  ferment,  and  presently 
boiled  up  to  an  intemperate  feverish  heat,)  but  our  Saviour  checks 
them,  and  tells  them,  Luke  ix.  55 :  "  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of 
spirit  ye  are  of:"  intimating  that  Elijah  prayed  for  fire  to  come 
down  upon  those  captains  and  their  companies  that  were  sent  to 
take  him,  from  some  extraordinary  spirit,  and  by  the  mighty 
guidance  and  impulse  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  they  did  it  only  from 
a  private  spirit  of  revenge:  so  I  may  say,  that  those  examples, 
which  we  have  in  Scripture,  especially  in  the  Psalms,  of  saints  and 
holy  men  of  God  devoting  their  enemies  to  ruin,  were  from  the 
impulse  and  direction  of  an  extraordinary  spirit,  unto  which  we 
cannot  pretend :  and,  therefore,  for  us  to  imitate  them,  would  not  be 
zeal,  but  wildfire.  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  suffered  infi- 
nitely greater  indignities  than  any  that  we  can,  hath  set  us  another 
example,  when,  amidst  the  rage  and  insultings  of  his  most  bitter 
enemies,  he  prays,  Luke  xxiii.  3-i,  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do."  And  his  holy  martyr  St.  Stephen,  who 
was  the  first  that  followed  our  Saviour  in  the  track  of  his  blood, 
follows  him  likewise  as  closely  in  his  example;  and,  when  the 
stones  flew  thick  about  him  from  their  malicious  hands,  it  is  said. 
Acts  vii.  60,  that  "he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice. 
Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge."  Indeed,  though  it  may 
seem  a  paradox,  yet  it  is  a  stated  and  measured  truth,  that  then 
thou  dost  most  of  all  glorify  the  justice  of  God,  when  thou  im- 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


609 


plorest  mercy  for  those  who  have  wronged  and  injured  thee,  that 
God  would  forgive  them  and  turn  their  hearts :  for,  in  so  praying, 
what  dost  thou  else,  but  pray  that  God's  justice  may  be  cleared  in 
clearing  thy  innocence  ?  If  thou  canst  but  pray  down  mercy  upon 
them,  thou  wilt  also  pray  down  repentance  into  them;  and  then 
thou  hast  gained  the  most  noble  and  Christian-like  revenge  that 
can  be  desired. 

[4thly]  Glorify  the  justice  of  God,  by  endeavoring  to  make  thy- 
self worthy  to  escape  the  direful  and  destructive  effects  of  it. 

Thou  hast  been  told  how  severe  and  tremendous  this  justice  is. 
All  the  astonishing  judgments,  that  have  ever  befallen  any  of  the 
sons  of  men  in  this  life,  are  but  small  preludes  to  it ;  in  compa- 
rison with  those  massy  and  solid  plagues,  that  are  laid  up  in  store 
to  be  inflicted  on  impenitent  sinners  hereafter  in  hell :  that  is  the 
proper  region  and  sphere  of  justice,  where  wrath  and  woe  forever 
triumph,  without  mixture  or  abatement.  Well  now,  0  soul,  is 
there  a  way  for  thee  to  escape  this  terrible  justice  of  the  great 
God ;  and  wilt  thou  not,  with  the  dearest  affections  of  thy  heart, 
close  with  it  and  embrace  it?  What  is  this,  but  to  slight  and  dis- 
parage the  wrath  and  justice  of  God  ?  He  hath  but  required  faith 
and  obedience  from  thee ;  and,  upon  these,  hath  promised,  that 
thou  shalt  never  fall  a  sacrifice  to  his  justice,  but  be  set  up  a 
trophy  of  his  grace  and  mercy ;  and,  certainly,  if  thou  wilt  not 
come  up  to  these  terms,  it  is  too  evident  a  sign,  that  thou  despisest 
his  justice,  and  thinkest  it  not  worth  the  fearing. 

There  are  several  other  attributes  and  perfections  of  the  divine 
nature,  which  ought  also  to  be  glorified  by  us :  but  these,  upon 
which  I  have  already  insisted,  are  the  principal ;  and  most  fre- 
quently occur  in  the  course  of  our  lives,  to  be  observed  and  imi- 
tated by  us. 

From  what  hath  been  said  of  our  glorifying  God,  I  shall  deduce 
this  short  inference  and  corollary. 

See  here,  then,  what  a  Christian's  life  ought  to  be ;  only  a  repre- 
sentation of  God. 

The  divine  perfections  should  shine  through  all  our  actions ; 
and  whatsoever  we  do  ought  to  be,  either  a  resemblance  of  the 
divine  nature,  or  a  declaration  of  it.  We  have  no  other  work  nor 
business  to  do  in  the  world,  but  to  live  according  to  the  attributes 
of  God,  and  to  express  his  life  in  ours.  For  what  is  it  to  be  godly, 
but  to  be  like  unto  God  ?  Whilst  the  children  of  the  devil  are  like 


670 


O  N*    GLORIFY IXG  GOD 


unto  their  father,  and  declare  his  hellish  nature  m  their  hellish 
lives  ;  all,  that  are  the  children  of  God  should  be  like  unto  their 
heavenly  Father,  and  express  the  virtues  of  him  that  "  hath  called 
us  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light:"  as  the  Apostle 
speaks,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  And,  to  conclude  this,  those  Christians,  who 
thus  make  it  their  constant  employment  to  live  on  earth  as  God 
himself  lives  in  heaven,  may,  with  assured  hope  and  unspeakable 
comfort,  expect  to  live  forever  with  the  Lord. 

We  have  thus  considered  the  duty,  to  which  we  are  here  ex- 
horted, even  the  great  and  most  comprehensive  duty  of  a  Chris- 
tian's whole  life ;  and  have  shown  you  what  it  is  to  glorify  God. 
"We  have  considered  the  object  of  this  duty  ;  God,  in  all  his  attri- 
butes, both  communicable  and  incommunicable :  and  have  shown 
you  how  they  ought  particularly  to  be  glorified  by  us. 

3.  Let  us  now  consider  what  the  Apostle  adds  farther  in  the  text, 
"  Glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,"  Ev  ra>  oupan  xai  r« 
avtvuari :  that  is,  in  your  body,  and  in  your  soul. 

For,  by  the  word  spirit,  the  soul  of  man  is  here  to  be  under- 
stood ;  as,  likewise,  in  many  other  places  of  Scripture :  and  this, 
to  denote  that  it  is  of  a  refined,  incorporeal  substance.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  the  spirit  of  a  man  is  mentioned  in  contradistinction,  as 
well  to  his  soul  as  to  his  body  ;  so,  in  that  prayer  of  the  Apostle, 
1  Thess.  v.  23 :  "I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and 
body,  be  preserved  blameless."  But,  here,  it  must  not  be  under- 
stood, as  if  it  were  a  third  essential  part  of  man :  but  either,  accord- 
ing to  St.  Austin,  these  words,  soul  and  spirit,  are  but  exegetical 
one  of  the  other,  and  signify  both  the  same  thing ;  or,  else,  by 
spirit  is  meant  only  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
St.  Paul  prays  might  be  preserved  entire  and  blameless  in  the 
Thessalonians,  as  Chrysostom  interprets  those  words ;  or,  else,  ac- 
cording to  Zanchius,  by  spirit  is  meant  the  superior  faculties  of 
the  mind,  reason  and  understanding;  and,  by  soul,  the  inferior 
faculties,  of  will,  affections,  and  desires.  But,  when  the  Scripture 
speaks  of  the  spirit  of  a  man  in  distinction  only  to  his  body,  as  it 
doth  in  my  text,  it  means  nothing  else  but  the  soul :  as  including 
in  it,  both  the  superior  faculties  of  the  mind,  reason  and  under- 
standing ;  and  the  inferior  faculties  of  the  will,  appetite  and  affec- 
tions. So  that,  to  glorif}r  God  in  our  spirit  and  in  our  body,  is,  to 
glorify  him  in  our  whole  man,  and  all  the  powers  and  faculties 
that  we  are  endowed  with.    For  we  are  a  middle  sort  of  creatures : 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


67i 


neither  pure  intellectual  spirits,  as  the  angels  are ;  nor  mere  cor- 
poreal beings,  as  inanimate  things  :  but  God  hath  tacked  these  two 
extremes  together,  and  made  them  meet  in  man ;  who,  by  his 
soul,  holds  hands  with  angels,  and,  by  his  body,  with  material 
creatures. 

Hence  we  may  observe,  that  the  whole  man,  both  soul  and  body, 
ought  to  be  employed  as  the  instruments  of  promoting  God's  honor 
and  glory. 

For  the  clearer  prosecution  of  this,  note, 

First.  That,  when  we  speak  of  glorifying  God  in  our  whole  man, 
both  soul  and  body,  this  phrase  comprehends  under  it  all  those 
accessory  good  things,  which  appertain  to  either. 

Some  things  are  reckoned  the  natural  goods  of  the  soul .  such 
are  prudence,  sagacity,  wit,  learning,  judgment,  &c.  Some  things 
are  reckoned  the  natural  goods  of  the  body:  such  are,  health, 
liberty,  food,  raiment,  riches,  &c.  And  some  things  belong  neither 
properly  to  the  soul,  nor  to  the  body  ;  but  to  the  whole  compositum, 
or  man,  consisting  of  both  united  together :  and  such  are  credit 
and  reputation,  honor  and  dignity,  dominion  and  authority,  &c. 
Now,  in  all  these  things,  God  is  to  be  glorified  by  us. 

Secondly.  When  we  say  God  is  to  be  glorified  by  us  in  our 
whole  man,  we  must  know  that  there  are  two  ways  of  glorifying 
him:  either  actively,  by  fulfilling  the  will  of  his  precepts;  or 
passively,  by  suffering  the  will  of  his  purpose. 

(1)  I  shall  first  speak  of  glorifying  God  actively  in  our  body  and 
in  our  spirit,  by  doing  his  will. 

[1]  First,  then,  every  duty  of  God's  immediate  service  and  wor- 
ship, wherein  we  draw  nigh  unto  him,  requires  a  joint  concurrence 
both  of  soul  and  body  to  glorify  him  in  it. 

Our  Saviour  Christ  calls  this  service  "  a  yoke :"  Mat.  xi.  30. 
And,  certainly,  it  is  a  yoke,  wherein  both  body  and  soul  must  be 
coupled,  and  draw  together :  the  soul,  indispensably :  the  body* 
with  a  dispensation ;  but  that  dispensation  granted  only  in  case  of 
mercy  or  necessity. 

1st.  In  all  the  duties  wherein  we  address  ourselves  to  God,  we 
ought  to  glorify  him  in  our  souls  and  spirits. 

"  God  is  a  spirit,"  yea,  "  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh  ;  and 
they,  that  worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth," 
as  our  Saviour  speaks,  John  iv.  24.  And  this  God  hath,  with  the 
greatest  urgency,  required  of  you,  Prov.  xxiii.  26 :  "  My  son,  give 
me  thy  heart :"  whatsoever  else  we  tender  unto  God,  if  this  be 


G72  ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 

wanting,  it  is  but  the  carcase  of  a  duty.  And  as,  of  old,  all  sacri- 
fices were  accounted  direful  and  unacceptable,  if  the  heart  could 
not  be  found  in  the  slain  beast,  or  any  of  the  inwards  were  want- 
ing, or  tainted,  or  misplaced :  so  all  tby  sacrifices,  which  thou 
offerest  up  to  God,  are  monstrous  and  unacceptable  to  him,  if  the 
heart  be  not  found  in  them,  and  the  inwards  sound  and  entire. 
Thou  dealest  with  God,  as  he  in  the  apologue  with  Hercules ;  who, 
having  vowed  to  him  the  one  half  of  what  he  should  find  that  day, 
himself  eat  the  kernels,  and  offered  up  only  the  shells  of  the  nuts 
he  found  to  his  deity:  so  thou  dost  indeed  offer  up  one  half  of  thyself 
in  the  service  of  God ;  but  it  is  only  thy  body,  the  husk  and  shell, 
whilst  vain  thoughts,  or  worldly  cares,  or  wicked  lusts  prey  upon 
and  devour  thy  heart  and  soul.  Thinkest  thou,  that  thy  God  is 
such  an  idol  god  to  be  contented  with  such  a  part,  or  that  he  will 
be  put  off  with  shows  and  outward  appearances  ?  If  he  knows 
not  thy  heart,  and  the  intentions  and  desires  of  thy  soul,  to  what 
purpose  dost  thou  worshhp  him?  What  do  those  humble  and  de- 
vout postures  signify  to  him,  who,  if  he  sees  not  deeper  and  farther 
than  these,  sees  nothing?  Or,  if  he  doth  thoroughly  discern  and 
accurately  scan  every  the  least  motion  of  thy  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions, woe  unto  thee,  who  shalt  dare  to  make  religion  a  piece  of 
stage-play;  and,  by  thy  personating  and  counterfeiting  of  the 
paints,  think  to  impose  upon  the  omniscient  God,  and  to  pass  for 
such  an  one  indeed  in  his  account.  Indeed,  hypocrisy  is  a  mere 
mimical  folly ;  and  hypocrites  are  but  like  your  puppets,  that 
move  their  eyes  and  bodies,  not  from  any  vital  princij^le  within 
them,  but  only  as  they  are  acted  by  wires  and  engines  without :  so 
the  hypocrite  twines  his  body  into  many  flexible  postures  of  seem- 
ing piety  and  devotion,  not  from  any  living  principle  of  grace 
within,  but  only  as  he  is  moved  by  some  outward  wires  of  advan- 
tage or  applause.  Is  this  serving  and  glorifying  God  ?  Eather,  is 
it  not  a  mocking  and  flouting  of  him  to  his  very  face  ?  The  Jews 
never  more  cruelly  mocked  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  than  when 
"  they  bowed  the  knee  before  him,"  and  bid  him,  "  Hail,  king  of 
the  Jews :"  so,  believe  it,  God  will  interpret  all  thy  officious  ges- 
tures, when  thou  fallest  on  thy  knees,  and  stylest  him  Lord  and 
King ;  he  will  interpret  all  to  be  but  a  solemn  mockery,  if  thy 
soul  fall  not  as  prostrate  before  him  as  thy  body,  and  if  thy  affec- 
tions be  not  elevated  unto  heaven  as  well  as  thy  hands  and  eyes. 
And,  as  these  hypocritical  mimics,  who  thus  pretend  to  glorify 
God,  do  yet  really  scorn  and  vilify  him  more  than  any  :  so  again, 
m  the  other  hand,  God  doth  most  of  all  scorn  and  detest  them, 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


673 


and  looks  upon  thern  as  the  most  loathsome  and  ridiculous  wicked 
wretches  that  are :  for,  we  may  observe,  that  where  imitation  falls 
short,  the  partial  defect  is  worse  than  a  total  privation :  what  beast 
more  deformed  in  his  shape,  or  more  ridiculous  in  his  actions,  than 
a  marmoset  or  ape !  and  yet  none  approacheth  in  a  nearer  resem- 
blance in  both  unto  man,  who  is  the  crown  and  glory  of  the  visi- 
ble creation :  so,  truly,  a  hypocrite  is  but  the  ape  of  a  true  Chris- 
tian, and  all  his  devotion  is  but  an  apish  imitation  of  the  external 
acts  of  piety ;  which,  because  they  proceed  not  from  an  inward 
participation  of  the  divine  nature,  are  most  despicable  and  de- 
formed in  God's  account :  let  them  squeeze  and  writhe  their  faces 
into  as  many  forms  as  they  please,  and  when  they  fast  or  pray  put 
on  what  countenance  they  will ;  yet,  if  their  hearts  and  affections 
correspond  not  with  their  outward  semblances,  they  do  but  play 
the  antics,  they  do  but  grin  and  make  mouths  at  God.  But,  yet, 
alas !  who  is  there  among  us,  that  can  wholly  acquit  himself  of 
this?  Some,  that  they  might  not  be  thought  hypocritical  wor- 
shippers of  God,  run  into  another  extreme,  and  demean  themselves 
rudely  and  irreverently  in  his  presence :  they  will  not  show  any 
devotion  that  it  might  be  thought  they  have  the  more :  yet,  take 
them  in  their  most  careless  and  unseemly  postures,  and  is  it  not 
hypocritical  that  they  present  their  bodies  and  their  outward  man 
before  the  Lord,  when  their  hearts  and  affections  are  with  the  eyes 
of  the  fools  in  the  ends  of  the  earth  ?  What  is  the  end  of  thy 
coming  hither  ?  Is  it  not  to  serve  and  glorify  God  ?  If  it  be  not, 
thy  very  coming  is  hypocritical :  if  it  be,  all  thy  wandering 
thoughts,  thy  vain  and  worldly  imaginations,  thy  drowsiness,  thy 
want  of  attention  and  affection,  is  all  from  the  bitter  root  of  thy 
natural  hypocrisy.  In  prayer,  thou  ownest  the  duty  by  being 
present  at  it ;  and,  if  thou  dost  not  cordially  close  with  every  pe- 
tition, and,  as  soon  as  it  comes  from  the  minister's  mouth,  send  it 
up  to  heaven  from  thy  very  heart,  whatsoever  thy  posture  be, 
thou  playest  the  hypocrite.  In  hearing,  if  thou  dost  not  diligently 
attend  to  the  truths  that  are  delivered,  and  submit  thy  will,  preju- 
dices, and  interests  unto  the  evidence  of  it,  thou  hearest  hypocriti- 
cally. And,  whatsoever  other  duty  thou  performest  by  thyself,  or 
joinest  in  with  others,  so  long  as  thy  mind  hath  been  diverted  unto 
other  objects,  and  thy  thoughts  scattered  by  other  cares,  so  long  hast 
thou  been  a  hypocrite  in  that  duty ;  for  thou  makest  an  outward  show 
of  what  is  not  in  thy  heart  or  affections.  Well,  then,  if  you  would 
glorify  God,  fix  and  engage  your  spirits  in  all  the  duties  you  per- 
form to  him  ;  in  prayer,  let  zeal  and  affection  warm  your  heartsr 

Vol.  II.— 43 


674 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


and  offer  up  that  spiritual  sacrifice  with  that  heavenly  fire ;  think 
of  nothing,  but  that  God  to  whom  you  pray,  and  those  blessings  for 
which  you  pray;  hear  the  truth  with  as  much  attention  and  reverence, 
as  if  God  were  himself  speaking  to  you  with  his  own  voice ;  and 
mind  nothing  but  how  you  may  understand  it  for  the  present,  and 
practise  it  for  the  future.  In  all  your  duties,  bend  every  power 
and  faculty  of  your  souls  to  the  utmost  tension :  command  them 
to  regard  nothing  else  for  that  time:  and,  if  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
thy  flying  and  roving  thoughts,  will  yet  come  down  upon  thy 
sacrifice,  let  it  be  thy  care,  as  it  was  Abraham's,  speedily  to  drive 
them  away ;  for,  by  their  touch  they  defile  it,  but  by  their  stay 
they  would  devour  it. 

2dly.  In  all  the  duties  of  worship  which  we  perform  unto  God, 
we  ought  to  glorify  him  not  in  our  spirits  only,  but  in  our  bodies. 

As,  on  the  one  hand,  it  is  gross  hypocrisy  and  dissimulation,  if 
we  present  our  bodies  only  before  the  Lord,  with  all  the  shows  of 
a  real  affection  and  devotion,  whilst  yet  the  heart  is  far  estranged 
from  him ;  so  again,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  saucy  irreverence 
and  profane  rudeness,  to  pretend  to  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  when 
we  pay  him  no  respect  or  observance  with  our  bodies.  Certainly, 
he  hath  created  both  soul  and  body  ;  and  he  is  the  sovereign  Lord 
of  both,  and  expects  that  tribute  and  homage  should  be  rendered 
him  from  both.  Some  men  have  driven  all  their  religion  so  far 
inward,  thut  it  is. become  altogether  invisible ;  and,  because  God  is 
a  spirit,  they  serve  him  as  if  they  were  spirits  too,  and  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  body.  They  have  heard  that  "bodily  exercise  pro- 
fiteth  little ;"  nor  indeed  doth  it,  where  the  heart  and  soul  do  not 
both  excite  and  accompany  it :  and,  because  it  is  an  empty  piece 
of  formality  and  pageantry  to  worship  God  only  with  the  body, 
they  will  not  worship  him  with  the  body  at  all,  but  only  with  the 
spirit;  and  so  unyoke  these  two,  which  God  hath  made  to  draw 
together.  How  many  have  we  seen  affect  irreverence,  as  a  part  or 
sign  of  spirituality ;  and  choose  the  most  unseemly  postures  they 
could,  only  that  it  might  appear  they  did  not  flatter  nor  compliment 
with  God !  It  is  a  weakness,  hugely  incident  to  human  nature, 
and  that  I  think  with  which  the  world  was  never  more  tainted 
than  in  these  our  days,  to  cure  extremes  by  extremes :  because 
hypocrites  worship  God  only  with  the  outward  man,  and  content 
themselves  only  with  the  pomp  and  ostentation  of  an  external  de- 
votion, therefore  do  so  many  think  it  a  demonstration  of  sincerity 
to  discharge  the  body  utterly  from  bearing  any  part  in  their  wor- 
ship :  they  despise  reverence  as  a  piece  of  formality,  and  make 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


675 


communion  with  God  to  consist  in  a  familiar  rudeness.  Certainly, 
not  your  souls  only,  but  your  bodies  also  were  made  for  the  Lord, 
as  the  Apostle  speaks,  1  Cor.  vi.  13.  He  expects  his  tribute  of 
glory  from  it,  although  it  cannot  pay  it  in  so  bigh  and  refined  a 
manner  as  the  soul :  and,  though  its  actions  be  but  gross  and  in- 
considerable, in  comparison  with  the  pure  and  sprightly  opera- 
tions of  the  mind;  yet  they  are  not  so  inconsiderable,  but  that 
God  absolutely  requires  them  from  us :  and  if  we  be  not  careful 
to  honor  him  with  our  bodies,  we  rob  him,  if  not  of  part  of  his 
service,  yet  of  his  servant.  I  would  not  insist  so  pressingly  on 
this,  did  I  not  observe  that  outward  reverence  is  not  only  grow- 
ing into  disuse,  but  into  contempt  among  us  ;  and  he  is  accounted 
God's  best  friend  and  intimate,  that  keeps  the  least  distance : 
hence  proceed  those  unwieldy  gestures,  that  argue  nothing  but 
cither  a  slighting  or  wearisomeness  of  the  service  you  are  en- 
gaged in.  Believe  it,  God  is  a  great  King ;  and,  in  his  service,  he 
expects  as  humble  expressions  of  your  reverence,  as  any  you  can 
think  due  to  the  greatest  monarchs  of  the  world.  What  saith  the 
Lord,  concerning  those,  who  offered  the  lame  and  the  maimed  for 
sacrifice,  Mai.  i.  8  ?  Offer  it  now  unto  your  governor :  see  whether 
he  would  be  pleased  and  satisfied  with  such  a  present :  and,  if  an 
earthly  prince  would  look  upon  it  as  an  affront  rather  than  a  gift, 
think  you  that  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  will  account 
such  a  lame  and  imperfect  offering  worthy  of  his  acceptance? 
Certainly,  that  is  not  fit  for  God,  which  is  not  so  much  as  fit  and 
decent  for  man.  And,  though  God  looks  especially  at  the  soul, 
and  the  inward  affections  of  the  heart ;  yet  he  also  expects  that  his 
offering  should  be  entire,  not  lame  and  maimed  of  one  half.  He 
requires  from  you  that  outward  reverence,  that  is  necessary  to 
testify  a  due  sense  of  his  glorious  presence:  he  requires  that  you 
should  sacrifice  yourselves  entirely  to  him,  your  bodies  upon  the 
altar  of  your  hearts  aud  affections ;  and  both  soul  and  body  upon 
that  altar,  which  alone  can  make  both  acceptable,  even  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

Now  in  all  the  duties  which  we  perform  immediately  unto  God, 
we  are  to  glorify  him  in  our  bodies  two  ways. 

(1st)  Our  bodies  must  be  employed  as  the  instruments  of  God's 
service. 

And,  here,  the  tongue  is  the  chief  member;  which,  by  the 
Psalmist,  is  oftentimes  called  his  glory,  because  it  is  a  principal 
organ  of  glorifying  God.  Herewith  we  bless  God  for  mercies, 
already  received ;  and  herewith  we  pray  unto  God  for  mercies, 


676 


OX   GLORIFYING  GOD 


which  we  yet  need.  And,  though  praise  and  prayer  be  chiefly  the 
work  and  employment  of  the  heart,  and  God  can  distinctly  read 
what  is  printed  there ;  yet  this  sufliceth  not,  if  the  voice  too  bear 
not  its  part,  where  it  may  be  done  with  convenience,  and  decency. 

(2dly)  We  ought  to  glorify  God  in  our  body,  by  testifying  all 
lowly  respect  and  reverence  in  those  duties  which  we  perform  unto 
him. 

Whatsoever  liberty  the  wantonness  of  our  late  times  hath  in- 
dulged ;  yet  certainly  we  ought,  in  all  our  addresses  unto  the  great 
God  of  Heaven,  to  compose  ourselves  in  such  an  humble  and  re- 
verential posture,  as  may  testify  that  our  souls  are  deeply  affected 
with  the  awe  and  dread  of  that  great  Majesty  before  whom  we 
appear.  Wherefore  serve  the  gestures  of  the  body  but  to  sig- 
nify the  respect  of  the  mind  ?  Therefore,  if  we  ought  to  demean 
ourselves  lowlily  in  the  presence  of  our  superiors,  only  to  testify 
the  inward  veneration  and  esteem  which  we  bear  towards  them ; 
should  we  not  much  more  do  so,  in  the  presence  of  the  great  God  ? 
And,  if  some  have  falsely  and  hypocritically  made  use  of  this 
sign,  when  they  have  pretended  a  great  deal  of  zeal  and  affection 
in  their  outward  deportment,  though  inwardly  they  have  been  full 
of  all  manner  of  wickedness ;  yet  this  should  be  no  argument  to  us 
to  neglect  it :  but,  first,  we  should  labor  to  have  deep  impressions 
of  awe  and  reverence  made  upon  our  spirits ;  and,  then,  express 
that  reverence  in  the  most  significant  and  humble  deportment  of 
our  bodies.  This  is  to  glorify  God  in  our  spirit  and  in  our  body. 
And,  therefore,  doth  the  Scripture  everywhere  abound,  both  in 
giving  us  directions  and  examples  of  outward  reverence  in  the 
worship  of  God. 

In  prayer,  we  find  the  holy  men  of  old  frequently  used  three 
several  postures  ;  all  of  them  expressive  of  a  deep  humility. 

Prostration,  or  a  falling  flat  on  the  ground.  Thus  it  is  said  of  Job, 
that  he  "  fell  down  upon  the  ground,  and  worshipped :"  Job  i.  20. 

Kneeling,  which  is  most  often  mentioned :  yea,  and  because  it 
was  the  common  gesture  in  this  duty,  it  is  of  itself  mentioned  as  a 
periphrasis  of  prayer  by  St.  Paid,  Eph.  iii.  14:  "  For  this  cause  I 
bow  my  knees :"  i.  e.,  for  this  cause  I  pray  "  unto  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Standing.  So  it  is  said,  2  Chron.  vi.  12,  that  Solomon  stood  upon 
the  brazen  scaffold,  and  spread  forth  his  hands  and  prayed :  and, 
chap.  xx.  5,  that  Jehoshaphat  stood  in  the  congregation  and  prayed. 

Either  of  these  is  a  fit  posture  for  prayer ;  but,  especially,  kneel- 
ing :  and  they  all  express  that  reverence  and  humility,  with  which 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


677 


our  souls  ought  to  be  possessed,  when  we  appear  in  the  presence 
of  the  great  and  glorious  God.  But,  for  other  gestures,  which 
either  pride,  contradiction,  or  laziness  has  introduced,  they  are 
altogether  unfit  for  this  duty;  and,  whatsoever  inward  affection 
and  zeal  men  may  pretend  to,  yet  certainly  they  give  but  very 
little  demonstrations  of  it  outwardly. 

Then,  again,  for  hearing  the  word,  we  should  do  it  with  a  com- 
posed gravity  and  seriousness  ;  showing  the  fixedness  of  our  minds, 
by  the  fixedness  of  our  bodies.  Consider,  that  the  great  King  of 
heaven  speaks  to  you :  he  speaks  by  his  ambassador :  and,  the 
same  attention  and  reverence,  that  you  Would  show  to  your  prince, 
were  he  speaking  unto  you;  the  same,  yea  and  much  greater, 
ought  you  certainly  to  show  to  your  God.  Concerning  particulars, 
I  leave  it  to  your  Christian  prudence  to  judge  what  is  most  ex- 
pressive of  reverence  towards  men :  which,  though  perhaps  it  be 
no  part  of  the  worship  of  God,  yet  he  expects  and  requires  as  a 
befitting  circumstance :  yea,  and  a  circumstance  so  considerable, 
that  it  is  almost  all  that  your  bodies  can  do  in  his  service.  And 
judge,  I  pray,  whether  it  be  any  thing  less  than  slighting  God, 
that  you  should  declare  more  respect  and  reverence  to  your  supe- 
riors, which  are  but  mortal  frail  men  like  yourselves,  than  to  him, 
who  is  the  immortal  and  most  high  God,  blessed  for  evermore. 

The  Apostle  is  somewhat  large  in  giving  directions  to  the  church 
of  Corinth,  concerning  their  outward  demeanor  in  the  public  wor- 
ship of  God,  1  Cor.  xi.  4 :  "  Every  man  praying  or  prophesying, 
having  his  head  covered,  dishonoreth  his  head."  That  this  is 
spoken,  not  only  of  the  preacher,  but  of  the  hearers,  appears  plainly 
by  the  following  verse:  "Every  woman,  that  prayeth  or  prophe- 
sieth  with  her  head  uncovered,  dishonoreth  her  head."  Now,  cer- 
tain it  is,  that  women  were  not  to  pray  or  to  prophesy  in  the 
church  as  teachers ;  for  it  was  not  permitted  them  to  speak :  they 
prayed,  therefore,  as  joining  in  prayer ;  and  prophesied,  as  attend- 
ing upon  prophesying,  that  is,  upon  preaching  the  word.  And 
so,  in  like  manner,  the  whole  assembly  of  men  are  said  to  pray 
and  prophesy ;  that  is,  to  join  in  prayer,  and  to  hear  the  word 
of  God  preached.  But  he,  that  doth  this,  saith  the  Apostle,  with 
"his  head  covered,  dishonoreth  his  head."  And  so,  again,  v. 
10.  The  woman  ought  "  to  have  power  on  her  head ;"  that  is,  a 
vail,  or  covering,  so  called,  because  it  betokened  her  subjection  to 
the  power  of  her  husband :  she  ought  to  wear  this  vail  "  because 
of  the  angels  ;"  that  is,  that  the  angels,  who  are  ministering  spirits 
and  present  in  the  assemblies  of  the  faithful,  joying  to  behold  the 


673 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


order,  reverence,  and  affection  of  our  worship,  might  see  nothing 
indecent  and  uncomely. 

Indeed,  this  outward  reverence  should  be  used,  not  only  in 
respect  to  the  attending  angels ;  but  in  respect  both  to  ourselves 
and  others,  as  it  may  excite  and  help  both  our  and  their  inward 
zeal  and  affection. 

First.  It  will  tend  to  quicken  and  stir  up  thine  own  devotion. 

For,  if  thou  prostratest  thyself  before  God,  will  not  this  put  thee 
in  mind  what  thou  art  doing ;  and  shame  thee  if  thou  findest  thy 
thoughts  and  thy  affections  wandering,  and  wholly  incongruous  to 
thy  bodily  deportment?  Whilst  thou  bowest  thy  knees,  and 
spreadest  forth  thy  hands  towards  heaven,  canst  thou,  without 
blushing,  suffer  thy  thoughts  and  thy  affections  to  gad  abroad,  and 
stray  from  the  work  of  which  thou  so  solemnly  makest  show  ? 
This  will  oblige  thee,  if  thou  hast  any  ingenuousness,  to  call  them 
home,  and  fix  them  upon  what  thou  art  doing.  And, 

Secondly.  It  will  much  tend  to  excite  and  quicken  the  affec- 
tions of  others,  who  shall  behold  thy  grave  and  reverend  de- 
meanor. 

For  the  expression  of  our  affection  is  naturally  apt  to  imprint 
the  same  on  those  who  shall  observe  us.  When  we  see  them  sig- 
nify so  much  awe  and  humility,  it  will  put  us  in  mind  to  whom 
they  do  it,  in  whose  presence  both  they  and  we  are :  and  as,  in 
water,  face  answereth  to  face,  so  doth  the  heart  of  man  to  man  ;  and, 
therefore,  it  will  be  very  rare,  if  those  affections,  which  we  see 
lively  stirring  in  others,  do  not  beget  in  us  also  some  resemblance 
and  similitude  of  them. 

Indeed,  there  is  no  stated  universal  measure  for  outward  rever- 
ence :  for  that,  which  is  accounted  a  sign  of  reverence  in  these 
nations,  as  uncovering  of  the  head,  &c,  in  other  places  is  the 
greatest  affront  and  scorn,  that  can  be  offered.  Bat  this,  notwith- 
standing, we  may  take  for  a  sure  and  infallible  rule,  that  those 
actions,  which  are  constantly  used  to  express  reverence  to  others, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  countries  where  they  are  observed, 
ought  much  more  to  be  used  to  express  reverence  to  God  in  his 
worship  and  service.  This  I  suppose  is  clear ;  and  I  am  sure  it  is 
as  necessary,  as  it  is  much  neglected  and  slighted  among  us.  I 
know  nothing,  that  can  dispense  with  us ;  but  only  mercy,  or 
necessity :  if  thou  canst  not  show  thy  outward  reverence  without 
endangering  thy  health,  or  tormenting  or  paining  thy  body ;  in 
this  case,  he  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice :  but,  in  all  other' 
cases,  where  it  is  left  free  for  thee  to  do  it,  and  thou  mayest  so 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


679 


provide  that  by  doing  it  thou  mayest  suffer  no  injury  nor  consider- 
able detriment  to  thy  body,  God  doth  absolutely  require  it  of  thee  ; 
for  it  is  almost  the  only  way  how  thou  canst,  in  any  part  of  his 
immediate  worship,  glorify  him  in  thy  body. 

That  therefore  is  the  first  proposition,  that  we  ought,  in  all  the 
duties  of  God's  immediate  worship  and  service,  to  glorify  him  by 
a  joint  concurrence  both  of  our  body  and  our  spirit.  To  present 
the  body  only,  without  the  soul,  is  but  hypocrisy ;  and,  to  worship 
God,  without  a  due  reverence  expressed  by  the  body,  is  but  a 
saucy  rudeness. 

[2]  We  ought  to  glorify  God  in  our  spirit  and  in  our  body,  in 
those  things  which  peculiarly  and  properly  belong  to  each  of  them. 

And  here,  should  I  branch  this  out  into  all  its  particulars,  the 
work  would  be  altogether  endless  ;■  and  we  might  sooner  expect  to 
be  glorified  with  God,  than  finish  the  particular  consideration  of 
all  the  actions  both  of  our  souls  and  bodies,  whereby  we  ought  to 
glorify  God.  I  shall,  therefore,  only  touch  upon  some  of  the  most 
remarkable  things,  and  so  close  up  this  head. 

1st.  Therefore,  as  for  the  soul,  we  may  consider  it  in  its  three 
great  faculties  of  understanding,  will,  and  affections :  in  all  which 
we  ought  to  glorify  God. 

(1st)  To  glorify  him  in  our  reason  and  understanding. 

This  Solomon  calls  "  the  candle  of  the  Lord :"  Prov.  xx.  27. 
And  this  candle  we  ought  to  light  at  God's  lamp ;  for  so  David 
calls  the  word  of  God,  Ps.  cxix.  105. 

[1st]  Then  we  glorify  God  by  our  reason  and  understanding, 
when  we  employ  it  in  finding  out  the  truth ;  and,  by  a  diligent 
perusal  and  comparing  of  scripture  with  scripture,  rationally 
search  out,  without  prejudice  or  partiality,  what  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit  is. 

This  is  the  noblest  work  about  which  the  mind  of  man  can  be 
busied.  And,  if  their  industry  be  commendable,  who  turn  over 
the  monuments  of  learned  men,  to  inform  their  understandings 
only  in  natural  and  human  knowledge;  how  much  more  excellent 
is  it,  to  study  that  only  book  which  God  hath  written,  to  instruct 
thee  in  much  deeper  mysteries  than  any  that  all  the  learning  in 
the  world  besides  can  teach  thee  ?  "Whilst  thou  art  thus  careful 
to  inform  thine  understanding,  in  the  doctrines  of  religion  and 
duties  of  obedience,  in  what  God  hath  propounded  to  thee  to  be- 
lieve and  to  practise,  thou  dost  more  perfect  and  advance  thy 
reason,  than  all  those  great  masters  of  wit  and  reason  have  done, 
who  rested  in  those  glimmering  discoveries. 


6S0 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


[2dly]  TVe  glorify  God  by  our  reason,  when  we  subjugate  and 
bring  it  under  the  obedience  of  faith. 

There  are  many  sublime  mysteries  in  our  faith,  which  reason 
alone  could  never  have  revealed  unto  us ;  yea  which,  now  that 
they  are  revealed,  it  cannot  fathom :  as,  that  three  persons  should 
be  one  God  ;  two  natures  in  Christ,  one  person  ;  that  he  should  be 
born  of  a  virgin,  who  was  before  all  time;  that  he  should  die, 
who  hath  life  and  immortality  dwelling  in  himself ;  that,  being 
truly  dead,  he  should  by  his  own  power  raise  himself  again :  with 
these  things,  and  many  more,  unsanctified  and  untamed  reason  will 
still  be  quarreling.  Now  if  thou  wouldest  glorify  God,  bring  thy 
reason  to  submit  to  the  authority  of  faith :  urge  it  with  a  scriptum 
est :  u  It  is  thus  written,"  and  therefore  I  thus  believe.  And,  in- 
deed, by  thus  doing,  you  do  not  contradict,  but  only  perfect  your 
reason :  for  there  is  infinitely  more  reason  to  believe  what  God 
hath  so  plainly  testified  in  his  word,  than  to  believe  the  truth  of 
what  we  see  with  our  very  eyes ;  since  our  senses  themselves  can- 
not be  a  proof  of  verity  so  infallible,  as  God's  testimony.  And 
therefore  St.  Peter,  speaking  of  the  heavenly  voice,  which  he 
himself  heard  in  the  transfiguration  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  yet 
tells  us,  2  Pet.  i.  19 :  "  We  have  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy : 
whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed :"  intimating  to  us,  that  the 
testimony  of  Scripture  is  more  certain  than  a  voice  from  heaven. 
And,  therefore,  let  the  truths  revealed  seem  never  so  repugnant  to 
corrupt  reason ;  yet  we  ought  to  acquiesce  in  the  authority  and 
revelation  of  that  God,  who  is  truth  itself.  In  such  mysterious 
depths,  I  much  please  myself  with  that  odd  saying  of  Tertullian, 
"  Sepultus  resurrexit :  certum  est,  quia  impossibile  est :"  "  Christ 
rose  again  from  the  dead :  it  is  certain,  because  it  is  impossible." 
Now  glorify  God  by  resigning  your  reason  and  apprehension  of 
things  wholly  to  his  teaching  and  instruction.  Say,  "  Lord,  thy 
word  hath  taught  me  many  mysteries,  which  my  weak  and  short- 
sighted reason  cannot  comprehend :  but  I  desire  to  sit  at  thy  feet : 
thy  word  shall  be  my  reason.  This  I  understand,  that  thou,  who 
art  Truth  itself,  canst  neither  deceive,  nor  be  deceived :  and  there- 
fore I  find  infinitely  more  reason,  to  believe  any  thing  upon  thy 
testimony,  than  to  disbelieve  it  upon  its  own  seeming  impossibility. 
Since  thou  hast  spoken  it,  I  fully  assent :  and  deliver  up  all  the 
petulance  of  my  reason,  to  be  chastised  and  tutored  by  faith. 

(2dly)  Glorify  God  in  your  wills,  by  bringing  them  into  a  per- 
fect compliance  with  his  holy  and  sovereign  will. 

This,  indeed,  is  the  hardest  and  most  difficult  task  which  we  have 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


681 


to  do.  The  old  coutest  between  God  and  man,  ever  since  the  fall, 
hath  only  been  whose  will  shall  stand,  either  his  or  ours. 

And  there  is  a  twofold  will  of  God,  which  our  corrupt  wills  are 
still  opposing ;  the  will  of  his  command,  and  the  will  of  his 
providence  ;  of  his  precept,  and  of  his  purpose. 

We  naturally  reject  his  precepts,  and  murmur  at  his  provi- 
dences. Now  glorify  God  by  submitting  thy  will  unto  his  in  both. 

[1st]  Submit  thy  will  unto  the  authority  of  his  commands. 

And,  though  the  duties  that  are  enjoined  be  many  of  them  very 
difficult,  and  all  contrary  to  the  inclinations  of  flesh  and  blood,  and 
it  may  be- to  thy  secular  interests  and  advantages;  yet  bridle  the 
reluctances  and  rebellions  of  thy  will,  and  set  up  thy  fixed  resolu- 
tion, "  This  God  hath  commanded,  and  this  I  will  do  in  his 
strength,  whatsoever  shame,  or  dangers,  or  sufferings  I  may  meet 
with  in  the  way  of  my  obedience."  This  highly  tends  to  glorify 
the  authority  and  sovereignty  that  God  hath  over  thee,  when  thou 
art  ready  to  sacrifice  thy  corrupt  muttering  will,  and  all  thy  in- 
terests, to  the  commands  of  thy  God. 

[2dly]  Submit  thy  will  to  the  overruling  will  of  God's  purpose. 

Whatsoever  God  doth  to  thee  or  brings  upon  thee,  sit  do"*n ; 
and,  with  a  contented  patience,  say,  "  Not  my  will,  but  thine  be 
done." 

But  concerning  this  I  shall  speak  more  largely  hereafter,  when 
I  come  to  show  you  how  we  ought  to  glorify  God  passively. 

(3dly)  Glorify  God  in  thy  affections  :  and  that  must  be  done,  by 
bringing  them  to  a  conformity  with  God's. 

This  conformity  must  be  twofold ;  as  to  the  object,  and  as  to  the 
motive  of  them. 

As  to  the  object,  see  that  thy  affections  be  set  upon  those  things, 
on  which  God's  are. 

As  to  the  motive,  see  that  they  be  set  on  them,  upon  that  very 
account. 

As,  for  instance,  thou  oughtest  to  glorify  God  in  thy  love,  by 
loving  what  he  loves,  himself,  his  ways,  his  people,  and  his  ordi- 
nances ;  and  that,  because  he  loves  them :  in  thy  hatred,  by  hating 
what  God  hates,  sin  and  wickedness ;  and  that,  because  God  hates 
them :  in  thy  joy  and  delight,  by  delighting  in  what  God  delights 
in,  that  is  in  himself  and  his  own  infinite  perfections,  and  his 
image ;  and  that,  because  he  rejoiceth  in  them.  And  so,  of  the 
rest. 

2dly.  You  ought  also  to  glorify  God  in  those  things,  which 
appertain  peculiarly  to  the  body. 


CS2 


OX   GLORIFYING  GOD 


And  this  is  chiefly  done,  by  keeping  it  pure  and  undefiled. 
There  are  two  things,  which  defile  the  body,  intemperance  and  in- 
continence. And  the  Apostle  expressly  commands  us  to  glorify 
God  in  our  body,  by  fl}ring  both  these  polluting  sins.  As  for  in- 
temperance, we  are  commanded,  1  Cor.  x.  31,  "  Whether,  there- 
fore, ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God :"  that  is,  we  ought  to  make  use  of  the  comforts  of  life  with 
such  moderation,  as  may  best  fit  us  for  the  service  of  God ;  and  so, 
as  no  occasion  may  be  given  to  blaspheme  our  holy  profession  by 
our  riot  and  excess.  And,  concerning  incontinence,  the  Apostle 
hath  told  us  in  this  chapter,  that  our  bodies  are  the  members  of 
Christ :  "  Shall  we  then  take  the  members  of  Christ,  and  make 
them  the  members  of  a  harlot  ?  God  forbid :"  and,  upon  this,  he 
infers  the  exhortation,  "  Glorify  God  in  your  body ;"  that  is,  glo- 
rify him  by  a  chaste  and  modest  conversation. 

[3]  I  shall  not  farther  expatiate,  in  giving  you  rules  how  you 
should  make  use  of  other  particular  advantages  for  the  glory  of 
God.  As  of  health  and  strength  ;  by  blessing  God  for  it,  and  em- 
ploying it  in  the  duties  both  of  thy  general  and  particular  calling: 
of  riches  and  estate ;  by  laying  it  out  in  refreshing  the  bowels  of 
the  poor,  and  the  maintenance  and  encouragement  of  God's  wor- 
ship and  service :  of  thy  credit  and  reputation ;  by  making  it 
subservient  to  repair  the  broken  and  sunk  credit  of  true  and  real 
piety.  Innumerable  are  the  particulars,  wherein  God  requires  to 
be  glorified  by  us :  yea,  there  is  not  any  one  action  of  our  whole 
lives,  but  it  must  be  directed  to  this,  as  to  its  last  and  ultimate 
end  ;  for  we  are  commanded,  that,  whatsoever  we  do,  we  should  do 
it  to  the  glory  of  God. 

Therefore,  in  general,  I  shall  only  add  this,  that  there  are  two 
things  which  make  all  we  do,  whether  actions  of  greater  or  less 
importance,  glorify  God. 

1st.  When  they  are  done  from  heavenly  principles. 

Many  are  these  heavenly  principles,  which  ennoble  the  meanest 
actions  we  can  perform,  and  make  them  glorify  God.  I  shall  name 
only  these  two. 

fist)  The  love  and  fear  of  God. 

I  name  these  two  sister-graces  together,  because  they  are  never 
found  separate:  and,  indeed,  a  true  filial  fear  is  but  an  awful 
love ;  and,  wherever  there  is  a  sincere  love  to  God,  there  will  be 
a  fear  to  offend  him.  These  two  are  necessary  ingredients  into 
every  good  action ;  and,  wheresoever  they  are  found,  they  ennoble 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


683 


■what  we  do,  and  make  the  common  and  ordinary  actions  of  our 
lives  to  be  spiritual  and  divine.  For  what  is  done  from  the  love 
and  fear  of  God,  is  done  for  God's  sake :  and,  certainly,  we  cannot 
more  glorify  God,  than  by  concerning  him  in  all  our  actions ;  for 
this  dedicates  all  we  do,  and  makes  it  holy  and  sacred. 

(2dly)  Obedience  to  the  commands  of  God  : 

Who  hath  enjoined  us  the  works  of  our  particular  callings  in 
our  several  stations,  no  less  strictly  and  indispensably,  than  the 
duties  of  his  own  immediate  worship  and  service.  And  what 
soever  common,  if  lawful,  action  of  our  lives  we  do  out  of  con- 
science to  God,  and  that  we  may  thereby  obey  his  will  and  precept, 
it  is  of  water  made  wine ;  it  is  as  truly  glorifying  him,  as  the  most 
pompous  and  solemn  worship  we  can  perform.  By  this  holy  arti- 
fice, we  make  the  necessities  or  employments  of  this  life  become 
subject  and  tributary  to  heaven ;  and  what  we  thus  do  upon  God's 
account,  he  will  certainly  reward. 

2dly.  When  we  do  any  action  unto  spiritual  and  heavenly  ends, 
then  we  glorify  God  by  it. 

As  when  we  act,  not  for  vain-glory,  or  only  secular  advantages  ; 
but  to  give  a  good  example  to  others,  or  to  fit  ourselves  the  more 
vigorously  to  serve  God,  or  to  be  beneficial  to  others,  &c. 

(2)  The  next  thing  in  order,  is  to  show  you  how  we  ought  to 
glorify  him  passively  in  both,  by  suffering  the  will  of  his  purpose. 

Indeed,  the  best  and  perhaps  the  greatest  part  of  a  Christian's 
life  is  spent  in  sufferings.  When  we  lie  long  fallow  in  a  continued 
prosperity,  not  ploughed  up  by  any  afflictions,  our  hearts  are  apt, 
like  rank  soil,  to  spend  themselves  in  unprofitable  weeds :  our 
corruptions  and  vanities  will  overtop  and  eat  out  the  very  heart 
of  our  graces ;  so  that  God  sees  it  necessary  sometimes  to  plough 
us  up,  and  make  long  furrows  upon  our  backs.  And,  as  husband- 
men use  to  lop  off  the  superfluous  excrescences  of  their  trees,  to 
make  them  the  more  fruitful :  so,  that  we  may  become  the  more 
fruitful  to  his  praise  and  glory,  the  methods  of  his  wisdom  and 
goodness  engage  him  to  vise  the  discipline  of  his  pruning-knife ;  to 
cut  off  from  us  those  luxuriances,  which,  although  they  may  seem 
to  add  to  our  flourishing,  yet  hinder  our  fruitfulness. 

Now  all  our  sufferings  do  either  respect  our  bodies,  or  our 
spirits;  either  the  outward  state  of  this  present  life,  or  else  the 
inward  and  spiritual  state  of  the  soul. 

The  former  may  well  be  divided  into  two  kinds :  for  they  are 
either 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


First.  Simply,  affections;  brought  upon  us  by  the  hand  and 
providence  of  God,  "without  respecting  any  other  cause  but  only 
God's  good  pleasure  and  our  own  evil  demerits.    Or,  else, 

Secondly.  They  are  persecutions ;  brought  upon  us  by  the 
wicked  rage  of  men,  for  righteousness'  sake,  and  the  testimony  of  a 
good  conscience. 

Those  sufferings,  which  concern  the  spirit  and  the  inward  state 
of  the  soul,  may  likewise  be  well  reduced  unto  two  heads :  for, 
usually,  they  are  either  temptations  or  desertions.  In  the  one,  we 
suffer  from  Satan ;  in  the  other,  from  God. 

In  all  these  various  kinds  of  sufferings,  some  of  which  fall  to  the 
lot  of  every  true  Christian,  and  all  of  them  lie  very  hard  upon 
some,  God  ought  to  be  glorified  by  us. 

Indeed  our  way  to  heaven  is  set  all  along  with  thorns :  troubles 
and  sorrows  are  thick  strewed  in  it.  He  is  a  fool,  that  sits  not 
down  and  computes  what  his  religion  will  cost  him.  It  may  be, 
troubles  without,  and  terrors  within ;  poverty,  reproach,  bonds  ;  yea, 
and  it  may  be  death  itself:  besides  many  sharp  agonies  and  con- 
flicts of  the  soul ;  many  dark  and  gloomy  seasons,  wherein  neither 
sun  nor  stars  may  appear  to  him  for  divers  days :  his  outward 
comforts  may  be  to  him  all  sequestered  by  the  rage  of  men,  and  his 
inward  by  the  wrath  of  God :  on  which  side  soever  he  looks,  he  may 
behold  nothing  but  sorrow  and  anguish ;  heaven  covered  "with 
clouds,  and  the  earth  with  storms.  This  hath  been  the  portion  of 
many  of  God's  dearest  children ;  and  "we  must  make  our  account 
that  it  shall  certainly,  more  or  less,  be  ours.  The  Apostle  hath 
forewarned  us,  Heb.  sii.  6.  "  "Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  -whom  he  receiveth :"  this  is  the  proof  of 
our  legitimacy,  v.  8.  "If  ye  be  "without  chastisement,  whereof 
all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards,  and  not  sons."  We  know 
not  what  particular  trials  shall  befal  us,  saving  that  God  hath  every 
■where  testified  that  afflictions  and  tribulations  abide  us.  This  is 
the  highway  to  the  heavenly  city :  the  cross  is  our  mark ;  and,  if 
"we  frequently  meet  not  with  this,  we  may  certainly  conclude  that 
we  have  mistaken  our  road,  and  shall  fall  short  of  our  journey's 
end.  And,  therefore,  St.  Paul  speaks  of  it  as  a  case  of  necessity, 
Acts  xvi.  22.  "  "We  must,  through  much  tribulation,  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God."  Indeed,  as  we  are  men,  we  are  born  to  trouble 
as  naturally  as  the  sparks  fly  upwards  :  and,  therefore,  although  we 
may  "well  conclude  negatively,  that  certainly  we  are  not  traveling 
towards  heaven  if  we  meet  with  no  rubs  nor  difficulties  in  our  way ; 
yet  "we  cannot  conclude  in  the  affirmative,  that,  if  we  now  suffer, 


I N  HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


685 


we  shall  hereafter  be  glorified,  unless  we  be  careful  to  glorify  God 
by  our  present  sufferings. 

Our  sufferings,  then,  being  so  great  and  considerable  a  part  of 
our  lives,  let  us  see  how  we  may  glorify  God  in  this  fire. 

[1]  I  shall  begin  with  those,  which  concern  the  body,  and  the 
outward  state  of  this'  present  life. 

And  here  I  shall  give  you  several  rules,  some  of  which  shall  be 
cautionary,  and  some  directive. 

1st.  For  cautionary  rules, 

(1st)  The  first  shall  be  this ;  If  thou  wouldst  glorify  God  by  thy 
sufferings,  beware  that  thou  dost  not  rashly  and  unwarrantably 
precipitate  thyself  into  them. 

By  those  sufferings,  wherein  thou  thyself  canst  have  no  comfort, 
God  can  have  no  glory.  Now  consider  what  small  ground  foi 
comfort  thou  canst  have,  when  thou  needlessly  bringest  afflictions 
upon  thyself ;  and  entanglest  thyself  in  those  troubles,  which  either 
piety  or  prudence  would  have  taught  thee  to  avoid.  These  sparks 
will  fly  about  thee  fast  enough  of  themselves :  thou  needest  not 
blow  the  coals :  but,  if  thou  dost,  and  are  burnt  by  them,  thou 
hast  nothing  to  complain  of,  but  thine  own  folly ;  nor  to  comfort 
thee,  but  that  it  was  thine  own  choice  and  resoluteness. 

There  are  two  things,  that  make  sufferings  rash  and  unwarrant- 
able :  when  thou  sufferest,  what  thou  hast  deserved ;  when  thou 
sufferest,  what  thou  mightest  have  avoided. 

[1st]  Thou  rashly  and  unwarrantably  plungest  thyself  into 
troubles,  when  thou  sufferest  what  thy  vices  have  deserved. 

How  many  such  wretched  creatures  are  there  who  have  no  other 
hope  nor  plea  for  future  happiness,  but  that  they  are  extremely 
miserable  here !  and  yet  all  their  sufferings  are  nothing  else,  but 
the  just  revenge  that  their  own  lusts  and  vices  take  upon  them. 
It  is  an  old  maxim,  "  Non  poena,  sed  causa  facit  martyrem  :"  "  not 
the  punishment,  but  the  cause  makes  a  martyr."  It  is  not  so  much 
what  we  suffer,  as  wherefore,  by  which  God  is  glorified.  What 
saith  the  Apostle,  1  Pet.  iv.  14,  15  ?  "  If  ye  be  reproached  for  the 

name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye  on  their  part,  he  is  evil  spoken  of ; 

but,  on  your  part,  he  is  glorified.  But  let  none  of  you  suffer  as  a 
murderer,  or  as  a  thief,  or  as  an  evil-doer,  or  as  a  busy-body  in 
other  men's  matters :"  for,  thus  to  suffer,  is  a  dishonor  to  the  name 
of  God,  and  to  the  profession  of  the  Christian  religion.  Hast  thou, 
by  an  idle  and  dissolute  life,  brought  thyself  to  want  and  poverty  ? 
or,  by  intemperance  and  luxury,  exhausted  thy  body,  and  dis- 
honored it  with  diseases  as  noisome  as  they  are  painful  ?  or,  by 


086 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


enormous  and  flagitious  crimes,  exposed  thyself  to  the  censure  and 
penalty  of  the  law  ?  What  comfort  canst  thou  take  in  this  suffer- 
ing, the  shame  and  infamy  of  which  will*  be  a  sad  increase  to  the 
affliction  ?  Never  think  that  such  sufferings  can  bring  any  honor 
to  God,  when  the  cause  of  them  was  the  dishonoring  of  him.  In 
these,  thou  art  not  his,  but  only  the  devil's,  confessor  and  martyr. 

[2dly]  Thou  rashly  and  unwarrantably  castest  thyself  into 
trouble,  when  thou  sufferest  what  thou  mightest  lawfully  have 
avoided. 

Be  the  cause  never  so  good  and  glorious,  yet  if  we  suffer  for  it 
needlessly,  we  can  have  but  little  comfort,  and  God  but  little  glory 
by  such  sufferings.  It  was  a  strange  frenzy  in  the  Circumcellions, 
a  sect  of  heretical  Christians  in  St.  Austin's  time,  who  ambitiously 
affected  martyrdom  when  there  was  no  persecution :  and  would 
forcibly  compel  others  to  lay  violent  hands  on  them  ;  or,  if  they 
failed  of  that,  would  lay  violent  bands  upon  themselves  ;  glorying 
in  this,  as  martyrdom  and  suffering  for  the  sake  and  testimony  of 
Jesus.  And,  before  these,  the  Montanists  also  were  very  fond  and 
e  lger  for  suffering  :  who,  though  they  did  not  invite  and  court  it, 
yet  thought  it  a  base  and  carnal  cowardice  to  use  any  means  to 
escape  it ;  yea,  even  that,  which  our  Saviour  Christ  hath  prescribed, 
Mat.  x.  23 :  "  "When  they  persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into 
another :"  and  therefore  Tertullian,  misled  by  that  erroneous  spirit, 
hath  written  a  whole  treatise  against  flight  in  persecution.  This  is 
a  strong  kind  of  supererogation,  when  men  shall  undergo  more  for 
Christ's  sake,  than  he  himself  is  willing  to  have  them.  These  are 
not  his  martyrs,  but  martyrs  to  their  own  vain-glory,  and  sacrifice 
themselves  to  their  own  fancies  and  self-will.  And  so,  again,  who- 
soever he  be,  that  chooseth  the  greater  suffering,  rather  than  the 
less ;  as  death  before  imprisonment,  or  imprisonment  before  a  small 
fine ;  let  his  cause  be  what  it  will,  though  really  as  glorious  and 
excellent  as  he  himself  conceives  it :  yet  he  suffers  rashly  for  it ;  and, 
when  he  comes  to  present  himself  before  God,  all  scourged,  and 
maimed,  and  famished,  and  bloody,  expecting  to  receive  the  crown 
of  glory,  he  may  possibly  receive  no  other  reward  but  that  cutting- 
reproof,  "  Who  hath  required  these  things  at  your  hands  ?"  As  it 
is  not  true  courage  and  fortitude  to  rush  headlong  into  dangers^ 
when  we  have  no  call  nor  warrant  to  engage  us ;  so  neither  is  it 
any  true  Christian  valor  to  affect  dangers  and  sufferings  :  we  ought 
not  to  seek  them  out,  and  challenge  the  combat :  it  is  enough  if  we 
cannot  escape  them  without  sordid  and  sinful  courses,  bravely  to 
bear  their  shock,  and  sustain  their  onset.    That  Christian  doth 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


687 


sufficiently  discharge  his  duty,  who  is  first  careful  to  avoid  dangers  ; 
but,  if  he  cannot  do  this,  without  making  use  of  unlawful  shifts, 
denying  the  faith  and  betraying  his  own  conscience,  suffers  them 
without  shrinking :  but  those,  who  willfully  expose  themselves  to 
sufferings,  either  by  doing  what  they  need  not,  or  by  not  avoiding 
what  they  may,  let  them  not  think  that  they  glorify  God  by  such 
sufferings  ;  for  they  suffer  not  according  to  his  will,  but  their  own : 
and  we  may  take  up  the  same  lamentations  concerning  them,  that 
David  did  concerning  Abner;  "Died  Abner  as  a  fool  dieth?"  So 
suffer  these,  die  these,  as  a  fool  suffers  and  dies,  when  it  was  in 
their  own  power  to  prevent  those  troubles  and  afflictions,  into  which 
they  fall,  nay  into  which  they  precipitate  themselves. 

But  you  will  say,  "  How  is  it  then,  that  the  apostle  so  highly 
extols  the  heroic  fortitude  of  those  martyrs  of  which  he  tells  us, 
Heb.  xi.  35,  who,  when  they  were  tortured,  would  not  accept 
deliverance,  "  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection  ?"  It 
seems,  by  their  example,  that  God  may  be  glorified  by  a  voluntary 
and  arbitrary  suffering." 

To  this  I  answer,  That,  if  they  had  refused  deliverance  offered 
to  them  upon  conditions  that  had  been  righteous  and  lawful,  their 
refusal  of  it  had  been  utterly  sinful  and  unlawful,  and  the  Apostle 
would  never  have  strewed  flowers  upon  their  hearses  ;  for  they  had 
not  been  martyrs,  but  self-murderers  :  but,  if  we  consult  the  story  to 
which  this  passage  relates,  as  it  is  at  large  described,  2  Mac.  vii. 
which,  though  it  be  not  Canonical  Scripture,  yet  gives  us  a  good 
account  of  the  Jewish  affairs  under  the  Grecian  empire  ;  we  shall 
find  that  the  Apostle  commends  their  faith  and  patience,  because 
they  would  not  accept  deliverance  upon  unworthy  and  sinful  terms ; 
they  were  indeed  offered  freedom  and  safety,  yea  honor  and 
rewards  by  Antiochus,  if  so  be  they  would  eat  swine's  flesh,  and 
things  offered  to  idols,  contrary  to  the  commands  of  the  law :  but, 
upon  such  conditions  as  these,  they  refused  to  accept  deliverance ; 
expecting,  as  they  professed,  and  the  Apostle  testifies,  a  better 
resurrection ;  and  esteeming  it  infinitely  more  eligible,  to  sacrifice 
their  lives  for  the  glory 'of  the  true  God,  than  to  save  their  lives  by 
sacrificing  to  false  and  idol  gods.  This  instance,  therefore,  makes 
nothing  in  favor  of  those,  who  rashly  thrust  themselves  into 
dangers,  when  they  have  neither  call  nor  necessity  to  encounter 
them ;  and,  then,  either  complain,  or  glory,  that  they  are  persecuted. 
This  is  not  to  glorify  God :  for  he  would  have  none  of  his  cham- 
pions come  forth  to  combat,  till  he  himself  gives  the  signal ; 
which  he  never  doth,  until  his  providence  brings  us  into  such 


638 


OX    GLORIFYING  GOD 


circumstances,  that  we  must  necessarily  either  sin  or  suffer,  and  no 
way  is  left  open  for  us  to  avoid  this  dilemma.  Then,  indeed,  when 
we  are  thus  necessitated,  if  we  choose  affliction  rather  than  sin,  if 
we  take  up  the  cross  rather  than  stumble  and  fall  at  it,  if  we  are 
willing  to  undergo  the  sorest  temporal  evils  that  can  befal  us  rather 
than  dishonor  God  and  pollute  our  own  consciences,  we  do 
sufficiently  declare  that  we  are  faithful  and  courageous  soldiers  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation;  and,  if  we  thus  "suffer 
with  him,"  we  shall  also  "be  glorified"  with  him;  as  the  Apostle 
speaks,  Rom.  viii.  17. 

(2dly)  Another  cautionary  rule  is  this :  If  thou  wouldst  glorify 
God  under  sufferings,  beware  that  thou  attempt  not  to  free  thyself  from 
them  by  any  unlawful  means. 

Consider,  that  God  hath  thee  now  in  his  hands ;  and,  if  thou 
seekest  violently  to  wrest  thyself  out  of  them,  thou  wilt  certainly 
fall  into  worse.  And  yet,  alas  !  what  is  more  ordinary  in  the  world 
than  this  ?  Some  renounce  the  faith,  which  they  formerly  owned ; 
yea,  and  after  they  have  endured  many  hardships  and  tribulations 
for  it,  fall  away  only  for  fear  of  worse  to  come :  others  betake 
themselves  to  wicked  arts ;  and,  because  they  are  weary  of  the 
discipline  of  God,  seek  to  the  devil  to  deliver  them  from  it :  thus 
Saul  consults  a  witch,  and  Ahaziah,  Beelzebub  the  god  of  Ekron : 
and,  indeed,  the  whole  world  is  full  of  such  practises ;  and,  by 
stealing  and  lying  and  forswearing,  men  seek  to  deliver  themselves 
from  the  troubles  lying  upon  them ;  and,  so  they  can  but  get  free 
from  the  chastisements  of  God,  they  care  not  though  they  fall  into 
the  torments  of  the  devil.  Beware,  therefore,  whenever  God  brings 
any  affliction  upon  thee,  that  thou  use  no  indirect  and  unlawful 
means  to  escape  it.  It  is  better  to  keep  thy  trouble  with  thy  God, 
than  to  lose  thy  God  with  thy  trouble.  And,  know  this,  that,  if 
thou  violatest  thy  conscience  to  preserve  thy  body  or  thy  estate, 
the  wound,  which  thou  makest  there,  will  be  far  more  insupportable 
t':an  any  temporal  affliction  that  can  befal  thee :  he,  that  buys  off 
punishment  with  sin,  makes  a  most  sad  and  miserable  exchange 
of  a  temporal  for  an  eternal  torment.  Beware,  therefore,  how  you 
thus  traffic  with  the  devil :  say  unto  him,  when  he  presents  thee 
with  any  such  unlawful  means  to  rid  thee  of  thy  sorrows  and 
sufferings,  "  No :  I  am  now  under  the  hand  of  God,  and  his  correc- 
tions are  infinitely  better  than  thy  relief.  I  will  never  destroy  my 
soul,  to  deliver  my  body ;  nor  run  into  hell,  to  get  out  of  prison ; 
nor  wound  my  soul,  to  cure  my  body ;  nor  renounce  my  God  and 
faith,  to  keep  my  estate  and  goods ;  nor  burn  in  eternal  flames,  to 


IN   HIS  ATTKIBUTES. 


689 


escape  a  stake  and  faggot.  Far  be  such  a  thought  forever  from  me. 
My  God  is  able  to  deliver  me;  and  he  also  will  deliver  me :  but,  if 
not,  I  will  not,  to  save  a  poor  vile  wretched  carcase,  ruin  my 
precious  and  immortal  soul."  Certainly,  whosoever  thinks  to  save^ 
himself  from  troubles  and  afflictions  by  any  sinful  means,  is  as 
foolish  as  that  mariner,  who,  to  lighten  his  vessel  in  a  storm  and 
save  it  from  shipwreck,  should  tear  up  the  very  planks  of  it,  and 
cast  them  into  the  sea. 

(3dly)  Beware  that  your  sufferings  and  afflictions  do  not  ex- 
asperate your  spirits,  and  embitter  your  hearts  against  God ;  that  the 
more  he  smites  you,  the  more  you  should  revolt  from  him. 

By  so  doing,  possibly  the  plague  may  be  removed ;  but,  cer- 
tainly, the  curse  will  be  redoubled :  and  God  may  take  away  a 
judgment  in  more  wrath  and  displeasure,  than  ever  he  first  in- 
flicted it ;  Isa.  i.  5  :  "  Why  should  ye  be  stricken  any  more  ?  ye 
will  revolt  more  and  more."  It  oftentimes  so  falls  out,  that  they,, 
who  are  incorrigible  under  punishments,  sin  themselves  into  im- 
punity. But,  believe  it,  this  is  the  most  desperate  course  ye  can 
take  :  for,  if  temporal  judgments  harden  us  in  sin,  God  may  remove 
them  as  ineffectual;  but  then,  assuredly;  he  will  break  us  with 
eternal.  It  was  a  most  cursed  speech  of  that  impious  king,  2 
Kings  vi.  33:  "This  evil  is  of  the  Lord:  why  should  I  wait  for 
the  Lord  any  longer?"  If  God  command  not  deliverance  at  our 
prefixed  time,  we  are  apt  to  grow  enraged  at  our  sufferings,  and  to 
revenge  ourselves  upon  the  Almighty  by  our  sins.  We  read  of 
Ahaz,  2  Chron.  xxviii.  22,  that,  "  in  the  time  of  his  distress,  he  did 
trespass  yet  more  against  the  Lord ;"  and  God  sets  a  brand  upon 
him  for  it,  and  makes  him  a  notorious  sinner  for  it :  "  this  is  that 
king  Ahaz."  Beware,  therefore,  when  God  afflicts  you,  that  you 
suffer  not  your  hearts  to  rise  in  any  mutinous  thoughts  or  passions 
against  him.  How  much  gall  and  wormwood  soever  be  mingled 
in  the  cup  which  your  Father  gives  you  to  drink,  let  it  not  em- 
bitter your  hearts :  and  though  he  may  mark  you  out  for  afflic- 
tions ;  yet  beware  that  you  give  no  provocation  to  set  his  black 
mark  upon  you,  for  obstinacy  and  rebellion.  Certainly,  such  suffer- 
ings as  leave  a  rancor  and  spleen  in  the  heart  against  God,  are  but 
the  preludes  of  hell  torments :  for,  there,  the  damned  forever  fret 
under  the  acrimony  of  their  punishments ;  and  foam  out  blasphe- 
mies and  curses  against  that  God,  whose  dread  justice  and  infinite 
power  eternally  triumph  over  them  in  their  ruin  and  destruction.. 
And,  if  thy  sufferings  do  thus  exasperate  thee  against  God,  know 
that  thou  makest  that  a  kind  of  damnation  to  thyself,  which  he 
Vol.  II.— 14 


690 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


made  but  an  affliction  ;  and  fear,  lest  that,  which  doth  so  near  re- 
semble the  torments  of  hell,  do  at  last  end  in  them. 

2dly.  The  next  thing  is  to  give  you  some  directive  rules  how 
you  ought  to  glorify  God  in  an  afflicted  and  suffering  condition. 

(1st)  You  ought  to  glorify  God,  by  a  meek  patience,  and  humble 
submission  unto  his  good  will  and  pleasure. 

Those,  who  murmur  and  tumultuate  under  afflictions,  accuse 
God  of  injustice,  and  carry  themselves  as  if  he  had  done  them 
wrong,  and  they  suffered  undeservedly.  And  therefore  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  expostulates  with  the  unreasonableness  of  this  sin  of 
repining,  upon  the  consideration  of  God's  justice;  "Lam.  iii.  39: 
"  Wherefore  doth  a  living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punish- 
ment of  his  sins  ?;' 

And  there  are  three  considerations  exhibited  to  us  in  this  Scrip- 
ture, that  tend  mightily  to  confirm  our  patience  under  the  sharpest 
afflictions  which  we  can  suffer  in  this  life. 

[1st]  That  there  is  no  affliction,  but  it  is  mingled  and  sweetened 
with  a  great  deal  of  mercy. 

"Why  "  doth  a  living  man  complain  ?"  Possibly  thou  art  racked 
with  torturing  pains,  or  consumest  away  in  lingering  diseases,  re- 
duced to  extreme  necessity  and  pinching  want :  yet,  still,  thou  art 
a  living  man;  and  life  itself  is  such  a  vast  blessing,  that  all 
miseries  and  afflictions  compared  to  it,  are  but  drops  to  the  ocean. 

[2dly]  Consider,  that  thou  art  but  a  man.  Why  "  doth  a  living 
man  complain,  a  man,  &c?"  a  frail,  feeble  creature;  naturally  sub- 
ject to  many  miseries  and  sorrows  ? 

Thou  hast  received  thy  being  sub  hoc  onere,  with  this  burden 
affixed  to  it,  quietly  to  bear  all  the  various  accidents  and  troubles, 
which  the  wisdom  of  God  shall  see  good  to  bring  upon  thee. 

[Bdly]  Consider  what  thou  hast  deserved ;  and  this  will  be  a 
most  effectual  means  to  teach  thee  patience  under  what  thou  feel- 
est.    "  A  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins." 

If  God  should  mix  together  all  the  bitter  ingredients,  all  the 
stings  and  venom  in  the  world,  and  compound  of  them  all  one 
unexampled  affliction,  and  lay  that  upon  thee  all  the  days  of  thy 
life ;  yet  this  were  nothing,  to  what  thou  hast  deserved  :  this  were 
nothing,  to  one  gripe  of  hell  torments;  how  much  less  is  it  nothing, 
to  an  eternity  of  them!  This,  thy  sins  have  merited:  and  why 
then  should  a  living  man  complain  for  the  punishment  of  his  ini- 
quities ?  When  thou  liest  under  any  pain  or  sickness,  or  whatso 
ever  thy  affliction  be,  think  with  thyself  "  How  happy  is  it  for  me, 
that  I  am  not  now  in  hell !  God  hath  cast  me  here,  indeed,  upon 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


691 


my  bed ;  but  it  is  mercy,  that  be  hath  not  cast  me  into  eternal 
flames.  If  I  now  find  so  much  pain,  when  I  am  but  lightly  touched 
by  his  hand ;  oh,  what  intolerable  anguish  should  I  feel,  were  I 
now  under  the  unmitigated  strokes  of  his  almighty  arm !  and 
shall  I  howl,  and  fret,  and  be  impatient ;  when  I  have  infinitely 
more  reason  to  bless  God,  that  it  is  not  worse  with  me,  than  to 
complain  that  it  is  thus  ?  Whatsoever  is  short  of  hell,  is  mercy  to 
suck  a  wretch  as  I  am ;  who  have  ten  thousand  times  deserved  to 
be  scourged  with  scorpions,  whereas  my  gracious  Father  only 
chastiseth  me  with  rods." 

Thus,  I  say,  under  all  your  sufferings  glorify  God,  by  a  patient 
submission  to  his  good  will  and  providence:  and  let  it  appear,  by 
the  meek  and  calm  resignation  of  yourselves  to  him  in  the  sad- 
dest circumstances  of  your  lives,  that  you  think  him  neither  unjust 
nor  cruel. 

(2dly)  Glorify  God  in  your  sufferings,  by  a  patient  expectation 
of  a  happy  deliverance  out  of  them. 

Wait  upon  God,  in  the  way  of  his  judgments :  firmly  rely  upon 
his  power  and  his  goodness  to  release  you.  And,  although  he 
may  not  presently  answer  your  expectations,  nor  fulfil  your  de- 
sires, yet  still  continue  waiting :  for  "  the  Lord  knoweth  how  to 
deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation,"  and  he  will  do  it  in  the 
fittest  and  best  season.  And  therefore  we  have  that  expression, 
Isa.  xxiv.  15  :  "  Glorify  ye  the  Lord  in  the  fires  ;"  i.  e.  in  the  most 
scorching  afflictions  that  happen,  depend  upon  him  for  deliverance, 
either  from  or  by  them. 

(3dly)  Glorify  God  in  your  sufferings,  by  putting  good  construc- 
tions and  interpretations  upon  them. 

Be  not  witty  to  torment  yourselves  beyond  what  God  intends, 
by  the  afflictions  which  you  endure.  Do  not  conclude  that  he  is 
casting  you  off,  or  become  your  enemy,  or  that  they  are  only  the 
pledges  and  foretastes  of  eternal  sufferings  and  torments  in  hell : 
but  reckon  that  all  the  afflictions,  which  he  brings  upon  you,  are 
only  for  your  good ;  that  they  are  corrections,  not  curses  ;  and  that 
the  issue  of  them  shall  be  joy  and  peace.  Judge  so  justly  and 
kindly  of  God,  that  he  takes  no  pleasure  in  the  woes  and  tortures 
of  his  creatures  ;  that  he  chastiseth  us  only  if  need  be,  and  corrects 
us  here  that  he  may  not  punish  us  hereafter.  When  we  can  thus 
look  upon  God,  and  bless  him  that  he  is  pleased  to  take  so  much 
notice  of  us  as  to  discipline  us,  this  will  be  a  most  effectual  means 
to  glorify  his  mercy  and  goodness ;  and  to  make  even  a  chastising 
God  the  object,  not  only  of  our  fear,  but  of  our  love. 


692 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


(•4thly)  Glorify  God  in  thy  sufferings,  by  bearing  them  not  only 
with  patience  ;  but,  if  they  be  for  righteousness'  sake,  with  joy  and 
triumph. 

Be  not  ashamed  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  but  glory  in  it  as  the 
greatest  honor  and  ornament  of  thy  profession.  So  saith  the 
Apostle,  1  Pet.  iv.  16:  "If  any  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  i.  e 
suffer  upon  the  account  of  his  being  a  Christian,  "let  him  not  be 
ashamed ;  but  let  him  glorify  God  on  this  behalf."  Indeed  the 
sufferings  and  martyrdom  of  the  saints  reflect  a  great  deal  of 
honor  upon  God,  in  that  it  shows  they  prize  him  above  all  the 
world ;  and  account  no  torments,  no  sufferings  so  considerable,  as 
the  loss  of  his  love  and  favor.  And  therefore  it  is  said,  John  xxi. 
19,  when  Jesus  had  foretold  to  St.  Peter  somewhat  obscurely  what 
should  befal  him,  that  he  spake  this,  "signifying  by  what  death 
he  should  glorify  God." 

[2]  Let  us,  in  the  next  place,  consider  how  we  ought  to  glorify 
God  under  inward  sufferings,  which  concern  the  soul. 

And  these  are  reducible  to  two  heads  :  for  they  are  either  temp- 
tations, which  we  suffer  from  Satan ;  or  desertions,  which  we  suffer 
from  God. 

1st.  That  temptations  are  great  spiritual  afflictions,  ask  but 
those,  who  have  stood  exposed  to  these  fiery  darts;  and  they  will 
readily  confess,  that,  next  to  the  unspeakable  regret  they  feel  for 
sometimes  yielding  to  temptations,  the  greatest  burden  and  trouble 
of  their  lives  is  the  continual  labor  and  difficulty  of  resisting  them. 
For  what  can  be  imagined  more  irksome  to  an  ingenuous  Chris- 
tian, than  to  be  restlessly  importuned  to  do  that,  which  he  is 
assured  will  be  to  his  own  wound  and  ruin,  and  to  the  dishonor  of 
that  God  whose  glory  he  prefers  above  his  chief  joy?  And  when 
they  are  haunted  with  direful  injections  and  blasphemous  thoughts 
cast  into  their  minds  by  the  devil ;  thoughts,  contrary  to  the 
fundamentals  of  religion,  and  the  common  sentiments  of  natural 
reason  ;  how  could  they  even  shrink  from  themselves,  and  abandon 
their  own  beings,  rather  than  be  forced  to  hear  those  horrid  sug- 
gestions, which  their  great  enemy,  the  devil,  is  still  impudently 
whispering  unto  them ! 

It  is,  therefore,  of  concern  to  inquire,  how  we  may,  when  we  are 
thus  grievously  pestered  with  these  hellish  injections,  glorify  God 
under  so  great  an  affliction. 

To  this,  I  answer  in  general,  if  thou  wouldst  glorify  God  under 
temptations,  be  sure  still  to  maintain  a  most  vigorous  and  resolute 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


693 


resistance  against  their  assaults :  for,  by  this  means,  thou  wilt  glo- 
rify God,  especially  in  two  of  his  attributes,  his  power  and  his 
truth. 

(1st)  By  resisting  temptations,  thou  glorifiest  the  almighty  power 
of  God. 

Thou  lightest  his  battles,  not  only  against  thine,  but  his  great 
enemy,  the  devil.  And,  as  the  honor  of  a  prince  is  engaged  in  the 
valor  and  resolution  of  his  soldiers ;  so  God  hath,  as  it  were, 
reposed  his  honor  upon  thy  courage :  thou  art  his  champion,  chosen 
and  selected  out  by  him  purposely  for  the  combat.  Now  if  thou 
basely  yield,  thou  leavest  not  only  thine  own  soul,  but  God's  honor 
bleeding  upon  the  place  :  thy  conscience  becomes  a  spoil  to  the 
devil,  and  thy  name  a  reproach  to  religion.  Certainly,  God  in- 
tended to  make  the  almighty  power  of  his  grace  exceeding  glo- 
rious, by  making  use  of  such  inconsiderable  instruments  as  you 
are ;  instruments,  like  Gideon's  pitchers,  frail  earthen  vessels,  but 
yet  such  as  have  the  lamp  of  divine  grace  burning  in  them,  to  rout 
and  put  to  flight  all  the  legions  and  black  musters  of  hell.  See 
how  God  exults  in  the  victorious  constancy  of  his  servant  Job; 
and  upbraids  the  devil,  that,  though  he  had  with  his  utmost  malice 
assaulted  him,  yet  he  still  persisted  in  his  integrity,  and  defeated 
all  the  attempts  of  his  impotent  malice :  Job  ii.  3.  God  speaks 
of  him  with  delight,  and  glories  in  him  as  a  heroic  champion. 
And,  if  you  set  yourselves  vigorously  to  oppose  the  temptations  of 
the  devil,  God  will  likewise  glory  in  you ;  and  triumph  over 
Satan  to  his  utter  shame,  that  such  weak  and  feeble  creatures 
should  through  the  assistance  of  his  grace,  be  able  to  subdue  all 
the  power  that  hell  can  arm  against  them.  And  this  will,  to  his 
infinite  regret,  make  that  proud  and  cursed  spirit  know  how  utterly 
in  vain  all  his  raging  attempts  are  against  their  Almighty  Lord 
and  Master ;  since  he  cannot  turn  away  the  face  of  one  of  the  least 
of  his  servants.  And,  therefore,  when  St.  Paul  had  prayed  thrice, 
i.  e.,  often,  that  God  would  remove  that  temptation  and  messenger 
of  Satan  which  buffeted  him,  he  receives  this  answer,  2  Cor.  xii. 
9  :  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee :  for  my  strength  is  made  per- 
fect in  weakness :"  not  that  God's  strength,  which  is  infinite,  can 
receive  any  addition  or  perfection  from  our  weakness ;  but  only  it 
is  declared  and  demonstrated  to  be  infinitely  perfect  and  infinitely 
powerful,  when  by  such  contemptible  instruments,  it  can  overthrow 
all  the  powers  of  hell. 

(2dly)  By  resisting  temptations,  thou  glorifiest  the  truth  and 
veracity  of  God. 


694 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOT) 


For  both  God  and  Satan  deal  with  the  soul  in  somewhat  a  like 
way,  though  to  different  ends.  They  both  urge  promises  and 
threatenings,  as  motives  to  induce  us  to  their  obedience.  Satan's 
are  all  for  the  present ;  present  gain  and  present  pleasure,  if  we 
consent  to  his  solicitations :  but  God's  promises  and  threatenings 
are  chiefly  for  the  future.  Indeed,  we  shall  here  enjoy  so  much 
peace  of  conscience,  such  a  sweet  calm  and  tranquillity  of  mind, 
such  inward  satisfaction  in  our  self-reflections,  that,  were  there 
nothing  else  propounded  to  us,  yet  even  this  alone  were  enough 
with  rational  and  considerate  men  to  out-bid  all  that  Satan  can 
offer :  but  God  chiefly  insists  upon  the  consideration  of  those  things, 
which  shall  be  accomplished  hereafter ;  and  represents  unto  us 
eternal  rewards  and  eternal  punishments,  the  one  to  allure  us  to 
duty,  the  other  to  deter  us  from  sin ;  and  both  to  deliver  us  from 
the  snare  of  the  devil,  and  that  ruin  into  which  we  should  else 
precipitate  ourselves. 

Now  consider  when  you  are  tempted,  whose  promises  or  whose 
threatenings  prevail  most  with  you,  God's  or  Satan's.-  If  you  yield 
to  the  temptation,  it  is  plain  that  you  prefer  Satan's  before  God's. 
And  this  reflects  a  great  dishonor  upon  him,  either,  that  what  he 
promiseth  is  not  valuable ;  or,  that  it  is  not  so  certain  as  what 
the  devil  promiseth. 

But,  the  common  sense  and  first  notions  of  all  mankind  must 
needs  agree  in  this,  that  what  God  promiseth  is  infinitely  more 
valuable,  and  what  he  threatens  is  infinitely  more  dreadful,  than 
what  can  be  promised  or  threatened  in  a  temptation ;  inasmuch  as 
eternal  joys  do  vastly  transcend  momentary  and  impure  pleasures 
which  die  in  their  very  birth,  and  leave  nothing  but  a  sting  and 
torment  in  the  conscience :  and  those  light  afflictions,  which  the 
devil  tempts  us  to  avoid  by  sinning,  are  poor  inconsiderable 
nothings,  in  comparison  with  that  eternal  anguish  and  horror,  which 
God  threatens  to  inflict  on  us  for  sinning. 

"What  is  it  then,  that  makes  the  temptations  of  the  devil  so 
prevalent  and  effectual  with  most  men  in  the  world  ?  Is  it  not 
because  they  do  not  believe  him,  who  is  truth  itself,  in  what  he 
promises  and  threatens ;  but  assent  to  the  false  promises  of  him, 
who  is  a  liar  from  the  beginning  ?  There  is  no  man,  that  yields 
unto  a  temptation,  but  it  is  because  he  believes  Satan  rather  than 
God.  Infidelity  is  the  root  of  all  sin :  and,  by  this,  they  cast  a 
high  disparagement  and  dishonor  upon  his  truth  and  veracity.  Did 
we  but  believe  that  heaven  is  so  inconceivably  glorious,  a  place 
where  joy  and  bliss  keep  their  eternal  residence,  and  where  we  shall 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


695 


forever  live  in  the  smiles  and  love  of  God,  if  now  for  a  few  short 
years  we  endeavor  to  our  utmost  to  live  holy  and  obedient  lives; 
did  we  but  believe  that  the  crown  of  glory  is  so  massy,  and  all  the 
gems  of  it  so  bright  and  orient ;  that  we  shall  there  bathe  in  rivers 
of  pleasure,  and  forever  feel  and  enjoy  more  satisfaction  than  we 
ran  now  conceive :  did  we  but  believe  these  things  as  the  Scripture 
hath  revealed  them  to  us,  without  diffidence  or  hesitation  ;  nay,  did 
we  but  believe  them  as  probable  and  likely  enough  to  come  to 
pass,  should  we  so  cheaply  forfeit  the  hopes  of  these  things,  for  the 
impure  and  vanishing  delights  of  sin  ?  We  find  that  the  promise 
of  some  temporal  reward  from  men,  is  of  force  enough  to  allure  us 
us  to  very  hard  tasks  and  difficult  enterprises :  how  far  will  many 
venture,  and  how  much  pains  and  labor  will  they  take  to  obtain 
it !  and  yet  the  promises,  that  God  himself  hath  made  of  eternal 
glory,  in  comparison  with  which  to  promise  scepters  and  kingdoms 
is  but  to  promise  trifles  and  gewgaws,  have  so  little  effect  upon  the 
generality  of  mankind  to  win  them  to  a  holy  and  obedient  life ! 
Whence  is  this,  but  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  atheism  and 
infidelity  secretly  lurking  in  men's  souls,  which  never  more 
discovers  itself,  than  when  we  suffer  ourselves  to  be  hurried  away 
by  temptations,  against  all  those  considerations,  which  the  Scripture 
hath  propounded  to  us  of  eternal  rewards  and  punishments  ?  Did 
we  but  believe  that  there  is  a  clay  of  reckoning  to  come,  when  we 
must  stand  before  a  righteous  and  impartial  judge,  to  give  a 
strict  and  narrow  account  of  all  our  actions,  and  receive  our  doom 
from  his  mouth  according  to  what  we  have  done ;  did  we  but 
believe  the  intolerable  wrath  of  God,  the  fire  and  darkness,  woe 
and  anguish,  and  all  those  racks  and  engines  of  torture  that  are 
prepared  for  the  damned ;  who  of  us  would  ever  again  hearken  unto 
a  temptation,  which  only  bids  us  plunge  ourselves  headlong  into 
such  an  abyss  of  miseries  ?  We  should  no  more  dare  to  commit 
the  least  sin  against  God,  than  to  be  damned,  and  run  into  the 
flames  of  hell  with  our  eyes  open,  and  seeing  our  destruction 
evidently  before  us.  But  the  truth  is,  we  are  credulous  towards  the 
devil,  and  infidels  towards  God ;  and  most  gross  and  deplorable 
fools,,  in  both.  Satan  labors  most  to  weaken  our  faith ;  for  he 
knows,  if  he  can  but  once  beat  us  from  that  guard,  all  his  tempta- 
tions will  certainly  prove  effectual  and  do  execution  upon  us. 
And,  therefore,  our  Saviour  tells  Peter,  Luke  xxii.  31,  32  :  "  Simon, 
Simon,  behold,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift 
you  as  wheat :  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not :" 
teaching  us,  that  there  is  no  such  sure  defense  against  the  tempta- 


696 


ON    GLORIFYING  GOD 


tions  of  the  devil,  as  the  strong  and  vigorous  actings  of  faith  :  while 
we  believe  what  God  hath  spoken,  we  shall  never  be  allured  by 
whatsoever  the  devil  can  suggest.  And,  therefore,  also,  the  Apostle, 
when  he  gives  us  the  panopoly  and  complete  armor  of  a  Christian, 
exhorts  us,  Eph.  vi.  16:  "Above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith, 
wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked."  Above  all:  i.  e.  either  chiefly  look  that  your  faith  be 
strong :  or,  else,  as  the'  shield  was  used  to  be  a  defense  not  only 
unto  the  body,  but  to  the  rest  of  the  armor  likewise;  so,  above  all 
or  over  all  the  other  pieces  of  }-our  spiritual  armor,  take  the  shield 
of  faith,  for  this  will  be  a  defense  not  only  to  your  souls,  but  to 
your  other  graces,  to  keep  them  from  being  bruised  and  battered 
by  the  temptations  of  the  wicked  one.  "  Whom  resist  steadfast  in 
the  faith."  1  Pet.  v.  9. 

2dly.  The  second  spiritual  suffering  is  desertion,  wherein  we 
suffer  from  God. 

And  this  is  a  very  heavy  affliction  to  that  soul,  who  ever  knew 
what  the  presence,  and  favor,  and  the  comfortable  and  reviving 
influences  of  the  love  of  God  mean.  When  a  pious  Christian  hath 
once  fixed  God  as  his  chief  and  only  good,  and  taken  the  measures 
of  all  his  joy  and  content  from  his  union  to  and  communion  with 
that  sovereign  good,  how  infinitely  cutting  must  it  needs  be  for 
God  to  absent  and  withdraw  himself,  and  leave  him  under  dark 
and  gloomy  apprehensions  that  he  is  rejected  and  cast  out  of  favor, 
and  disinherited  by  his  heavenly  Father ! 

Now,  in  this  doleful  condition,  when  God  hath  eclipsed  the 
light  of  his  countenance,  and  withdrawn  from  us  the  comforts  of 
his  "free  Spirit,"  how  shall  we  demean  ourselves,  so  as  to  glorify 
him  ? 

To  this  I  answer:  In  this  case,  which  is  confessedly  very  sad 
and  disconsolate,  observe  these  following  directions, 

(1st)  If  you  would  glorify  God  under  desertions,  still  stay  your- 
selves upon  him,  though  you  cannot  see  him. 

Though  you  cannot  see  his  face,  yet  lay  hold  on  his  arm.  See 
that  most  comfortable  place,  Isa.  L  10  :  "  Who  is  among  you,  that 
feareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walk- 
eth  in  darkness,  and  hath  no  light?"  Here  is  a  holy  soul  described 
in  its  worst  estate ;  enveloped  in  thick  darkness,  as  dark  as  the 
confused  heap  and  rubbish  of  the  first  chaos ;  not  having  the  least 
gleam  of  light  breaking  in  upon  it,  either  from  the  face  of  God,  or 
the  reflection  of  its  own  graces.  Now  what  must  this  dark  soul 
do,  in  this  dark  condition  ?    "  Let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the 


IN    HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


697 


Lord,  and  stay  himself  upon  his  God."  Now  this  staying  upon 
God,  in  a  time  of  darkness  and  desertion,  implies,  that,  although 
we  have  no  evidence,  no  light,  nor  knowledge  that  we  are  his,  and 
that  he  is  our  God  in  covenant  with  us;  yet,  that  we  have  fixed 
our  firm  and  settled  resolutions,  to  devolve  and  roll  the  eternal 
concernments  of  our  precious  souls  upon  his  mere  mercy  and  free 
grace  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  Now  what  a  vast  revenue 
of  glory  will  this  bring  in  to  God,  when  we  thus  lay  ourselves  at 
his  feet ;  when  we  thus  hang  and  clasp  about  him ;  and  resolve, 
with  holy  Job,  chap.  xiii.  15:  "Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I 
trust  in  him."  So  when,  after  the  various  tossings  and  tumults  of 
our  unquiet  thoughts,  we  can  rest  upon  this,  "Possibly,  God  will 
destroy  me;  but  I  am  not  certain:  yet  I  will  cleave  unto  him  :  I 
will  venture  my  everlasting  state  and  my  immortal  soul,  merely 
upon  his  mercy,  in  the  ways  of  duty  and  obedience.  If  God  will 
shake  off  such  a  viper  as  I  am  into  hell-fire ;  yet  he  shall  shake  me 
off  his  arm:  on  that,  I  will  depend:  by  that,  I  will  hold:  if  I 
perish,  I  perish.  Sure  I  am,  that,  by  continuing  in  my  sins,  I 
shall  unavoidably  perish ;  butrif  I  yield  myself  to  him,  and  humbly 
crave  his  mercy  and  grace,  I  can  but  perish,  but,  possibly,  may 
live."  Thus  to  resolve,  and  thus  to  act,  doth  exceedingly  glorify 
the  rich  aud  sovereign  mercy  of  God ;  when,  in  all  the  storms  and 
fluctuations  of  a  troubled  spirit,  we  cast  out  this  as  our  sheet 
anchor  ;  and  commit  the  eternal  interests  of  our  souls  only  to  this 
security. 

(2dly)  If  you  would  glorify  God  under  desertion,  encourage 
yourselves  that  he  will  again  return  unto  you,  and  clear  up  his 
loving-kindness  and  favor  unto  your  souls. 

Think  not  thyself  past  hope,  because,  for  the  present,  thou  art 
without  comfort.  Never  judge  so  hardly  of  God,  that,  every  time 
he  hides  his  face,  he  intends  likewise  to  take  away  his  mercy  from 
thee.  Though  the  clouds  be  never  so  thick  gathered,  yet  he  is 
able  to  shine  through  them  all :  he  is  able  to  scatter  and  dissipate 
them ;  and  to  make  a  day  arise  upon  thy  soul,  by  so  much  the 
more  glorious,  by  how  much  the  night  and  darkness  hath  been 
more  obscure  and  dismal.  Be  assured  that  God  can,  and  hope  that 
he  will,  lead  you  through  this  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death ;  and 
bring  you  into  an  estate  made  glorious  and  full  of  beauty,  by  the 
light  and  smiles  of  his  loving  countenance. 

(3dly)  Call  then  to  remembrance  thy  former  experiences  of  the 
mercy  and  goodness  of  God  to  thy  soul. 

And  though  now,  for  the  present,  God  seems  to  write  only  bitter 


698 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


things  against  thee:  yet,  as  absent  friends  use  to  read  over  former 
letters,  and  solace  themselves  with  the  review  of  those  expressions 
of  kindness  which  they  had  formerly  received ;  so,  now  that  the 
commerce  between  heaven  and  thy  soul  seems  to  be  interrupted, 
and  thou  canst  receive  nothing  from  thence  to  comfort  and  revive 
thee,  yet  read  over  thy  former  evidences,  review  the  former  letters 
and  tokens  of  his  love  to  thee :  for,  though  he  hath  withdrawn  the 
fresh  supplies  of  comfort,  yet  he  hath  still  left  thee  a  stock  in  thy 
hands,  enough,  at  least,  to  keep  thee  alive,  and  to  support  thee 
from  sinking  into  utter  despair.  See  Asaph's  case,  Ps.  lxxvii., 
where  we  have  a  most  doleful  complaint  of  a  poor  deserted  soul ; 
verses  7-9:  "Will  the  Lord  cast  off  forever?  and  will  he  be 
favorable  no  more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  forever  ?  doth  his 
promise  fail  for  evermore  ?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ? 
hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ?"  You  see  that  he 
all  along  seems  to  lay  the  very  accent  of  damnation  upon  his  de- 
sertion ;  "  forever!  forever!''''  but  consider,  then,  how  be  supports 
himself,  v.  10  :  "  And  I  said,  This  is  my  infirmity :  but  I  will  re- 
member the  years  of  the  right-hand  of  the  Most  High.  The  years 
of  the  right-hand  of  the  Most  High :"  %.  e.,  I  will  recall  to  mind 
former  times,  wherein  God  bestowed  upon  me  the  blessings  of  his 
right-hand  ;  and,  in  this  present  dearth,  live  upon  what  I  laid  up 
in  the  years  of  plenty  and  abundance.  So,  in  your  desertions,  do 
you  glorify  God ;  by  recalling  to  mind  former  mercies,  and  former 
discoveries  of  his  special  grace  and  love  to  your  souls.  Can  none 
of  you  remember,  when  you  would  have  ventured  your  souls  upon 
the  truth  of  those  joys  and  comforts  which  you  have  felt  ?  When 
you  were  willing  to  depart  out  of  this  world,  and  to  be  found  of 
God  in  no  other  estate  than  you  knew  yourselves  to  be  then  in? 
And,  what !  can  you  so  suddenly  be  at  a  loss  for  comfort  enough 
to  keep  you  alive,  who,  but  a  while  since,  had  so  much  as  to  make 
you  hope  and  wish  for  death  ?  Whence  proceeds  this  unhappy 
change  ?  Ts  God  unfaithful  ?  Is  his  love  fickle  ?  Are  his  promise 
and  covenant  reversible ;  that  you  are  so  soon  cast  down  from 
assurance  to  doubtings,  and  from  doubtings  to  despondency  ?  If 
not,  but  that  there  is  the  same  merit  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  the 
same  efficacy  in  his  intercession,  the  same  stability  in  the  purpose 
of  God,  and  the  same  fidelity  in  his  promises  now  as  there  was  in 
your  highest  joys,  what  reason  have  you  to  dishonor  him  by  those 
distracting  fears,  doubts,  and  jealousies  which  torment  you  ?  Be 
persuaded,  therefore,  to  glorify  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  all 


IN    HIS   ATTRIBUTES.  699 

these,  by  encouraging  yourselves  in  the  same  hopes,  though  it  may 
be  they  flourish  not  into  such  rich  assurance  as  formerly. 

(4thly)  The  last  direction  shall  be  this :  If  you  would  glorify 
God  under  desertions,  be  sure  that  want  of  comfort  cause  you  not 
to  forsake  duty. 

Though  thou  mayest  come  sad  to  duty,  and  depart  sad  from  it; 
though  the  ordinances  may  be  to  thee  but  empty  dry  breasts,  and 
thou  canst  find  no  refreshment,  no  sweetness  in  them :  yet  this  is 
the  greatest  commendation  of  a  true  Christian,  a  certain  sign  of 
the  sincerity  of  his  obedience,  and  a  high  credit  and  honor  unto 
God,  that  he  will  be  constant  in  his  service  and  attendance,  though 
he  hath  no  present  wages  given  him.  Yea,  and  in  this  course  thou 
art  most  likely  to  regain  thy  lost  comforts.  Thou  wilt  at  last  re- 
ceive thy  dole,  if  thou  keep  constantly  attending  at  wisdom's 
gates.  Howsoever,  God  and  his  ordinances  are  hereby  highly 
honored,  when  the  consolations,  which  thou  hast  formerly  found  in 
them,  have  left  such  a  deep  impression  on  thee,  as  to  make  thee 
resolve  to  attend  on  them  as  long  as  thou  livest. 

iii.  The  third  head  of  the  general  proposition  still  remains  :  and 
that  is,  to  show  you  what  force  and  influence  the  con- 
sideration OF  OUR  REDEMPTION  OUGHT  TO  HAVE  UPON  US,  TO 
OBLIGE  US  THUS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 

The  truth  is,  as  I  have  at  the  entrance  of  this  subject  opened  it 
at  large  to  you,  God  hath  many  ties  and  obligations  upon  us :  as 
he  is  our  almighty  Creator,  our  merciful  Preserver,  our  all-wise 
Governor,  our  bountiful  Benefactor,  &c. ;  upon  all  which  accounts, 
we  ought  entirely  to  devote  ourselves  unto  his  service.  But,  the 
strongest  bond  of  all,  which  nothing  can  violate  but  the  foulest 
disingenuousness  and  the  blackest  ingratitude  in  the  world,  is  that 
soft  and  easy  one  of  being  our  Saviour  and  Redeemer.  This  is  a 
relation  overflowing  with  love  and  sweetness :  but  yet  such  a 
sweetness,  as  hath  an  efficacious  strength  in  it:  such  a  love,  as  lays 
a  holy  violence  upon  the  ravished  soul ;  and,  by  a  free  constraint 
and  a  willing  force,  makes  it  surrender  itself  wholly  and  unre- 
servedly unto  its  gracious  God,  who  hath  not  only  required  it  as  a 
gift,  but  bought  it  as  a  purchase.  To  which  purpose  the  Apostle 
speaks  most  fully,  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15 :  "  The  love  of  Christ  con- 
straineth  us ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then 
were  all  dead :  And  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live 
should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which 
died  for  them,  and  rose  again." 


700 


OX   GLORIFYING  GOD 


For  the  prosecution  of  this,  we  may  observe  that  there  are,  in 
general,  three  strong  obligations,  which  our  redemption  lays  upon 
us  to  glorify  God,  viz :  justice,  gratitude,  and  interest. 

1.  "We  "are  bought  with  a  price,"  and  therefore  it  is  but  justice 
and  equity  to  serve  and  glorify  that  God,  who  hath  purchased  us  to 
himself. 

For,  in  these  words,  the  Apostle  alludes  to  the  custom,  that  was 
common  in  his  days,  of  selling  and  buying  slaves  for  money ;  who 
generally  were  such  as  were  taken  captives  in  their  wars,  and  all 
the  posterity  of  such  captives.  These  were  absolutely  under  the 
power  of  their  masters  that  had  bought  them,  and  to  be  disposed 
and  employed  as  they  thought  fit ;  called,  therefore,  by  Aristotle, 
ifi-lvZa.  opydux,  "  living  instruments,"  or  "  animate  utensils,"  to  serve 
their  pleasure.  Such  we  ought  to  be  towards  God :  for,  man 
rebelling  against  his  Maker,  God  declares  war  against  him,  and 
makes  him  captive  to  his  dread  justice ;  but,  not  willing  utterly  to 
destroy  him,  sells  him  to  his  own  Son,  who  pays  down  a  full  price 
for  us,  and  vindicates  us  to  himself,  that  we  might  become  his 
servants,  subject  unto  his  will,  and  employed  in  his  work :  which 
if  we  refuse  or  detract,  we  are  guilty  of  injustice  in  depriving  him 
of  his  right ;  and  may  well  fear,  lest  he  should,  according  to  his 
compact  with  his  father,  turn  us  back  upon  the  hands  of  justice  as 
unprofitable  servants,  to  be  punished  and  destroyed  by  him. 

(1)  Consider,  the  price,  that  he  paid  down,  doth  infinitely  outbid 
the  purchase,  and  exceed  the  value  of  all  that  thou  art  and  hast. 

Thy  Saviour  hath  paid  down  the  inestimable  treasure  of  his  own 
merits :  he  hath  taken  upon  him  our  nature,  and  with  it  our  griefs 
and  sorrows ;  suffered  all  the  indignities,  that  insulting  rage  and 
spite  could  put  upon  him ;  waded  first  through  his  own  tears,  and 
then  through  his  blood,  and  every  drop  of  both  is  infinitely  more 
worth  than  thou  and  all  the  world.  He  stood  not  to  beat  down  the 
price,  but  readily  gave  for  thee  whatsoever  was  demanded :  yea,  his 
very  life  and  soul ;  a  price  so  exceedingly  precious,  that,  were  we 
far  more  considerable  creatures  than  we  are,  yea  more  excellent 
than  the  highest  order  of  angels,  it  must  needs  leave  us  under  the 
confusion  of  shame  and  blushing,  to  think  that  ever  we  should  be 
so  much  over- valued.  And  wherefore  was  this,  but  that  we  might 
be  solely  and  entirely  his;  that  none  might  have  any  claim  to  us 
but  himself?  And,  what !  Shall  the  great  God  give  his  only 
begotten  Son  in  exchange  for  a  servant ;  and  yet  wretched  thou 
refuse  his  service?  Shall  the  Son  so  highly  esteem  the  glory,  that 
such  poor  vile  nothings  as  we  are  can  bring  him,  as  to  divest  him- 


IN   II I  S  ATTRIBUTES. 


701 


self  of  that  glory,  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
began ;  and  yet  fall  short  of  this  too  ?  Wilt  thou  defeat  him  of  his 
bargain,  when  he  and  justice  are  fully  agreed ;  and  all  the  right  and 
title,  that  the  wrath  of  God  had  to  thee  formerly,  is  now  made 
over  to  the  Son  of  his  love  ? 

(2)  Consider,  that  all  the  use,  which  thy  Saviour  can  make  of 
thee,  is  only  that  thou  shouldst  glorify  him ;  and,  by  obedience 
and  a  holy  life  and  conversation,  shouldst  serve  to  the  setting  forth 
of  his  praise. 

This  is  the  very  end,  for  which  he  hath  redeemed  thee.  "What 
saith  the  Apostle,  Tit.  ii.  14  ?  He  "  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a 
peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  This  is  the  end  why  he 
died  for  thee;  and  this  is  all  the  service  he  expects  from  thee,- 
though  he  hath  bought  thee  at  so  dear  a  rate.  And,  what !  shall 
so  rich  a  price  then  be  cast  away  in  vain  ?  Shall  it  be  in  vain,  that 
thy  Saviour  hath  lived,  that  he  hath  died,  that  he  hath  risen  again, 
and  is  now  interceding  at  the  right-hand  of  the  majesty  on  high? 
As  he  hath  lost  his  life  for  thee,  shall  he  also  lose  his  very  death 
too?  Shall  he  lay  out  so  much  to  purchase  thee,  and  all  be  lost? 
Shall  his  blood  run  waste ;  and  so  rich  a  stock  be  spent  upon  so 
poor  and  wretched  a  things  as  thou  art,  and  not  obtain  that  neither? 

(3)  Consider :  If  thou  livest  not  to  thy  Saviour,  who  hath  died 
for  thee,  and  by  his  death  bought  and  purchased  thee  to  himself, 
thou  art  guilty  of  robbery  ;  of  sacrilege,  which  is  the  worst  robbery 
and  most  branded  injustice  in  the  world. 

For  thou  robbest  thy  God ;  and  stealest  away  a  servant,  even 
thyself,  from  him  :  for  thou  art  his,  by  the  right  of  purchase  and 
redemption ;  and,  so  much  of  thyself,  of  thy  time,  of  thy  strength, 
of  thy  parts,  of  thy  soul  and  affections,  as  is  not  employed  in  his 
work  and  service,  so  much  is  purloined  from  him.  And,  if  God 
justly  complains  of  the  Jews,  Mai.  iii.  8,  as  guilty  of  heinous 
robbery  and  sacrilege,  because  they  defrauded  his  servants  the 
priests  of  their  tithes  and  offerings,  of  brute  or  inanimate  creatures ; 
how  much  more  heinous  is  it  to  defraud  him  of  his  servant,  who 
ought  to  be  a  priest  unto  him,  and  continually  to  offer  up  the 
sacrifices  of  praise  and  obedience,  which  he  more  values  than  whole 
hecatombs  of  slain  beasts  ? 

(4)  Consider,  again:  If,  instead  of  glorifying  him  by  thy  obedience, 
thou  dishonorest  him  by  thy  rebellions  and  impieties,  thou  not 
only  defraudest  him  of  his  servant,  but,  what  is  infinitely  worse,  of 
the  very  price  that  he  paid. 


702 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


Thou  defraudest  him  of  his  sufferings,  of  his  death,  of  his  most 
precious  bloodi  Yea,  thou  dost,  in  a  sense,  most  sacrilegiously 
rob  him  of  himself:  Christ  had  never  abased  himself  from  the 
glory  of  heaven,  but  to  be  glorified  here  upon  earth :  he  never  had 
taken  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  but  that  he  might  here 
have  a  seed  to  serve  him :  and,  so  far  forth  as  we  refuse  this,  so  far 
do  we  make  frustrate  and  to  no  purpose  all  that  he  hath  either 
done,  or  suffered,  or  been,  for  our  sakes.  And,  therefore,  if  thou 
wouldst  not  be  unjust  to  thy  Saviour,  who  hath  been  so  merciful 
to  thee ;  if  thou  wouldst  not  rob  him  of  what  he  hath  so  dearly 
bought,  and  so  highly  values ;  look  upon  thyself  as  obliged,  by 
all  the  bonds  of  equity  and  honesty,  to  live  to  his  glory,  who  hath 
redeemed  thee  to  this  very  end  and  purpose,  that  thou  shouldst 
glorify  him. 

2.  We  are  bound,  not  only  in  justice  and  equity,  but,  in 
ingenuousness  and  gratitude,  to  glorify  God,  upon  account  of  our 
redemption. 

"  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price ;"  and,  therefore,  if  there  be  but  any 
the  least  remainders  of  modesty  and  bashfulness  left  in  you,  you 
cannot  but  look  upon  yourselves  as  obliged  to  serve  and  honor 
that  gracious  God,  who  hath  been  pleased  freely  to  bestow  so  great 
and  inconceivable  a  mercy  upon  you. 

(1)  For,  consider,  what  it  is  from  which  you  are  redeemed. 
And  that  is  all  the  woe  and  misery,  that  the  heart  of  man  can 

conceive,  or  the  nature  of  man  endure ;  all  the  rankest  poison,  that 
ever  was  wrapped  up  in  the  bowels  of  the  most  direful  and  com- 
prehensive curse.  To  speak  out  a  few  syllables  of  it,  it  is  the 
wrath  of  God,  the  torments  of  hell,  everlasting  burnings ;  a  state  so 
infinitely  miserable,  that  the  very  malice  of  the  devil  himself  will 
be  satisfied  upon  us  when  he  hath  brought  us  into  it.  Indeed,  it 
is  utterly  impossible  to  declare  the  wretchedness  of  that  estate  to 
the  full ;  unless  we  could  speak  flames,  and  put  a  whole  eternal 
damnation  into  words  and  phrases.  But  from  this  wrath,  which  is 
both  unutterable  and  intolerable,  hath  the  mercy  of  our  gracious 
Saviour  redeemed  us. 

(2)  Consider  with  what  price  he  hath  bought  us. 

A  price  of  infinite  value  and  worth.  He  hath  given  himself  for 
us,  laid  down  his  life,  and  shed  his  most  precious  blood  as  the 
price  of  our  redemption.  Yea,  so  earnestly  did  his  love  engage 
him  to  free  us  from  that  woeful  condition  into  which  we  had 
brought  ourselves,  that  he  voluntarily  puts  himself  into  it,  to 
rescue  us ;.  and  is  made  a  curse,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  the 


IN   HIS   ATTRIBUTES.  703 

curse :  he  interposes  between  the  wrath  of  God  and  our  souls ;  and 
receives  into  his  own  body  all  those  envenomed  arrows,  that  were 
shot  at  us.  And,  as  if  the  mercy  of  our  redemption  alone  were 
not  considerable  enough  to  recommend  his  love  to  us,  he  abases 
himself,  that  he  might  exalt  us;  takes  upon  him  our  sins,  that  he 
might  bear  our  punishment ;  and  lays  himself  under  all  the  load 
and  burden  of  his  Father's  wrath,  which  pressed  him  so  hard  as  to 
wring  from  him  clots  of  blood  in  the  garden,  and  rivers  of  blood 
on  the  cross,  and  to  force  him  in  the  most  doleful  passion  of  an 
afflicted  soul  to  cry  out,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  ?"  whilst  we,  in  the  meantime,  whose  proper  portion  and  desert 
all  this  was,  who  should  ourselves  have  been  dragged  forth  to 
execution,  and  made  the  subjects  and  trophies  of  God's  wrath  and 
vengeance,  we  are  the  darlings  and  favorites  of  heaven,  courted 
and  caressed  by  his  choicest  love :  we  live  in  the  smiles  of  God  : 
every  day  is  a  festival  with  us.  And  how  seldom  is  it,  that  we  so 
much  as  look  out  to  consider  what  our  blessed  Redeemer  hath  done 
and  suffered  for  us !  Or,  if  we  do,  do  we  not  behold  him  the  most 
perfect  map  of  sorrow  and  misery,  that  ever  was  represented  to  the 
world  ?  Did  ever  grief  and  sorrow  so  perfectly  triumph  over  any, 
as  over  our  blessed  Saviour?  All  our  private  and  personal 
sorrows  are  but  partial :  still  there  is  some  remnant  of  us  that 
escapes :  but,  here,  both  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  rage  of  men, 
and,  as  it  was  in  the  great  and  universal  deluge,  the  windows  of 
heaven  above  and  the  fountains  and  bars  of  the  deep  beneath,  are 
all  opened,  and  pour  out  their  store  of  floods  upon  him.  He  was 
afflicted,  and  he  was  oppressed;  a  man  "acquainted  with  grief," 
intimate  and  familiar  with  sufferings. 

And,  now,  what  doth  thy  dear  Redeemer  require  at  thy  hands, 
in  lieu  of  all  that  he  hath  done  and  suffered  for  thee,  but  only  that 
thou  shouldst  live  to  him,  who  hath  both  lived  and  died  for  thee ; 
that  thou  shouldst  yield  up  thy  life  in  obedience  to  him,  who  hath 
been  obedient  for  thee  to  the  very  death  ?  An  expectation  in 
finitely  rational ;  and  which  thou  canst  not  have  the  face  to  deny, 
unless  all  modesty  and  ingenuousness  are  perished  from  thee. 

[1]  If  God  had  put  the  terms  of  thy  redemption  into  thy  own 
hands,  couldst  thou  have  offered  less  for  the  ransom  of  thy  soul  ? 

Thou  art  forfeited  to  justice,  and  standest  liable  to  everlasting 
death  and  damnation.  Suppose  that  the  adored  design  of  saving 
sinners  by  Jesus  Christ  had  never  entered  into  the  eternal  counsel 
of  God,  but  he  had  resolved  to  transact  the  whole  affair  with  thy- 
self ;  and,  on  the  one  hand,  had  evidently  set  before  thy  face  all 
the  horrors  and  torments  of  hell,  if  thou  hadst  seen  whole  seas  of 


704 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOD 


burning  brimstone  come  rolling  towards  thee,  and  some  waves  of 
them  bud  broke  and  dashed  upon  thee ;  and,  on  the  other  hand 
had  propounded  the  most  rigid  observances  and  macerating '  pe- 
nances, all  that  is  here  grievous  and  irksome,  not  only  to  thy  cor- 
rupt will  and  humor,  but  also  to  human  nature  itself  to  undergo, 
as  the  only  price  and  condition  of  escaping  this  so  evident  and  so 
imminent  a  destruction :  which  wouldst  thou  have  chosen  ?  Wouldst 
not  thou,  upon  thy  bended  knees,  have  accepted  of  the  hardest 
terms  that  could  be  offered  thee,  to  spend  all  thy  days  in  sighs  and 
tears,  and  at  last  to  offer  up  thyself  a  burnt-sacrifice  to  God,  rather 
than  to  fall  into  that  abyss  of  woes  and  torments,  in  comparison 
with  which,  all  that  we  can  suffer  in  this  life  is  but  pleasure 9 
This,  certainly,  would  be  thy  choice.  And,  what !  when  thy  Sa- 
viour hatli  already  taken  all  the  hard  terms  upon  himself,  and  left 
nothing  for  thee  to  do,  but  only  to  show  a  testimony  of  thy  grate- 
ful acceptance  of  it ;  when  he  hath  compounded  for  thee,  satisfied 
all  the  demands  of  justice,  left  nothing  for  thee  to  pay,  besides  a 
small  acknowledgment  of  his  infinite  mercy :  with  what  face  canst 
thou  deny  him  this  ?  He  only  requires  that  thou  shouldst  serve 
and  glorify  him,  by  living  according  to  the  rules  of  true  reason 
and  religion:  he  expects  no  torments,  no  sufferings  from  thee, 
nothing  expiatory  for  thy  sins ;  but  only  that  thou  sin  no  more : 
and,  if  thou  refuse  him  this,  pity  it  is  that  ever  so  great  love 
should  be  laid  out  upon  such  disingenuous  and  ungrateful  wretches. 
Possibly,  thy  sloth,  and  the  devil  joining  in  with  it,  may  persuade 
thee  that  it  is  a  hard  saying  and  a  grievous  imposition  to  glorifv 
God,  to  live  by  rule,  and  to  direct  all  thy  actions  to  his  honor  and 
praise  :  but  think  also  with  thyself,  that,  if  God  should  release  any 
damned  soul,  who  hath  sadly  felt  how  infinitely  stinging  and  in- 
tolerable eternal  torments,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  the  never-dying 
worm  are ;  if  God  should  release  such  an  one  from  hell,  and  pro- 
mise him  forever  to  escape  it  upon  the  same  terms  as  he  hath 
promised  us,  how  rigorously  careful  and  circumspect  would  he  be 
in  all  things  to  please  his  great  and  terrible  God,  whose  justice  he 
hath  already  felt,  and  whose  mercy  he  now  may  hope  for!  Yea, 
were  the  conditions  of  his  salvation  to  be  damned  yet  a  thousand 
years  longer,  how  joyfully  would  he  lie  down  in  his  flames,  court 
and  invite  those  torments  that  would  thus  deliver  him  from  the 
everlasting  residue  of  them !  What  sense  and  experience  would 
work  upon  such  an  one,  that  let  faith  and  gratitude  work  upon 
thee:  love  and  serve  thou  that  Eedeemer,  who  hath  delivered  thee 
from  that  woe,  which  thou  never  yet  feltest ;  who  hath  borne  all 
himself  and  hath  left  thee  nothing  to  do,  but  what  thou  art  abso- 


IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


705 


lutely  obliged  to  as  a  creature,  whether  he  had  redeemed  thee  or 
no,  even  to  love,  serve,  and  fear  thy  great  and  glorious  God. 

[2]  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  infinitely  abased  himself  to  pro- 
cure thy  redemption ;  and  therefore,  at  least  ingenuousness  and 
gratitude  should  engage  thee  to  exalt  and  glorify  him. 

He  emptied  himself,  saith  the  Scripture,  and  "made  himself  of 
no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant :"  Phil.  ii. 
7.  "  He  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness ;  and  when  we  saw  him, 
there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him.  He  is  despised  and 
rejected  of  men :"  Isa.  liii.  2,  3.  And,  what !  can  thy  ingenuous- 
ness, 0  Christian,  suffer  that  he  should  remain  still  vile,  who  was 
thus  vilified  and  humbled  for  thy  sake?  Wilt  thou  not  repair  his 
honor  ?  And,  seeing  he  was  pleased  to  lay  aside  his  glory,  to  veil 
and  eclipse  himself  in  our  flesh,  only  that  he  might  accomplish 
the  arduous  work  of  our  redemption,  how  can  we  but  account 
ourselves  obliged  by  the  strongest  bonds  of  gratitude  and  thank- 
fulness to  celebrate  his  praise,  and  endeavor  that  his  glory  may  be 
as  much  promoted  by  us,  as  it  was  lessened  and  obscured  for  us  ? 

(3)  "VVe  are  bound  to  glorify  God  for  our  redemption  from  mo- 
tives of  interest  and  advantage. 

"Ye  are  bought  with  a  price:  therefore  glorify  God,"  because 
without  this,  you  can  never  reap  any  fruit,  any  benefit  by  your 
redemption.  It  is  only  a  holy  and  obedient  life,  that  brings  glory 
to  God,  and  that  can  possibly  bring  you  unto  glory.  It  is  true, 
Christ  hath  died  and  risen  again  for  you :  he  hath  borne  the  whole 
load  of  wrath  that  was  due  to  you  for  your  sins.  Yet,  boast  not 
of  this  ;  for  it  will  all  signify  nothing  unto  you:  without  a  strict, 
pious,  and  godly  life,  redemption,  yea  salvation  itself,  cannot  save 
you.  The  terms  are  immutably  fixed  :  Christ  is  "  the  author  of 
eternal  salvation"  only  to  those  "that  obey  him."  And,  therefore, 
as  ever  thou  hopest  to  have  any  benefit  by  the  redemption  of  Christ 
Jesus;  as  thou  wouldst  not  have  his  blood  shed  in  vain,  and  spilt 
as  water  upon  the  ground  that  cannot  be  gathered  up ;  as  ever 
thou  hopest  to  see  the  face  of  thy  God  and  thy  Saviour  with  joy 
and  comfort  in  endless  glory :  so  endeavor,  by  a  holy,  pure,  and 
spotless  life,  to  glorify  him  here  on  earth  :  for  "without  holiness, 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord:"  Heb.  xii.  14.  And  think  with  thy- 
self, 0  sinner,  how  justly  dreadful  it  will  be  to  thee,  at  the  last 
day,  to  be  brought  into  the  presence  of  thy  blessed  Redeemer : 
when  thou  shalt  see  that  body,  that  was  buffeted,  crucified,  pierced, 
that  bled  and  died  for  thee ;  and  be  upbraided  by  thy  ireful  God, 
that  all  those  pains,  and  sorrows,  and  agonies  were  sustained  for 
Vol.  II.— 45 


706 


ON   GLORIFYING  GOP 


thee,  and  yet  all  in  vain,  because  of  thy  willful  unbelief  and  im- 
penitence: where  wilt  thou  hide  thy  shame?  How  many  rock3 
and  mountains,  heaped  one  upon  another,  will  suffice  to  cover  thee 
from  the  wrath  of  that  God,  whose  love  and  mercy  thou  hast  so 
wofully  abused?  It  must  needs  redound  to  thy  eternal  horror  and 
confusion,  that  ever  thou  shouldst  so  slight  the  fearful  wrath  of 
God,  as  to  neglect  and  despise  the  redemption  that  Christ  Jesus 
hath  purchased  from  it,  so  ignominiously  as  not  to  accept  of  it 
when  it  was  offered,  when  all  the  charges  of  it  were  borne  and 
defrayed  by  himself;  but  only  an  acknowledgment  of  the  kind- 
ness required  from  thee. 

IV.  I  shall  be  very  brief  in  the  APPLICATION,  having  already 
treated  of  very  many  things  at  large,  which  are  wholly  practical. 

And,  therefore,  the  only  use  that  I  shall  make  of  it,  and  so  close 
up  this  whole  subject,  shall  be  to  exhort  you  to  a  constant  care  and 
endeavor  to  glorify  God.  Consider, 

i.  It  is  the  great  end  OF  OUR  being;  and,  indeed,  the  noblest 
and  highest  end  for  which  we  could  be  created. 

Indeed,  all  things  were  made,  as  by  God,  so  for  God:  he  is  the 
first  cause  and  the  last  end  of  all.  Yet,  there  is  a  difference  accord- 
ing to  the  order  of  beings.  For  irrational  creatures  were  made  to 
glorify  God,  only  objectively ;  as  they  represent  unto  us  many 
evident  footsteps  of  God's  most  glorious  attributes  and  perfections : 
thus  the  heavens  are  said  to  declare  the  glory  of  God,  only  because 
their  amplitude,  beauty,  and  order  do  set  forth,  to  all  considerate 
beholders,  the  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the  great 
Artificer;  who,  by  his  word,  framed  such  vast  orbs,  and  imprinted 
on  them  such  an  impetus  of  various  and  yet  regular  motions.  But 
man  was  created  to  glorify  God,  actively  and  intentionally  ;  by  the 
choice  of  his  deliberate  judgment,  to  fix  God  as  the  end  of  all  his 
actions :  and,  if  he  falls  short  of  this,  he  falls  short  of  his  very 
reason  and  nature,  and  is  created  in  vain.  Thinkest  thou,  O  man, 
that  God  hath  created  thee  only  to  show  what  an  excellent  piece 
of  work  his  power  and  wisdom  can  achieve  ?  This  he  hath  suffi- 
ciently done,  in  breathing  forth  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  so  many 
other  creatures,  which  are  all  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made  as 
well  as  thyself :  he  need  not  to  have  framed  thee,  if  he  had  in- 
tended only  a  specimen  and  essay  of  what  his  almighty  power 
could  do :  no ;  but,  whereas  the  innumerable  kinds  of  other  crea- 
tures serve  to  glorify  God  after  this  manner,  reflecting  back  all 
their  perfections  indirectly  upon  God,  thou  wert  formed  to  glorify 


IN   II  IS  ATTRIBUTES. 


707 


him  more  directly  and  immediately:  that  is  the  ultimate  end,  to 
which  they  arc  all  overruled;  but  this  is  the  end,  which  thou 
oughtest  to  propound  unto  thyself.  Otherwise, 

1.  Thou  degradest  thyself  from  the  rank  and  dignity  of  thine  own 
being,  and  herdest  thyself  among  brute  beasts. 

It  is  not  so  much  reason  and  discourse,  that  make  a  difference 
between  beasts  and  men,  as  religion.  We  see  many  strange  and 
wonderful  operations  of  those,  which  we  call  irrational  creatures: 
of  which  we  can  give  no  account,  unless  they  do  in  their  sphere 
partake  some  glimmerings  of  reason,  which  we  usually  ascribe 
wholly  to  ourselves;  but  none  at  all  of  any  religion,  or  notion,  or 
adoration  of  a  deity.  This  is  the  crown  and  perfection  of  thy 
nature  :  it  is  that  incommunicable  property  that  separates  us  from 
beasts.  And,  therefore,  if  thou  servest,  if  thou  glorifiest  not  thy 
God,  thou  dost  but  debase  and  disparage  thyself,  and  art  made  a 
man  in  vain.  Thou,  who  abandonest  thyself  to  any  way  of  wicked- 
ness, whose  intemperance  burdens  thy  nature  with  surfeits  as  much 
as  thy  conscience  with  sin  and  guilt;  thou,  who  wallowest  in  im- 
pure lusts,  and  makest  thy  body  a  brothel,  and  thy  soul  a  prosti- 
tute ;  thou,  who,  by  lying,  and  swearing,  and  stealing,  declarest 
evidently  that  thou  fearest  neither  God  nor  man ;  wherefore  wert 
thou  made  a  man  ?  Hadst  thou  been  a  brute  or  an  inanimate 
creature,  thou  wouldst  as  much  have  glorified  the  attributes  of 
God  as  now  thou  dost,  and  much  less  dishonored  him  :  yea,  thou 
now  dishonorest  him,  which  they  do  not ;  inasmuch  as  thou  sinkest 
below  the  rank  of  thine  own  nature,  and  turnest  recreant  to  the 
principles  of  thine  own  being. 

2.  Thou  not  only  degradest  thyself,  but  degradest  God  too,  and 
exaltest  something  above  him. 

For  every  wicked  person  dethrones  the  true,  and  sets  up  a  false 
god  in  his  stead.  It  is  the  nature  of  man,  to  seek  and  serve  some- 
thing, as  its  ultimate  and  highest  end.  And  whatsoever  we  pro- 
pound to  ourselves  as  our  utmost  end,  that  we  make  our  god. 
Now  thou,  who  refusest  to  glorify  God,  whom  is  it  that  thou  glo- 
rifiest? Is  it  not  thyself?  Thou  settest  up  thyself  as  thy  idol, 
and  art  thine  own  idolater.  Either  thou  makest  thy  profit,  or  thy 
pleasure,  or  thy  humor  thy  god :  this  thou  seekest,  and  this  thou 
servest,  to  this  all  thy  actions  tend  and  are  directed.  That  is  every 
man's  god,  which  he  most  seeks  to  please  and  to  serve.  And  what 
a  horrible  affront  is  this  to  the  most  high  and  only  true  God,  that 
thou,  whom  he  made  for  his  servant,  shouldst  become  his  rival ; 
and  what  he  intended  for  himself,  should  be  set  up  for  a  deity 
against  him ! 


708   ON    GLORIFYING   GOD    IN   HIS  ATTRIBUTES. 


ii.  Consider,  that  God  will  certainly  have  his  glory  out 

OF  THEE. 

If  thou  wilt  not  glorify  his  holiness  by  thy  obedience,  thou  shalt 
glorify  his  justice  by  thy  perdition.  He  will  not  lose  by  thee : 
but  thou,  who  hast  extravagantly  lived  without  and  beside  the 
order  of  thy  reason  as  a  man,  and  of  thy  religion  as  a  Christian, 
shalt  be  compelled  and  brought  into  the  order  of  his  subjects  as  a 
damned  wretch  and  rebel.  But  this  will  be  sadly  to  thy  cost: 
and  when  thou  liest  stretched  out  and  racked  with  the  extremity 
of  thy  torments,  thou  wilt  then  too  late  reflect  on  thy  gross  and 
desperate  folly  ;  that  ever  thou  shouldst  refuse  to  glorify  that  God 
voluntarily  by  thy  obedience  and  submission,  who  now  forceth 
;hee  to  glorify  him,  whether  thou  wilt  or  no,  by  thy  intolerable 
and  eternal  tortures. 

iii.  Consider,  that,  by  glorifying  God,  we  do  indeed  but 

GLORIFY  OURSELVES. 

For  he  hath  been  pleased  so  graciously  to  entwine  his  glory  and 
ours  together,  that  whilst  we  endeavor  to  promote  the  one,  we  do 
but  indeed  promote  the  other.  "  Them,  that  honor  me,  1  will 
honor :"  1  Sam.  ii.  30.  And  what  a  vast  encouragement  is  this  to 
the  cheerful  performance  of  all  the  duties  that  God  requires  at  our 
hands,  how  hard  and  difficult  soever  they  may  seem,  to  consider 
that  this,  that  God  commands  of  me,  is  no  barren  piece  of  service ! 
Possibly,  I  may  lose  my  reputation,  I  may  lose  my  estate,  or  I 
may  lose  my  life  by  it ;  but  yet,  if  it  bring  glory  to  God,  it  will 
certainly  bring  abundant  reward  to  me.  And,  though  I  see  nothing 
spring  up  of  it  here  on  earth,  but  thorns  and  briars  to  rend  and 
pierce  me  through  with  many  sorrows ;  yet,  doubtless,  my  reward 
is  with  my  God ;  and  heaven  shall  repay  with  interest  all  that 
glory  which  I  have  brought  unto  him,  by  crowning  me  with  glory, 
immortality  and  eternal  life.  Oh,  how  happy  and  blessed  a  thing 
is  it,  when  we  come  to  breathe  out  our  souls  into  the  arms  of  God, 
then  to  be  able  to  reflect  upon  a  well-spent  life :  and  to  recom- 
mend our  flying  souls  to  our  gracious  God,  as  our  Saviour  did, 
John  xvii.  4,  5  :  "I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth  :  I  have  finished 
the  work,  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do.  And  now,  O  Father, 
glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with"  that  "glory  which"  thou 
hast  prepared  for  me  "  before  the  world  was."  Unto  the  which 
glory,  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  bring  us,  through  the  merits  of 
Jesus  Christ :  to  whom,  &c. 

EN'D  OF  VOLUME  II. 


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